Today from the Daily Buddha: When I first learned the practice of mindfulness many years ago, the simplicity of it fooled me. It seems obvious that we all want to be fully engaged in our lives, that we don’t want to spend significant amounts of our time spaced out or distracted, missing the beauty and meaning of life in all its aspects. I thought it would take about six months of concentrated effort to learn to stay in the present moment all the time. My report to you now is that the causes of forgetfulness in all its forms — not being satisfied with ourselves or what we have now, needing to deny or distract ourselves from unpleasantness or pain, grabbing for the next thing we think will make us happy — is a deep-seated habit that will easily take me more than one lifetime to unlearn. And yet, every moment of being mindful makes a qualitative difference in my life. It brings me more happiness and more ability to deal with whatever life throws my way. The art of mindful living is the most valuable skill I’ve ever learned, and I still feel like a beginner. Being mindful can be applied in all areas of life yet it often slips under the radar of our busy-ness and preoccupations. This is why we need reminders and tools to help us cultivate it. However, mindfulness is not just an added tool in our toolbox, like knowing how to play the piano or grow flowers. Instead, it’s the joy within the experience of piano playing and flower growing; it’s the joy of being present to the miracle of being alive. Peace and Love, Jim
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 16:07:07 +0000
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