Mindfulness is a form of mental training that utilises meditation practices, allowing us to become more aware of the workings of our mind.The focus points of the meditations, be it the breath, the body or even the sounds in the environment, act as “anchors”, helping us stay connected with our present moment experience. They also serve as a point to return to when we realise we have been drawn away from the present moment and into the thought stream.
From the more settled “anchor” or focus, we can begin to observe how the mind works, notice the habitual reactions and learn to respond to them skilfully rather than reactively. We see how we are subject to a constant undercurrent of thoughts that can easily drag us down into rumination or trigger behaviours that can be self-defeating and even self-destructive.
Through mindfulness you begin to relate thoughts not as the truth, but merely as a series of mental events that flow through your awareness. This enables a shift in perception and self-awareness whereby thoughts are relieved of their ability to control your behaviour and mood. From a mindfulness perspective it is not the thoughts or mental images that cause you the pain, but your reaction to them. This suffering is called “secondary suffering” and it is a product of the ruminative mind. By learning to step back from thoughts much, if not all of this secondary suffering can be eliminated.
This is mindfulness’s most liberating aspect. It gives the practitioner the ability to deal with and manage their suffering. This is by no means easy or a quick fix – it requires dedication and the courage to turn towards what we habitually try to avoid – but the benefits you will slowly but surely observe can lead to a more balanced, stable and fulfilling life.
The appeal of mindfulness is that it allows the practitioner to find the resilience to deal with whatever arises in life. It cultivates peaceful contentment and frees us from searching for an elusive fixed idea of happiness that is reliant on external factors. Mindfulness imbues life with a profound sense of acceptance, allowing us to react more skilfully to the shifting sands beneath the feet of human existence.