Mindfulness is a way of looking at things differently and allows a way for us to relate to all of the experiences in our life which may be causing us to suffer. This, in turn, will allow us to personally transform ourself. We as humans are constantly looking for ways to solve the causes of our suffering and then discover how we can alleviate it. Sooner or later we end up asking ourself questions such as: “Why don’t I feel better?” or “Is there something I can do or something that can be prescribed so it makes the pain go away.”
As we age (and sometimes throughout your whole life) we can suffer with illness, sickness, old age and death which usually exposes us to pain. Throughout our life we can struggle emotionally when we are confronted with adverse circumstances. When we don’t get what you want in life, if we suffer from great loss or have to deal with things we don’t want to deal with, we are constantly seeking ways to feel better.
Mindfulness is a 2500 year old tradition of Buddhist psychology. Mindfulness has to be experienced directly and it comes from within because it is intuitive and pre-conceptual. With practice over time we can figure out how to become more and more mindful in our everyday life. Mindfulness can help even if you are in the middle of significant suffering it has been compared to a deeply personal journey of discovery.
Mindfulness is meant to bring about awareness, attention, and remembering. Awareness means becoming aware and fully enjoying and appreciating the things around us no matter how small they are. When we are attentive, it means that we are participating in focused awareness. That means that we are aware of what is occurring within and around us. When we participate in this “awareness” we can begin to free ourself from mental preoccupation and difficult emotions.
The true purpose of mindfulness is to rid ourselves of needless suffering. How do we do this?
- By becoming aware and cultivating insights into how our mind works and the meaning of everything in the material world we live in. We are looking for ways to calm our mind and bring peace to our world. Through Mindfulness we are re-training the mind in order to manage it. Mindfulness allows us to develop other mental qualities including concentration, loving/kindness, effort and becoming more alert.
- Mindfulness is not an end-all or doorway to happiness but it can provide us with the foundation we need to build those skills. By allowing ourself to get rid of habits in our mind that can cause us unhappiness; the result will be letting go of anger, envy, greed or other harmful behaviors that serve no purpose.
- Mindfulness brings about self-acceptance and self-understanding. We bring upon ourselves unwanted emotional and behavioral problems simply by trying to avoid discomfort and throwing ourselves into some other sort of change-seeking activity. Mindfulness is about awareness and acceptance first and changes second.
Mindfulness is an effective way to find a peaceful approach to our suffering and can be accessed easily with the right direction and guidance. By viewing our minds differently, mindfulness encourages us to build internal strategies that help reduce our negative emotions and experiences. By shifting our focus towards what’s available in the present instead of living in fear or regret; we also open ourselves up to the possibility of having a more meaningful life. Taking simple steps such as practicing meditation or taking a few mindful moments each day can significantly reduce stress and help you become more attuned to your self-awareness.
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