Mindfulness - What are your thoughts about it?

[Thief]

I don't think
What is Mindfulness? - Mindful
is

I do think.....I took a look

awareness got mentioned
but it is the thrust of the topic

 

[ChristineM]

I do think.....I took a look

awareness got mentioned
but it is the thrust of the topic

Of course awareness is mentioned in being aware. Awareness is the whole point

 

[Thief]

Of course awareness is mentioned in being aware. Awareness is the whole point

but can we say?......
mindfulness is the overlay
the scheme of what we want to think about
with observation as the pallete

 

[Windwalker]

I am just me. And mindful.org agrees with me. Perhaps Buddhism is teaching what is natural anyway

I do think that modern living can distract from what is around you and so special care to cultivate mindfulness may be needed for some people.

I agree modern living can definetly aggrivate humans natural tendencies to be stuck inside the heads and the illusions of "thought world", as I like to call it. But modern living is not the cause. Remember, this teaching is thousands of years old, so it seems more a natural human condition everyone has, and why those on a spiritual path need to work to overcome it.

Apparently, you've arrived at it naturally, or were just born that way. You must live a very peaceful, connected, and grounded life. The rest of us are envious, as well as most Buddhists, Hindus, and others who have to work at this.

 

[ChristineM]

but can we say?......
mindfulness is the overlay
the scheme of what we want to think about
with observation as the pallete

You can say it if you want to

 

[RestlessSoul]

I always assumed Mindfulness referred to a form of secular Zen? Which is quite attractive as a concept.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Buddhists have been teaching this for thousands of years. So, I do have to say I am impressed you're a natural at this, whereas other practitioners have to cultivate this. Some people are just naturally Enlightened. You must be one of those.

I do not think anyone is 'naturally enlightened'. Being practical and being enlightened are different. one can be of one type to the exclusion of the other. But, yes, some people can be both. I am sure even ChristineM cultivated it in her younger years, perhaps without realizing it.

Then you experience gratitude and be mindful that you're alive and that in and of itself is the goal of living and everything else is influenced off of that. Actually keeping that sense of gratitude is quite different. It doesn't last long though.

Gratitude? Gratitude to whom? I am an atheist. Not long enough - I suppose that is not a problem, everyone needs some time off.

 

[ChristineM]

I do not think anyone is 'naturally enlightened'. Being practical and being enlightened are different. one can be of one type to the exclusion of the other. But, yes, some people can be both. I am sure even Christine cultivated it in her younger years, perhaps without realizing it.

Maybe it was the environment i was raised in. I never considered considering others and my environment to be a spiritual thing, just a thing.

 

[stvdv]

What will an "empty mind" be mindful of?

Mind is per definition just a bundle of thought. Mind can not be mindful.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Gratitude? Gratitude to whom? I am an atheist. Not long enough - I suppose that is not a problem, everyone needs some time off.

Gratitude in and of itself. Do you need to attribute gratitude to something or someone to experience it through mindfulness?

Not sure about your last sentence. Explain?

 

[Canuimagine]

Hi Everyone,

Mindfulness seems to be mentioned so often now in various courses and it seems to be very popular. Why?

Over the past 2 months I have been studying mindfulness and completed a 4 week course at a university. I’m still new to it and wish to learn more.

So I would like to hear from you guys here of your opinions, thoughts about it and your experiences.

What are some good free learning sources you may wish to share and do you think mindfulness can help with things like peace and harmony in society? Can or does it change us and if so how?

Mind full neurological education subjectism ? Mindfulness = thinking ability

Education is a memory based system that you have to remember to pass

True mindfulness is being self aware and detached from the system

 

[Vinayaka]

I've always found 'mindfulness' to be vague. Reading illustrations and definitions generally doesn't help as so many have somewhat differing views, as illustrated here. Certainly it's a popular idea, and very in vogue, if courses are offered in it.

I suspect, but am most likely wrong, like a lot of practices, it is far more about practising it than defining it, using words.

 

[stvdv]

Practice of "mindfulness" reduces the "full mind" into "empty mind", which is the key to peace

But mindfulness is not "empty mind"

I never said or implied that mindfulness is "empty mind"
You must have misread what I wrote and/or misinterpreted what I wrote

But mindfulness is not "empty mind". Mindfulness is to be completely aware of one thing at any moment to the exclusion of any other thing.

So?
My quote was quite spot on, and obviously you @Aupmanyav and @loverofhumanity totally missed my point

 

[Aupmanyav]

Not sure about your last sentence. Explain?

There are various levels of alertness. The military is not always on high alert. If it assesses a need then it is put on a high alert.

My quote was quite spot on, and obviously you @Aupmanyav totally missed my point

Perhaps I did. I equate empty mind to that of a dunce.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

There are various levels of alertness. The military is not always on high alert. If it assesses a need then it is put on a high alert.Perhaps I did. I equate empty mind to that of a dunce.

Do you believe alertness is the same as mindfulness in the context of the OP?

 

[Aupmanyav]

Yeah, I believe alertness and mindfulness to be the same when one is aware of the whole situation.

 

[Clara Tea]

do you think mindfulness can help with things like peace and harmony in society? Can or does it change us and if so how?

Talking in tongues (jlsdkjflsfj), jabbering to God in God's own language, and writhing on the floor.

This is what mindful people do. They mind God. Those who don't notice that they can talk to God, and have God talk back, don't get instructions from God.

The Heaven's Gate cult (of Reverend Applegate), committed suicide in order to have their souls ride around the solar system forever on the Hale-Bopp comet. They were mindful of the voices that told them to kill themselves and be immortal in the heavens.

The Jim Jones cult drank poisoned Kool-aid, and they all died. This is because they were mindful of Reverend Jim Jones and God. Others, who don't mind, don't kill themselves.

There are some who might plot against us when we try to kill ourselves and kill other non-believers. They are all around us, whispering about us, and plotting against us in everything that we do. But only we are mindful of their presence.

Other sects of our religion are wrong, and only we are right. Of the myriad of other bibles (even specifically Christian bibles), only ours is correct, and the others are heathen, blasphemy, evil, and Pagan. This is proven by the fact that we were born of parents who taught us the true religion. It is our goal to murder infidels (those who believe other than we do), because only we are mindful of the truth.

There is a greater good, other than the laws of man. We should follow the instructions of God, who constantly whispers in our ears to instruct us who to kill. But only we are mindful of God.