What is Mindfulness?
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE ORIGINS, PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE OF MINDFULNESS
Reading time - 10mins
Like many, you might have heard about mindfulness but may not understand exactly what it is, how it can help you and how to practice it. This adaptation from my eBook, Integrated Mindfulness, gives you the basics to get you on the path to living more mindfully.
Below I will answer the following questions:
- Why mindfulness?
- Where did mindfulness come from?
- What does mindfulness mean?
- What will mindfulness do for me?
- How do I practice mindfulness?
WHY MINDFULNESS?
“Life is hard” ~ The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck
It is the sobering state of reality that this life could end at any moment. Our bodies are vulnerable to disease, injury and aging. Our beloved families and friends are subject to the same fate we are. Our status and fortune can rise, plateau and crumble like waves in the ocean. And yet there is the sweet smell of jasmine in the spring air. Life can overflow with beauty and wonder. Our hearts and minds can expand and connect us to a deeper sense of who we are. And yet again, when we are not experiencing these blessings, we are wishing for them. When we are experiencing them we are wishing that they stay and grow. And when they are gone we wish that they hadn't. How often and for how long are we actually satisfied? We spend almost all our time pining for what we don't have, rejecting what we do have, fretting about potential misfortune, or subduing our dissatisfaction with fleeting novelty. Even when we are asleep we are either unaware completely or subject to the above conditions in our dream life. Don't take my word for it, look at your own experience and check to see if any of this is true for you in this moment.
Even if we are aware of these conditions we still live as though life were otherwise. We live as though things will stay the same; as though things will satisfy our thirst and as though we are only an identity.
If you are curious about why we live this way and how we can transform this habit into a more wholesome way of being, then you might want to learn the way of mindfulness.
WHERE DID MINDFULNESS COME FROM?
It's natural
Mindfulness is a natural aspect of the mind that is synonymous with presence and awareness. If you are reading this then awareness is present. Before the mind begins to translate colours and shapes into sounds, words, language and meaning, there is the ever present awareness of the initial sensory information. This requires no effort or practice, it's natural. Even when our minds are busy or our hearts are grieving, the awareness of those conditions is untainted. Fundamentally, there are two aspects to experience; the experience, and the awareness that experience shows up in. Whether its sight, taste, touch, smell, sound, thought or emotion, awareness knows it. This is why the ancient cultures of the world include mindfulness. This is also why mindfulness is popular today. Because we are remembering something fundamental and natural about ourselves.
The Buddha
As the story goes in the Buddhist tradition, over 2500 years ago a Nepalese born man named Siddhartha Gautama abandoned his life as a wealthy prince to become a homeless ascetic wandering the land of India. Siddhartha realised that he was destined for disease, old age and death and was determined that there was something more fundamental to life worth seeking. After learning and mastering the traditional ways of the other local ascetics, Siddhartha came to a Boddhi Tree in Bodh Gaya and sat there in meditation until realising enlightenment. It is said that he sat down as Siddartha and arose as the Buddha, or the awakened one. The Buddha then spent the rest of his life wandering India teaching what he realised, referred to as the Dhamma, to his following of monks known as the Sangha. The tradition of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha is what later came to be known as Buddhism.
The Buddha’s teaching was founded on his initial realisation, the four noble truths.
1. Life inherently includes suffering.
2. The cause of this suffering is attachment or grasping to impermanent things.
3. There is a way out of this suffering.
4. The way out of this suffering is following the noble eightfold path.
Mindfulness is the seventh factor of the noble eightfold path.
Psychology and the biomedical system
Traditionally mindfulness was one part of a way of life that included morality, concentration, wisdom, monastic doctrine and a teacher idolised as a God by some and a great master by others. Today you will find mindfulness in the corporate sector, popular magazines and psychology practices globally. Yet, if you compare the intention of the Buddha, to end suffering, and the intention of the psychologists, to relieve suffering, you can see the congruence. It's up to each of us to discern for ourselves what is helpful. The therapeutic use of mindfulness in the secular world has been ushered in by an ever growing wealth of peer reviewed research. The centre for mindfulness studies explains, “Mindfulness-based interventions have gained considerable popularity in practice and in research, which has grown exponentially since the 1980s. Numerous studies and accounts have documented its social, health and workplace benefits with both clinical and non-clinical populations. Moreover, research has also demonstrated that client outcomes are improved when psychotherapists and clinicians practise mindfulness.” (2020).
