A large review of studies involving close to 3,000 people found that mindfulness meditation was linked with a reduction in feelings of depression, anxiety, and even physical pain.
Stanford University Mindfulness Classroom by Stephen Murphy-Shigematsu, an interesting story from a Japanese American teaching at Standford U who says:
I believe that mindfulness is a source of power to living with meaning and compassion. Being mindful is a way of understanding and accepting self and others, feeling gratitude and connections, and becoming whole. It’s good for learning, enhancing clarity, focus, and judgment; enabling more effective communication and interpersonal relationships and fostering well being and greater quality of life.
Mindfulness is not passive: How to practice mindful acceptance by Federico Foli & Betsy Parayil-Pezard who write
This process of observing our thoughts with no fight for control, no resistance, no immediate reaction, accepting the present moment, invites us to ponder a difficult situation with calm and make mindful choices in due time.
Surprisingly, a commitment to the practice of mindfulness goes beyond the emergence of clarity and gives us the courage to take pertinent and healing action. Both in meditation and prayer, the tools and vision to act in a way that generates value and happiness for all beings present themselves. We see that we are neither victims nor do we need to dominate. It is the opposite of closing our eyes to the world and letting go.