Mindfulness is a practice of paying attention, in a gentle, non-judgemental way to whatever is happening in the present moment.
This can be done through both formal meditation and informal practice during our everyday lives.
We start in meditation by paying attention internally to our body and breath, which are always in the present moment. Gradually, we extend this awareness to all our experiences.
Becoming more aware of our inner mental and emotional patterns, we can then work with these more skillfully and find clear and healthy responses to life, rather than be caught in habitual reactions and struggle.
Mindfulness gives us the power to meet any situation wisely, to be fully present for the pleasant times in our lives, and steadier in the difficult ones.
Decades of neuroscience studies show the power of mindfulness to relieve stress, enhance concentration, awaken our positive capacities, and bring balance to our lives.
We start recognizing positive states of mind like kindness, generosity, steadiness, and love — discovering how they are natural to us; and learn to nurture and strengthen them. We begin to befriend and accept ourselves, the way a close friend might do; with compassion, just the way we are.
Mindfulness quiets the mind and heals the heart. It transforms our experience of ourselves, of the moment, our relationships, and our whole lives.
Meditation practice is a lifelong adventure. There are ups and downs, challenges, and treasures to be found.
Can we do this as an act of love?
As Bob Sharples says: Don’t meditate to fix yourself, to heal yourself, to improve yourself, or to redeem yourself. Rather do it as an act of love, as a deep warm friendship to yourself. In this way there is no longer any need for the subtle aggression of self improvement, for the endless guilt of not doing enough. It offers the possibility of an end to the ceaseless round of trying so hard that wraps so many people’s lives in a knot. Instead, see meditation as an act of love.
“The emergence and blossoming of understanding, love and intelligence has nothing to do with any tradition, no matter how ancient or impressive — it has nothing to do with time. It happens completely on its own when a human being questions, wonders, listens and looks without getting stuck in fear, pleasure and pain. When self concern is quiet, in abeyance, heaven and earth are open. Toni Packer.