Ok.... here's some hands on mindfulness practices: One is to start with an idea and write it down, and then write everything down that occurs to you that is associated... continue to write spontaneous associations, filling an entire page, and as you do, observe the stream of ideas. Observe that there may be threads of connection that pick up and drop off, note that the idea at the beginning of the page likely is unrelated to the idea at the end. This is stream of consciousness.

Each thought is like a leaf that falls onto a flowing stream. There are thousands of leaves falling onto the water and flowing away. If you pick up a leaf it gets bigger, you notice more closely its characteristics and you may form an opinion about it. If you just stand and observe the motion of the leaves as they fall there is no attachment to any one leaf, but an observation of process, pattern and flow.

Now - go out on a walk into a busy part of town or in nature where there are many beautiful things to observe. Just observe the flow, color, movement - but let the 'objects of consciousness' be like the leaves. Everything flows around, through and away.

Try reading your life like a dream for a day. Look for symbolism and metaphor - be on the lookout for synchronicity. Notice how this changes your perspective and increases being in the now - less going into autopilot like mindstates. Notice how you make meaning with what you observe, try on different meaning filters the next day you stay aware in your life dream.

These three things are active practice of mindfulness... there are a lot more fun things to try - google mindfulness techniques.

These practices change one's worldview.... shifting to center and increases identification with the 'kernel' instead of the 'chaff,' in everyday, mundane life.