Practising Mindfulness

Category: World Affairs

  • What to Believe to Make the Change

    My curiosity constantly draws me into seeking to understand what drives people. I’m curious as to what it takes to make a person want to live well. Why should we search for peace? Why should we question our addictions? Why should we care?

    I feel the answer to these questions lies entirely in the level of compassion that’s been instilled in us from a very early age. Self-compassion, or compassion for the wellbeing of others, I believe is something that starts very early. It’s those parents who buy their child a rabbit, with the intention of helping that child build love and compassion for other beings, who raise a human that’s likely to care. The caring and taking responsibility for another being, from an early age, helps the child understand the two way nature of the relationship. Pleasure is awarded the child whose rabbit is healthy because they’ve taken proper care of it. Also, when the rabbit eventually dies, the child learns from their suffering. They learn that happiness and suffering go hand in hand.

    There must be sufficient reward for caring. There must always be something in it for us and we must never be ashamed to know and admit this. Our survival is paramount and we must be taught that when we make our survival the priority, we inadvertently lift everyone else

    Consider the late spiritual leader Thích Nhất Hạnh. Many have described his greatest achievement as the communities he created; the Sangha. We must ask what was his motivation? The first driver will have been his belief. His faith. He believed in Buddhism with every fiber of his being. He also believed he had the medicine to help people out of their suffering; that Buddhism had some of the solutions to humanities plight. The second driving will have been his compassion. He wanted all of us to better deal with our suffering, through living lives, that had more of an acceptance of how – according to Buddhist understandings – we generate our suffering. The third, and by no means last motivation, will have concerned the pleasure he received as a result of helping others prosper.

    The communities he created are currently hard at work looking to spread the word. They’re looking to spread the word of mindfulness and the importance of love and compassion in the world. It’s my understanding, that the current they will always be swimming against, is that of the conflicting beliefs our children are still being taught.

    We must understand that the rewards we receive concern the easing of our own suffering. The child must be taught to understand, how it’s the process of helping other beings prosper, that in turn creates their own prosperity

    It starts with: What do I want? Thích Nhất Hạnh saw the image of a Buddha as a child and decided: “That’s what I want to be” it started with what he wanted and the comfort that there will be some benefit to him. His compassion for other beings then drove him to want this for others too. His communities were his masterpiece and what piece of mind this must have offered him.

    If you want piece of mind, if you’ve finally had enough of our destructive patterns of living, ask yourself what you believe is the best way to live well. To give or to take? I would suggest neither. I would suggest that through reaching for the child within, who wanted the rabbit to thrive, we get closer to finding the truth. We are neither giving or taking, just simply being compassionately and mindfully there for another being, and in turn it will be there for us. Make your driving a deep desire to help others prosper and make the miracle happen.

  • Mindfulness of Anger

    ‘That is the practice of mindfulness called mindfulness of anger. When you notice that anger is coming up in you, you have to practice mindful breathing in order to generate the energy of mindfulness, in order to recognize your anger and embrace it tenderly. So then you can bring relief into you and not to act and to say things that can destroy, that can be destructive. And doing so, you can look deeply into the nature of your anger and know where it has come from’

    Thich Nhat Hanh in conversation with Krista Tippett

  • Discover a Different Form of Happiness

    It is slightly mind blowing to think that there is in fact a different form of happiness that we can cultivate and focus on

    We must firstly consider what it takes to touch on this other form of happiness. We do of course know the happiness we get from being amongst other people or from our consumerism. We can see the from of happiness we get from outside of ourselves. We feel it internally but the trigger is an external stimuli. Imagine the excitement of a night out with friends or a trip abroad. Image the feelings we receive when we buy something new. This is often what we’re taught happiness is about. I can even remember my own mother describing a child, who had everything they wanted in the material world, as someone who was very loved. Perhaps a way to rationalise her own inability to express love for her children in a tactile way.

    When we begin to see, that happy children aren’t necessarily from wealthy backgrounds, we begin to understand how innocence plays its part. Provided poverty doesn’t equal neglect, money, is actually irrelevant to a child

    One of the most important ways to discover, the form of happiness that exist within us, is the ability to be absolutely, fully, present. I’ve recently found myself with a responsibility I didn’t particularly want. However, understanding the importance of being present, has helped me, not only carry the burden easily, but to enjoy it.

    My sharing of a responsibility is easing the burden on someone else and that is giving me an enormous amount of satisfaction and pleasure. Being present during the process is enabling me to immerse myself fully into it. Whilst aware and present my mind is no longer seeking to be somewhere else doing something that carries less responsibility, or involves anther form of stimulation, that might be more fun. Mindfully working through my responsibility has taken any form of suffering away. When we want (to be doing something different somewhere else) we suffer. We could say that when suffering is removed happiness is what remains.

