What is Mindfulness? 

If you are new to mindfulness, this series will be a crash course on the powerful ways mindfulness can impact your life. Mindfulness teaches us how to direct our senses toward what is happening right now, what we are doing, and to the space we’re in. In today’s world, we forget to dedicate time to being present. We each know we need this but defending time for it in our busy worlds is a challenge and an invitation. We might often veer from the matter at hand. Our mind takes flight again, we lose touch with our bodies and soon we are engrossed in our thoughts, perseverating over past and future, without attending to the moment at hand, and the opportunity we have to become fully present, aware, and in-tune with what is happening right now. 

Mindfulness is all about actively participating in being present. It allows us to connect inside and out. When we’re mindful, we reduce stress, enhance performance, and gain insight and awareness through observing our own minds and increasing our attention to others’ well-being.

Mindfulness in Virtual Reality

For many of us, it is not that we do not want to participate in mindfulness, but it is that we struggle to focus our minds. Many people use mindfulness apps like Headspace and Calm, yet the demands of the busy world around us still make it difficult to tune out the chaos and tune into ourselves, our senses, and what matters. Virtual reality is about immersion, where we can focus on both the feeling of focusing on the learnings and translating them into real-world applications. The social space also allows for social-emotional components. Therefore, we believe that mindfulness and virtual reality make the perfect combination. Putting on a headset immerses you in a different world for a short period. By absorbing the senses in the virtual environment, you will be able to soften the chatter and heighten the focus. It keeps us accountable, as we are far less likely to check phone notifications or answer the doorbell if we are wearing a virtual headset. 

About Caitlin Krause

We are delighted to be joining up with Caitlin Krause. Caitlin is a globally recognized learning expert, author and keynote speaker. Through her methodology and organizational consulting, Caitlin helps individual leaders and teams leverage mindfulness, storytelling, and design principles to connect more deeply with their audiences and communities. In her book ‘Mindful by Design’ and through her work with XR and AI, Caitlin helps others to bridge the gap between prioritizing ‘being present’ and truly achieving it. As founder of Mindwise consultancy, Caitlin contributes to buildings experiences that promote humanity, innovation, and emotional intelligence. She speaks extensively in Europe and North America, delivering keynotes and leading professional development and learning workshops. She holds a BA from Duke University and an MFA from Lesley University and believes in embracing creative constraints, living a life filled with moments of wonder, and connecting with passion, purpose, and presence.