WHAT DOES MINDFULNESS MEAN?
Mindfulness does not have one universal definition.
For example, the Buddha used the word Sati which has been subject to the interpretation of translators from different countries, periods and cultures. The well resourced Buddhist scripture translation project found at suttacentral.net offers a variety of translations for the word Sati including - memory, recognition, consciousness and wakefulness of mind. One renowned Buddhist scholar and monk Bhikkhu Anālayo translates the word Sati as presence. There is something to the simplicity of this definition that points directly to the nature of mindfulness. A modern secular definition for Mindfulness from renowned Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction founder, Jon Kabat-Zinn, describes the practice as, “The awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally”. This definition suggests that mindfulness is the natural state of our mind when it is not overlaid with craving, aversion and unconsciousness.
Is mindfulness the same as meditation?
Mindfulness is one form of seated meditation and seated meditation is one form of mindfulness. Meditation is thought of as sitting down with your eyes closed and focusing inward. There are many forms of meditation that all have varying goals. For example, the Yogic practice of Trakata, staring at a candle flame to still and focus the mind. Or progressive relaxation, an evidence-based relaxation technique for reducing stress. The basic principle of mindfulness meditation is being present with things as they are to cultivate equanimity, awareness and compassion, leading to insight into the fundamental nature of reality. As a mindfulness practitioner, you will practice mindfulness as a form of meditation in a seated posture. Yet you will also bring mindfulness to your daily activities. Seated mindfulness meditation has many forms including bringing awareness to your breathing or scanning through the different sensations in your body. The time that we spend in seated mindfulness meditation enhances our capacity to bring mindfulness into our daily activities. So you can be mindful while meditating and also while doing the dishes, eating a biscuit or even having an argument.
WHAT WILL MINDFULNESS DO FOR ME?
2500 years ago the Buddha taught that mindfulness leads to the end of suffering.
“Mendicants, the four kinds of mindfulness meditation are the path to convergence. They are in order to purify sentient beings, to get past sorrow and crying, to make an end of pain and sadness, to end the cycle of suffering, and to realize extinguishment (of suffering). ”
(MN 10, SC 2.1, Sutta Central, Bikkhu Sujato).
The grey matter inside of your skull that you refer to as your brain, can grow, change and atrophy, not too dissimilar to a muscle. So when you sit around worrying all day you strengthen the part of your brain that worries, and when you sit around meditating all day, you strengthen the part of the brain that meditates. Worrying is associated with the regions of the brain referred to as the Default Mode Network (DMN). Mindfulness is associated with the regions of the brain referred to as the Executive Control Function (ECF). The good news is that using the ECF strengthens the ECF. You can't engage the ECF without disengaging the DMN, so it also atrophies the DMN through lack of use. The other good news is that a developed ECF is associated with robust mental health and happiness, whereas a developed DMN is associated with poor mental health and unhappiness. So in short, while you are sitting there paying attention to the present moment, on purpose, neutrally and non-judgmentally, you are actively growing your happiness muscle and weakening your unhappiness muscle. The shift from overuse of the DMN to the enhanced use of the ECF improves our ability to stay focused, regulate our emotions, and strengthen our social bonds. These changes are also related to increased immune response, enhanced recovery from injury, and extended life expectancy. Basically, mindfulness increases well-being and reduces poor mental health.
Current peer-reviewed research says that practising mindfulness can -
Reduce symptoms of depression
Reduce symptoms of anxiety
Reduce stress
Reduce the speed of ageing
Reduce emotional reactivity
Improve focus
Improve memory
Improve immune response
Improve recovery rate from illness
Improve resilience to stress and pain
Improve interpersonal skills
Improve productivity
More than anything, mindfulness is about showing up for the only moment you have.
HOW DO I PRACTICE MINDFULNESS?
A helpful attitude
A helpful attitude is one that results in relaxation, focus and openness. Mindfulness aims to reveal things as they are. To see things as they are, you don't need to change them. Becoming attached to being the perfect meditator can cloud seeing things as they are. Trusting the process supports endurance. Being attached to becoming a perfect meditator can lead to giving up on your practice.
Take it easy - Relax, moment by moment, without an aspiration to become the perfect meditator. Aim to see the nature of things as they are.
Don't take it too easy - Stay awake and focused. To see things as they are you need to be conscious.
