Mindfulness is a way of seeing things as they really are And Then Some

by Richard L. Weaver II

I’ve never given it a great deal of consideration because it happens often when I am writing. I have selected a topic; I have researched it; and now I am putting ideas into words. It is a moment when I am aware of and paying attention to that point in time in which I find myself. My past is gone, my future is not yet here, and I exist between them in the present moment. What is rewarding, of course, is that I have made a choice to be in the moment and be aware of what is happening right now — I am observing myself having thoughts. This process of paying attention to the here and now — observing my thoughts without being critical or judgmental — is what many people call mindfulness.

Mindfulness, of course, is not constrained to formal sessions where I actually plan ahead for it to occur nor is it relegated to meditation sessions. It is an activity that can be done at any time because all that is required is bringing the mind to focus on what is happening in the present moment.

Mindfulness plays a central role in Buddhism being the seventh element of the Noble Eightfold Path, the sadhana (means of accomplishing) of which is held in the tradition to engender insight and wisdom. It is in that spirit, but not tied to religion in any way, that I selected mindfulness as a topic for this essay because anything designed to engender insight and wisdom should be pursued with vigor, vigilance, and a sense of “how can I achieve that?”

According to Thich Nhat Hanh at the Mindfulness Bell (A Journal of the Art of Mindful Living) (http://www.mindfulnessbell.org/14trainings.htm) there are fourteen mindfulness trainings which I have not only condensed here but altered so that they have no religious connection nor necessity. They are important to, but not totally necessary in, attaining states of mindfulness.

The first mindfulness training is openness. It will help you look deeply and develop understanding and compassion if you approach life unbound by any doctrine, theory, or ideology.

The second mindfulness training is nonattachment from views. It means avoiding being narrow-minded and bound by present views. It allows openness to others’ insights and experiences, awareness that knowledge is not changeless or absolute, recognition that truth will be discovered by observing life within and around you in every moment, and understanding that learning takes place throughout your life.

The third mindfulness training is freedom of thought. It means making a commitment not to impose your views on others — even your children — through authority, threat, money, propaganda, or indoctrination. You must respect the right of others to be different and to choose what to believe and how to decide.

The fourth mindfulness training is awareness of suffering. It means committing yourself to finding ways, including personal contact, images, and sounds, to be with those who suffer, in order to understand their situation deeply and help them transform their suffering into compassion, peace, and joy.

The fifth mindfulness training is simple, healthy living. You commit yourself to sharing your time, energy, and material resources with those in need. It means, as well, not using alcohol, drugs, or any other products that bring toxins into your body.

The sixth mindfulness training is dealing with anger. When anger comes up, you must breathe, walk, and acknowledge, embrace, and look deeply into it, and because it blocks communication and creates suffering, you must take care of the energy of anger when it arises.

The seventh mindfulness training is dwelling happily in the present moment. It means living deeply each moment of daily life — forgetting regrets of the past, worries about the future, cravings, anger, or jealousy — by nourishing joy, peace, love, and understanding in yourself.

The eighth mindfulness training is community and communication. It means practicing compassionate listening and loving speech by listening deeply without judgment and avoiding uttering words that create discord.

The ninth mindfulness training is truthful and loving speech. It means using only words that inspire hope and confidence, avoiding saying untruthful things, or uttering words that might cause division or hatred.

The tenth mindfulness training is practicing understanding and compassion. It means taking a clear stand against oppression and injustice.

The eleventh mindfulness training is right livelihood. This means selecting a livelihood that helps society realize its ideal of understanding and compassion. It means behaving responsibly as consumers and citizens.

The twelfth mindfulness training is reverence for life. It means cultivating nonviolence, promoting peace education, and reconciliation within families, communities, nations, and the world.

The thirteenth mindfulness training is generosity. It means cultivating loving kindness, learning ways to work for the well-being of people, animals, plants, and minerals, and practicing generosity by sharing your time, energy, and material resources with those in need.

The fourteenth and final mindfulness training is right conduct. It means preserving your happiness and that of others by respecting the rights and commitments of yourself and others.

Imagine, for a moment, what your life would be like if it was characterized by each of these mindfulness training insights? Imagine the objectivity — impartial watchfulness — that could be achieved in your perceptions when bad mental states and unpleasantness is removed? If mindfulness registers experiences, without comparison, labels, or categories, imagine the insights and understandings that can come from the direct and immediate experiencing of whatever is happening? If mindfulness is a way of seeing things as they really are and seeing the deep nature of all phenomena — or seeing things as they really are And Then Some — working to achieve the mindfulness training insights becomes a meaningful and worthwhile goal.
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Jeffrey Brantley, MD, has an essay entitled “How to bring more mindfulness into your life.” Click the link and go to the http://dukehealth.com/ website.

There is an excellent, practical essay on mindfulness at a website with that label. It can be found at http://www.ericmaisel.com/em_mindfulness_lg.html The author discusses the long tradition of mindfulness, the central goal of traditional mindfulness, and the high ideal of creative mindfulness. The author offers six principles of creative mindfulness: 1) Observe your thoughts, 2) Detach from the thoughts you are thinking, 3) Appraise your thoughts, 4) Restate your intentions, 5) Free your neurons, empty your mind, and ready yourself for creating, and 6) Explode into your creative work.
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Contact Richard L. Weaver II