What is Mindfulness

Today is World Meditation Day. To recognize this day let's talk about what Mindfulness is and how it could aid you in becoming more self-aware.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a practice that encourages a different perspective on life, helping you relate to experiences in a transformative way. As humans, we constantly seek to understand and alleviate our suffering, often asking questions like, "Why don’t I feel better?" or "Is there something that can make the pain go away?" The goal of mindfulness meditation is to find relief without relying on medication for the rest of our lives.

Imagine a person named Jane. She’s been struggling with chronic stress due to her demanding job and personal responsibilities. Illness, aging, and the inevitable challenges of life—such as unfulfilled desires, significant losses, or unwanted circumstances—expose us to pain. Jane often feels overwhelmed, and in her quest for relief, she discovers mindfulness and begins a practice.

Mindfulness is rooted in a 2,500-year-old tradition of Buddhist psychology and must be experienced directly. It is an intuitive, pre-conceptual practice that comes from within. Though its roots are in the Buddhist tradition, Mindfulness should not be considered a religious practice.

With consistent practice, you can cultivate mindfulness in your daily life, even in significant suffering you may find relief. 

The essence of mindfulness involves awareness, attention, and remembering. Awareness means fully appreciating and enjoying the small things around you. For Jane, this means noticing the beauty in a sunrise during her morning commute. Attentiveness involves focused awareness of what is happening within and around you. By engaging in this "awareness," Jane begins to free herself from mental preoccupations and difficult emotions.

The primary aim of mindfulness is to alleviate needless suffering. This is achieved by becoming aware and gaining insights into how your mind works and understanding the meaning of things in the material world. Jane learns to calm her mind and bring peace to her life through mindful practices. Studies show that mindfulness can significantly reduce stress and improve emotional well-being.

Through mindfulness, Jane retrains her mind to better manage her emotions through practicing loving-kindness, and breath work techniques. While mindfulness is not a cure-all or a direct path to happiness, it provides a foundation for building these skills. By letting go of harmful mental habits that cause unhappiness, such as anger, envy, and greed, Jane achieves self-acceptance and self-understanding.

Mindfulness teaches us that unwanted emotional and behavioral problems often arise from trying to avoid discomfort and seeking change in other ways. A mindfulness meditation practice focuses on awareness and acceptance first, and change follows naturally. As Jane continues her practice, she discovers that mindfulness is not just a temporary fix but a lifelong journey toward a more peaceful and fulfilled life.