    This happiness is brought about as a result of fully immersing oneself in being alive. When we do this, pleasure can be derived from the most mundane of actions, because our happiness has changed form

    That’s right! The form of happiness has switch from an external stimulation to the simple pleasure derived from being present and alive. When we fully appreciate the pleasure of being alive – experienced when fully and absolutely present – we are happy. If we’re not fully present we’re not fully appreciating what it actually means to be alive. Our mind is somewhere other than here and now. Surly, when this is the case, are we not three quarters of the way to being dead? Be present and happy, through the mindfulness gained from learning how to improve your mental fitness, through proper meditation practice. Return to innocence now.

  • All the things to Cultivate

    There are certain conditions that will make it hard to cultivate the following:
    • Love
    • Compassion
    • Generosity
    • Empathy
    • Kindness
    • Gentleness
    • Understanding
    • Acceptance
    What I find fascinating is, it’s the very condition of being human, that would have prevented me from seeking more of these things as a younger man.
    In fact, I wouldn’t have had a reason, to seek these things. The methods taught me to survive and cope with the madness were working. For so long, wrapped up in the western world’s belief in what from happiness should take, and how to find it.
    Perhaps, now that you’re reading this, you are ready to cultivate the things that really matter in life. If not, there’s every chance it will be a while, before you come back here. Don’t leave it too long.
    As a consequence of understanding how my condition would have prevented me seeking more of the contents of my list, I know that the most powerful way of helping others, to live with less pain and suffering, is to simply be the very example of what I now seek as an older man.
    If you’re ready to find more of these things, and would like to become a shinning example to others, this podcast is a good place to start. Be clear: there is no suggestion that we should all become Buddhist monks. No. The suggestion is that we begin to listen, and become further examples, of those who believe, not just in the power of love and compassion, but in all the things on my list.
    Begin to cultivate the things that really matter

  • Reduce the Suffering of Others

    I no longer have anything to prove or reason to compete. I’d also like to cease any need to feel validated or approved of. Achieving these things requires mindfulness and once achieved bring peace of mind

    I’ve wondered what’s left when we take away competitiveness, approval and validation. I realise that in order to move forward and engage with life, as the teachers we all are, what remains, indeed must remain, is the simple desire to reduce the suffering of others. Why should we desire this? Because it reduces our own suffering.

    We can all help reduce the suffering we and others experience, through being mindful of our thoughts, speech and actions. These things are interconnected

    I feel we must have the ability to question our beliefs, so we may alter our views, as this enables us to ‘clean up’ our thinking; thinking that is the result of how we were conditioned. Once we’re able to clear the view we’re then able to ensure our thoughts are of a wholesome nature. When our thoughts are wholesome this is reflected in the things we say and do. As a consequence of improving these things, through mindfulness, we instantly reduce all suffering.

    It’s interesting to consider how life would be if more of us gained the awareness of unhealthy competitiveness and how we remain childlike in our need for validation and approval. By casting these things aside, we clear a path for different motivations, of a more wholesome nature. We experience more love and become more compassionate toward our fellow man, our home, our true home (our selves) and all living beings.

    Mindfulness is key. Consider today, how raising your awareness, can improve your quality of life.

  • Empower Your Higher Self

    By taking control of your chattering mind you’re automatically giving your higher self a chance to be heard

    I firmly believe in the concept of a higher self. Without this belief to call on I feel my life would be at risk of spiralling out of control. And the important point to gain from todays post, is not so much the idea of a higher self, but the necessity of allowing this aspect of ourselves to be heard.

    If we never take the opportunity to stop and take control of our minds, through meditation that leads to improved mindfulness, what chance would a quiet, peaceful, and loving voice have of being heard? This voice is of course our own and can only be heard once all other chatter is still.

    Our internal chatter is the self-programming that instructs us on how to think and behave. And this in turn is based on our beliefs, hang ups, fears and ambitions. There’s a lot of clutter there and some of this clutter is the deciding factor in so many of our difficulties and anguish. So when we’re able to silence all the noise – if only for brief moments – our higher self is given the opportunity to break through.

    Your higher self knows the answers to so many of your questions. It is the part of you that knows what you must do in order to live well

    Through choosing to take control of your mind, you will be empowering your higher self, to award you clear instructions on what you must do. Consider how the only motivation of this aspect of your self is love. When we give love a voice, what do we hear?

  • My Life Saving Medicine

    Of late I’ve come to recognise how very important my medication is and the importance of taking it daily

    If I want to calmly enjoy each day, and be in command of my words and behaviour, I must remember to take my medication each day. My medicine helps me to remain aware of my nature and how fear and anxiety influences my behaviour. In addition to this, it helps me remain calmly aware of the nature of others and the dangers of allowing adult-children (self-centred people) to manipulate me with their cute and naughty ways. I’ve always been a sucker for allowing children to get the better of me with their naughty, manipulative, tricks.

