The Way of Meditation Blog
Bringing Ancient Wisdom Into The Modern World
How Mindfulness Can Change Your Life
September 18, 2015
Mindfulness is the intentional paying attention to the present moment with a non-judgemental awareness. This sounds simple enough but the difficult part of this is the ‘intentional’ and the ‘non-judgemental’ aspects. The intentional is difficult because so often we are on ‘auto pilot’ and what we pay attention to is just random and unintentional, we are not in control of our attention or where we are focussing but this is vitally important for living a conscious life as Alan Wallace says:
“…if you were able to focus your attention at will, you could actually choose the universe you appear to inhabit.”
“The non-judgemental part is difficult because we are addicted to thinking and judging. This is a tough lesson to learn but it becomes obvious the first time you sit down to meditate. But the difference between a judging mind and an open one is literally the difference between happiness and suffering. Judgements are narrow and confining but an open mind is spacious and freeing and also intelligent. One Zen Masters calls it beginners mind:
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.”
…so there are many benefits to practising mindfulness both in a formal way sitting on a cushion and also during your daily life. It may be difficult but the results are worth it.
Here is a graph that explains How Mindfulness Can Change your Life:
“…if you were able to focus your attention at will, you could actually choose the universe you appear to inhabit.”
“The non-judgemental part is difficult because we are addicted to thinking and judging. This is a tough lesson to learn but it becomes obvious the first time you sit down to meditate. But the difference between a judging mind and an open one is literally the difference between happiness and suffering. Judgements are narrow and confining but an open mind is spacious and freeing and also intelligent. One Zen Masters calls it beginners mind:
“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.”
…so there are many benefits to practising mindfulness both in a formal way sitting on a cushion and also during your daily life. It may be difficult but the results are worth it.
Here is a graph that explains How Mindfulness Can Change your Life:
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In today’s fast-paced world, the mind often races, driven by the demands of work, family, and personal ambitions. Meditation is commonly seen as a practice to calm the mind, foster inner peace, and connect with deeper aspects of existence. Yet, one crucial element often overlooked is the state of the body, particularly the nervous system. Relaxing the nervous system isn’t just a preparatory step; it is foundational for unlocking the deeper states of awareness and tranquility that meditation promises. Drawing insights from my journey and teachings, we will explore why this is so vital and how it transforms the meditative experience.
Drawing its inspiration from sky-gazing meditation, sky wisdom is the wisdom of emptiness – of an open mind connected with vast space and infinite possibilities. It is seeing that the true nature of reality is beyond words and concepts
Equanimity is such a central theme to Buddhist meditation practice because it exemplifies the philosophy of the middle way taught by the historical Buddha which is the path to enlightenment.
and is also a practical expression of non-duality.
How to get the balance right between making effort in meditation and being effortless and what exactly are they.
A framework for understanding how breath-work can purify different layers of your being bringing you into complete alignment and full awakening
A fascinating look at what the scientific research has to say about meditation and the effects it has on the brain and the human condition.
