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Breaking down mindfulness: Defining the indefinable
There are many definitions of mindfulness in the scientific literature, as well as the general community. Today's blog, however, is not concerned with definitions. For all intents and purposes, mindfulness is indefinable. That is, many of the definitions that are currently used in mindfulness literature are appropriate, but no one definition can truly encompass everything that mindfulness is. So to discuss what mindfulness is, I have chosen to break it down into several (themselves indefinable) components.
Presence
The first step of being mindful is to be present. Present in every moment fully and completely. If you find your mind diving into your past or sprinting into your future, bring it back gently. Remind yourself that the present moment is the only moment in which you can live. Remembering is an important part of presence.
Awareness
When you are present in each and every moment, let yourself become aware of the things and sensations around you. When you are doing the dishes, notice the dishes, the water and the scent of the soap. When you are walking, notice your surroundings, the air you breathe and the sounds you hear. When you are "doing nothing", notice your breath as you inhale and exhale. Observation is an important part of awareness.
Acceptance
When you become aware of your surroundings or of your internal thoughts and feelings, accept what you are seeing and feeling. Accept your current situation. Accept that your mind has wandered and gently bring it back to the present. It is important to accept what is in a non-judgemental and non-reactive way.
Intention
Once you are able to remain in the present moment with awareness and acceptance, set your intentions. Be present on purpose. Be aware on purpose. Accept your situation on purpose. Do everything on purpose and with the right attitude: non-judgementally, non-reactively, and with kindness, compassion, and gratitude. And remember why you started practicing mindfulness in the first place.
Kindness
Whatever your purpose or intention is with regards to your practice, make sure it stems out of love and kindness. Be kind to your body and to your mind. Be kind to yourself throughout your practice even when your mind wanders. It is equally important to be kind to others by showing compassion.
Compassion
Show compassion to yourself and to those around you, by engaging in all the aspects of mindfulness listed above. Ease your own suffering by easing the suffering of others. Importantly, if all you take from your mindfulness practice is kindness and compassion for yourself and for others, you have probably achieved everything you needed to.
Gratitude
Last, but by no means least, be grateful. Grateful to yourself, to your practice, and to your teachers. Be grateful for the present moment. Be grateful for awareness, acceptance,intention, kindness, and compassion. And express that gratitude through communication.
But remember...
...mindfulness cannot simply be broken down into its components, anymore than a desert can be broken down into individual grains of sand. Theoretically, a desert is simply the sum of millions and millions of grains of sand. But in reality, the individual parts cannot account for the power or even the existence of the desert. Similarly, mindfulness is more than the sum of its parts. Mindfulness itself is a component of something larger. Everything is everything else. Taken out of context and broken down, mindfulness loses its magic, which is actually no magic at all. After all,
"It is just you yourself, nothing special."
(Shunryu Suzuki in "Zen Mind, Beginner mind", p. 33)
Name: Kat
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