    It’s important for us adults to be aware of the self-centred nature of adult-children. After all, we’re not doing the child any favours, if we’re failing to set firm boundaries

    And so, time and time again, we must remind ourselves to take our medication, as it’s the minds tendency to draw us back into old patterns of distraction and forgetfulness, as this is where it feels most comfortable. My habit has been to sleepwalk through life. Sleepwalking in respect of my lack of awareness of the self-centred. The self-centred have no concern for your wellbeing whatsoever. Their only concern is for themselves. It could be argued that this is the truth of human nature, however, I would suggest, that once we are grown we have a greater capacity to genuinely concern ourselves with the needs of others. My medicine helps me with this. Sometimes the search for the adults is lengthy.

    You might now ask: What is this wonderful, life saving, medicine?

    Well of course I’m talking about meditation leading to improved mindfulness. In terms of all the above and more, there’s no doubt in my mind, that this is the tool that’s making the difference. I can no longer sleepwalk through life with a lack of awareness. It was this lack that always left me feeling confused, unstable, and downtrodden. My daily dose of meditation continues to help me separate those that have any level of consideration for my needs and wellbeing (adults) from the gameplaying manipulative children (adult-children). You can raise your awareness too. It’s the simplest solution there is and I find the real adults have a far better grip on reality. A better grip on what really matters. And those that only have self-centred concerns tend to be the most destructive.

  • Choppy Seas

    Standing on the shore we might become fearful of going in and it’s not until we’re in do we become one with the water

    Think of how the wind causes the sea to become choppy. Think of the energy needed to churn up the water. Would the sea be healthy and as interesting as it is if it was always flat calm? Of course not. If it wasn’t for the tides and the wind the oceans would be stagnant and lifeless. Flat calm all the time is of no value to anyone.

    Can we think of everything in the same way?

    I believe we can. There are periods of upset before the calm and the calm once again gives way to upset. The movement of energy dictates that. A human mind is no different, and a mind that has become unmoving and stuck, may experience a sudden stroke or develop some degenerative disease. There must be movement, nature dictates that. If you look long enough you will see the importance of movement and change and how it enhances life. If you look for too long chaos will force your hand.

    There are those who believe in the need to destroy before building. You can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, and all that

    There is some truth here. Destroying what holds us back would be a positive way of looking at this. Constant chaos without any periods of stability can hold us back. Can we destroy chaos? Yes, because chaos is an extreme, and is caused through standing looking at the waves for far too long. Walk forward and jump in, provided you can swim, that is.

    Train your mind, learn to be mindful

  • Right Thinking

    Be aware of this: In the minds of many, the degree of happiness and length of their survival, is determined by the amount of control they have over others. Most often this is other family members. For you, happiness, must be determined by how much control you have over yourself. If not, you will be, as the many

  • A Great Device for Helping with your Mindfulness Training

    A physical reminder of what exactly you’re supposed to be doing works wonders

    I am a bit of a G-Shock fan and do have a small collection. And as a result of trying out several types of vibrating watches, I’ve come to the conclusion, that the Casio G-Shock GBX-100, is the best at helping with my mindfulness training.

    With the GBX being a smart watch you can link it up to the Casio ‘G-Shock Move’ app and alter all kinds of setting

    You can obviously set alarms and keep the time accurate and this watch also has a useful tide graph that tells you the high and low tide times on any coast line you might choose (I’m a keen open water swimmer so like to know what the tide is doing near me). More than anything though, this watch has a training program that counts down time intervals, with a gentle vibration between each one. As you can see from the image above I currently have this watch set to five minute intervals. After each five minutes, the watch vibrates once and allows the wearer to know when each interval has passed. I find meditating for a total of twenty five minutes each day is sufficient for me. The final alert is more sustained so it’s clear when time is up.

    Mindfulness training never stops being a challenge for some so we must use anything that helps

    The physical vibration every five minutes is very powerful at bringing my mind back to my point of focus. Sometimes, I’m so distracted, that the moment I sit and close my eyes, my mind is off and running like a wild racehorse. I actually forget the reason I’m sitting with my legs crossed on a meditation cushion! The physicality of the vibration reminds me of my purpose so I can then bring my attention back to my chosen point of focus. I get on with my practice and improve my mental fitness.

    If you would like to purchase one of these watches they can be found here (UK) or if you’re on a budget and like my NATO strap conversions (I also include the original strap) and would like help setting up your watch I might – from time to time – have one for sale on my ebay site here! (worldwide delivery). I’ve converted all my GBX-100’s to take NATO straps as I find them much more comfortable than the original.