There is no wrong experience - You will notice different sensations, thoughts and emotions come up when practising mindfulness. Pleasant or unpleasant, familiar or unfamiliar, boring or exciting, painful or blissful. Let things show up as they show up and let things leave as they leave.
A helpful place
A helpful place is one where you feel comfortable, safe and focused. When your meditation is inwards focused, it is helpful to reduce distractions. You will be more likely to settle down into your practice. The nature of that which we observe in meditation can be very subtle.
Is it comfortable? - Use a mat, cushion, chair or couch to sit on. You might also need a blanket if it's cold and some dimmed mood lighting.
Is it safe? - Find a place protected from the sun, rain, bugs, snakes, pets, and unknown people. These things are almost always not a safety issue. Yet, the mind has the tendency to entertain unnecessary worrying. So it's helpful to put the mind at ease and protect yourself from the elements.
Is it quiet? - Will there be any ambient noise inside or outside the space you have chosen? These sounds will likely bring your focus away from your practice. Find somewhere quiet to meditate.
A helpful time
A helpful time is when you know that you won't be tempted to fall asleep, look at your phone or talk to someone nearby. The mind is conditioned to be on the lookout for important detail, novelty and problems to solve. When there is no important information, problems or novelty, the mind wants to either daydream or fall asleep.
Are you too tired? - Meditate on an empty stomach and when well-rested, otherwise you will likely be doing a sleeping meditation. “Sleep is wonderful, it's just different to meditation.” ~ Jack Kornfield. Get some more rest if you need it.
Is your phone on? - If your phone is on it is very tempting to pick it up. It’s much easier to place your phone off, or on plane mode.
Are the people around you aware that you need privacy? - Let your friends and family know that specific times you would like privacy. This will make it much easier to focus on your meditation.
A helpful posture
A helpful posture is one that fosters alertness, relaxation and comfort. There are many postures for practising seated meditation, including different seats, cushions and props. The most well-known meditation posture is the lotus position where the meditator sits on the floor cross-legged. It is not compulsory to use the lotus posture to gain the benefits of mindfulness meditation. You can sit in any seated posture, including on a chair or a couch.
Do you feel alert? - Sit with your spine straight, as though someone is telling you something interesting.
Do you feel relaxed? - Look for any held tension in your face, shoulders, belly or legs, and gently relax them with your out-breath.
Do you feel comfortable? - Use a seat and posture that is comfortable enough that you can sit for your chosen time frame without becoming distracted by pain.
A helpful practice
A helpful practice is one that serves your needs, understanding and level of development. Mindfulness practice is focusing awareness on an experience, staying with it, returning to it, and witnessing that process objectively. This can be done while focusing on any sensation like the physical sensation of breathing, the sound of the birds singing, the taste of a raisin or even while gazing at a flower. There are also active meditations like walking, Yoga, Qi Gong, or even doing the dishes.
What do you need? - Consider how much time, energy and space you have for practice before dedicating yourself. It can be disappointing to overcommit and then digress.
Do you understand the practice? - Research a basic understanding of the practice before trying it. This will ward off unnecessary questions and doubts arising during practice and ensure you are doing it usefully.
Are you able to practice it? - Consider your level of development of mindfulness before engaging with a practice. If you dive in too deep with no prior experience you may find yourself deterred from practising or worse, practising in an unhelpful way. It helps to seek guidance from an experienced teacher.
Now that you have a basic understanding of the origins, philosophy and practice of mindfulness, try out my 5-minute breath awareness meditation on Insight Timer to gain an experiential understanding of a foundational practice of mindfulness.
5 Minute Mindful Breathing Meditation
CONCLUSION
This article has only touched on the depth and breadth of mindfulness. Yet it has given a foundation for understanding where mindfulness has come from, what it is all about and how you actually sit down and do it. You don’t need to become a monk, write a thesis or consider yourself a spiritual person to practice mindfulness and enjoy its fruits. The information above is enough to get you started. You can always go deeper and understand more about mindfulness, and I highly recommend practicing with the guidance of an experienced teacher as often as possible. It is the actual sitting down and practicing, living and breathing of mindfulness that bares wisdom, compassion and equanimity in your life.
If you would like to go deeper into the experience and understanding of mindfulness, sign up for my 8 week integrated mindfulness online course.
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Michael Vaccaro
BCouns, GradCertAppMind, CertMedHolCouns
