What is Mindfulness?

It’s being attentive to one’s experience as it unfolds in the Present Moment.

Being aware of the present and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts and body sensations.

Mindfulness helps us REWIRE our thinking and find calm in a frenzied world.

It’s learning to develop your mind so you can stop the need to control reality and also to accept reality as it is in this very moment.

What about the Mind?

Our minds have been said to be made up of consciousness, thought, memory, emotion, reasoning and imagination.

We tend to think of our minds at the center of our being.

The mind is seen as the basis of WHO WE ARE.

What is the problem with the Mind?

Our minds tend to gravitate to the Past or the Future and tend to avoid the Present, which is the only life we have.

In a typical day how much of you is really there?

Your daily routine is made up of habits which free up our minds to do other things.

We are mindless of the Present most of the time causing us much suffering.

So, we need to Practice Mindfulness—WHY?

Because we need to CULTIVATE a wholesome mind that will produce thoughts that will make us feel good.

We don’t need to live at the mercy of a wild, untamed mind!

Our minds are malleable and can be reshaped in ways we choose.

What are the benefits of Mindfulness?

It helps to KNOW YOURSELF better.

It helps you see how your mind operates.

It helps us deal with difficult situations—some that we can’t control of improve.

It shows us that by accepting WHAT IS lessens suffering.

It can help us ACCEPT our mortality and prepare us for the moment of death.

Reflecting on our death actually liberates us so we can live and enjoy the PRESENT.

What is Awareness?

It is paying attention to what is occurring within ourselves as it is happening in the present moment.

Is Mindfulness SECULAR?

Yes. Mindfulness is a non-sectarian practice that has to do with how we relate to our beliefs.

How do we live our lives?

We live in a SEMI-CONSCIOUS state, thinking about the future or reviewing the past.

You go through life on AUTOPILOT!

When you practice Mindfulness you show up for your own EXISTENCE—THE PRESENT.

What does Mindfulness NOT do?

It is unable to stave off a situation that cannot be changed.

But you can alleviate your suffering by ACCEPTANCE of the situation.

It also cannot stave off the demise of our bodies, each of us will die.

One of the most important lessons of Mindfulness is to reveal to us that life is ephemeral and denying this only causes suffering and unhappiness.

But by ACCEPTING the impermanence of life we are liberated to enjoy our PRESENT.

Loss:

In the end, we will be separated from everything we have ever held dear.

We have to say goodbye to loved ones, to possessions, to our own dreams and hopes.

Mindfulness teaches us to prepare for loss and to ACCEPT it so we can live what life we have left fully.

You can’t hold onto things, if you try, you only SUFFER.

Mindfulness allows us to see this TRUTH and live in contentment.

This ends the first instalment of my Mindfulness studies.

I now know I have much to learn!