Mindfulness

Mindfulness is paying attention moment by moment for the purpose of cultivating clear-seeing, clear comprehension, and appropriate response. With the practice of objective and non-judgmental observation of our bodies, thoughts, emotions and experiences, mindfulness helps us to remember where to stay focused and what to keep doing; letting go of what is unskillful and doesn't work, and developing what is skillful and does work. We learn to see things as they are outside of the stories we tell ourselves, and to not be in contention with the conditions of our lives. We learn to inhabit our lives with awareness and care.

Building the awareness and capacity to be with what is actually happening in any given moment softens and reduces reactivity and helps to dissolve judgmental attitudes. Paying attention in this way strengthens and stabilizes the mind which allows us to pause before we react, and makes space for wise, considered, and skillful response. Mindfulness requires focus and patience, and when it is rooted in kindheartedness with a commitment to the ethics of non-harming, it is transformed from the application of a technique for paying attention to an inspired, compassionate and powerful way of engaging with our lives.

The intentional practice of mindfulness connected to the heart cultivates insight and wisdom, along with a generosity of spirit that by definition decreases suffering and increases happiness and well-being.