What is Mindfulness?

In my last blog I mentioned something about mindfulness. You may wonder what, exactly, is mindfulness. The word mindfulness is a translation of the Pali word sati. Samma Sati is the seventh step of the Buddhist Eighfold Path to Liberation from suffering (dukkha). Sati is most often translated as mindfulness or mindful attention, though it can be understood or translated as awareness or attentiveness. While mindfulness is rooted in Buddhism, the concept does not belong exclusively to this religion. It is a practice that can be found in various forms in all of the world’s major religions as well as in the areas of psychology, medicine, education and business.

The root purpose of mindfulness is to help us learn to live “awake,” or fully conscious to the present moment. It is awakening and releasing the subconscious mind to the gift of who we truly are, the gift of our True Self. As we slowly discover the gift of our True Self, our lives become transformed. We become gentler and more nonjudgmental of ourselves and others—all others, not just those who are look like us or think like us. We express tangible acts of compassion. We speak compassionately to and with others. In the words of the Christian scriptures, we become more Christ-like, because we are practicing “putting on the mind of Christ.” The fruit of this practice is unconditional love for ourselves, others, creation, and the Divine.

Living in a state of mindfulness calls us to intentionally live fully in the present moment (or as fully as possible). It is not easy to do; it takes time and practice. However, it is well worth the effort on multiple levels. I will talk about the benefits of mindful living in a future blog post.

I hope you are trying to spend at least a few moments each day with a contemplative practice. I mentioned three in the last blog. In future posts, I will suggest others. But for now, let me leave you with the words of three great teachers:

·         “Let go of your mind and then be mindful./ Close your ears and listen!” Rumi

·         “Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” Buddha

·         “In mindfulness meditation or Contemplative Prayer “We open our awareness to God whom we know by faith is within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than choosing – closer than consciousness itself.” Thomas Keating