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FAQS
Yes! Mindfulness is not about trying to quell a busy mind, nor is it about trying to empty your mind (I mean, how would you even know it were empty if there’s nothing IN there to notice in first place!) it’s about developing a different relationship with your mind. It’s about befriending your mind as it is not right now. It is not about what you are paying attention to, it’s about HOW you are paying attention. Notice thoughts without reactivity, and you have just been mindful of your thoughts. Pay attention to your busy mind, while being accepting of it, and you have just experienced/practiced mindfulness (despite the presence of a busy mind). If these feels like too much of a stretch, then begin with smaller more manageable “doses” of mindfulness, and gradually strengthen your attention.
My mind is way to busy! Is mindfulness for me? Could I really meditate?
If you have 10 minutes a day (even 5 minutes), then you can set aside 10 minutes for mindfulness practice. If changing and feeling better is important enough to you then you will prioritize it. Once you take stock of how you spend your time, and notice any unhealthy habits that seem to have been prioritized, then space and time opens up for mindfulness.
My life is too busy! How can I find the time to practice mindfulness?
If you are completely content with your life mentally, emotionally, socially, physically, inter-personally, intra-personally, societally, and spiritually, then I see no reason why mindfulness meditation would be necessary in your life. More specifically to this question, though - which is difficult to answer directly without more details - what are your current meditation practices doing for you? If they are helping stay present and get calm, that’s great! Mindfulness meditation, however, is a great deal more than just being calm and present. It is about self-exploration and discovery at the most fundamental levels. What mindfulness meditation offers that other forms of meditation do not are manifold. In addition to concentration and tranquility, it actively develops acceptance/equanimity and sensory clarity, in addition to love, kindness, compassion, and patience. Moreover, we learn about the relationship between our mind and body, how emotions arise in the physical body, the dynamic interplay between. And the main reason it’s so important to know such phenomena? More understanding means more choice. In other words, the more knowledgable we are about the subjective experience of our internal world (and how its interplay with the outside world) the more creative, resourceful, skillful, and intelligent we can be in any given moment. This is true because mindfulness meditation trains us to see things as they are, not as we think they ought to be. The more in touch with reality we are, the more the world opens up. How often does it feel like the world - and our subjective experience of life - is collapsing down on us? When this happens we are likely not being mindful.
I already have ways in my life that I meditate and get centered. What would mindfulness meditation do for me that my current practices do not?
While much of mainstream mindfulness teachings and practices are informed by Buddhism, mindfulness meditation is not inherently religious or spiritual. In its purest form, to be mindful is to pay attention. Cultivating concentration, focus, and acceptance are inherently human qualities.
Is mindfulness meditation religious or spiritual?
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