On the surface, mindfulness practice seems tailor-made for increasing welfare of its adopters. Drawing upon centuries-old Buddhist and Vedantic rituals, it refers to a set of activities & exercisesperformed to focus one’s mind on experiencing the present, one moment at a time. Mindfulness exercises often involve meditation in some form. The practitioner focuses on a single concept continuously for a period ranging from a few minutes to hours. For instance, the person may simply monitor his or her own breathing or count breaths, paying close attention to each cycle of inhalation and exhalation. Or listen to a soothing sound or recite a chant repeatedly.

Research studies, now numbering in the thousands, have associated mindfulness practice with numerous health benefits, from long-term reductions in anxiety and depression, the management of pain, controlling anger, curbing addictions, empathy, and emotional well-being.

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