Mindfulness: Training The Mind To Be Present

How to attain freedom from the trappings of the mind

Mindfulness, as a modern Western practice is founded on Vipassana, a Buddhist tradition. It is the training of sati, which means moment-to-moment awareness of present events. Mindfulness practice leads to insight into the true nature of our being, which is calm and peaceful. With this insight, and commitment the practitioner enters the path toward liberation, which is freedom from the trappings of the mind.

 

Mindfulness is our basic human ability to be fully present and not reactive or distracted by outside events. While mindfulness is something we all naturally possess, it’s more readily available to us when we practice on a daily basis. Whenever you become aware of what you are experiencing through your senses, or mind and emotions, you’re being mindful.
 
Mindfulness in its most general sense is about waking up from a life on automatic and everyday distractions. With mindful awareness, we can objectively observe our thoughts and release them. We can eventually realize that we are much more than our thoughts. We are the awareness that chooses which thoughts are supportive or detrimental to our happiness and personal growth.
 
When we stay present and observe these thoughts or feelings we choose not to feed them by either getting lost in our story or blaming ourselves for having them. Our complex mind and heart states are strongly conditioned patterns of thinking that are programed in our subconscious. Not allowing them to run us is one of the many benefits of meditation.
 
In meditation, we notice the mind continually trying to distract our attention. So we practice just staying aware of thought as a thought (a mental event like a cloud) and let it pass and choose to maintain attention in the body with the breath. We will begin to notice that they lose their power over us. We realize that thoughts come and go and we don’t take them so seriously or personally. This is our challenge. The nature of our mind is to be busy by thinking and solving problems, attempting to figure things out and unfortunately worrying or being anxious about the future.
 
Mindfulness meditation has demonstrated improvements in cardiovascular functioning for African American adolescents with high blood pressure or risk for hypertension compared to controls receiving a health education program. These reports also indicated decreased rates of absenteeism, suspension, hostility, and school infractions.

Several studies have examined meditation in youth with academic problems, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and learning disabilities. These studies reported improvements in outcomes such as attention, internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, anxiety, and academic performance.
 
For adults, the research shows several benefits include better sleep, progress toward weight loss goals, lowers stress levels and anxiety, decreases loneliness in seniors, improves attention, decreases negative thoughts, reduces pain, higher brain functioning, increased immune function, lowered blood pressure, and increased awareness. These are just a few of the many benefits of meditation. Mindfulness meditation is just one of the many meditation techniques,
People ask me, “Why do you meditate?” It seems like a very natural process for me knowing the great benefits and having meditated for so many years.
 
As I evolved in meditation practice, I began to realize that I am much more than my thoughts. In fact, when weird thoughts come up, I say to myself, “That’s not me.” My thoughts and ego is not who I am. The more I make contact with the peaceful, spiritual aspect of myself during meditation; it becomes a bigger and larger part of who I am. Here I attain freedom from the trappings of my mind and its limitations, which liberates me. I experience peace, clarity, and a reality that is free from judgment, attachment, desperation, and personal interest. My challenge is to bring this state into my everyday life. So, that’s why I meditate.