Mindfulness or living mindfully is the energy of full attention and being present in the moment. It is the ongoing practice of deeply touching life in each moment. To practice mindfulness, we don't have to go anywhere else. We can practice it at home or on the go. We can do almost anything we always do -walk, sit, work, eat, talk - with the difference that we are truly aware of what we are doing. You do 1 thing at a time and you are where you are with all your attention.
Suppose you are walking into a beautiful sunrise with a group of people, but while the others are enjoying it, you are struggling. Your mind is with the past and the future. You are not really present in the here and now to take in the beautifully rising sun. So instead of enjoying the sunrise, you let the real value of the moment pass you by,
Imagine a different approach. When your mind wanders, how would it be if you become aware of your inhalation and exhalation ? When you practice deep breathing, you bring yourself back to the here and now. Your body and mind come together as one, so you are perfectly present for the richness around you to behold and deeply enjoy. By coming home to yourself through your breath, you see again how beautiful the sunrise actually is.
Often we are so busy that we forget what we are doing or who we are. I know plenty of people who say they even forget to breathe. We really forget to look at the people we love and appreciate them until they are no longer there. And when we sometimes have a moment off, we don't know how to get in touch with what's going on inside us. So we turn on the television or pick up the phone, as if we should escape from ourselves.
According to the Buddha, a life of mindfulness is the source of peace and happiness.
The seed of mindfulness is in all of us, but most of the time we forget to water it. If we know how to take refuge in our breath and our footsteps, we can qualify for our happiness. Instead of taking refuge in abstract concepts like God, Buddha or Allah, we realize that God can be touched in our own breath and footsteps.
That sounds simple and anyone can do it, but it takes some practice. It's about learning to stop. How do we do that? We stop by consciously breathing in, breathing out and feeling our steps. Therefore, the basic exercise is conscious breathing and conscious walking. When you master this exercise, you can start practicing conscious eating, conscious drinking, conscious cooking, conscious driving and so on, and you are always in the here and now.
The practice of full attention or mindfulness (smrti in Sanskrit) leads to concentration (samadhi), which in turn leads to insight (prajna). The insights produced by mindful meditation can free us from fear, anxiety and anger. As a result, we can be truly happy. For the practice of mindfulness, we can take something as simple as a flower. When I hold a flower in my hand, I am aware of it. My inhalation and exhalation help me keep my attention fixed on the flower. Instead of getting carried away by other thoughts, I continue to enjoy the beauty of the flower. Concentrating on itself becomes a source of joy.
If we want to fully enjoy all that life bestows, we must practice mindfulness in everything we do, whether brushing our teeth, preparing breakfast or driving to work. Every step and every breath is an opportunity for joy and happiness. Life is full of suffering. If we don't have enough happiness in reserve, we have nothing to take care of our despair. Enjoy your practice with a relaxed, gentle attitude, an open mind and a receptive heart. With mindfulness, we can preserve inner joy so that we can better deal with the challenges in our lives. This creates a strong foundation for freedom, peace and love within ourselves.
