Why Practice Mindfulness?

If you feel anxious inside, if restlessness stings you, something inside stirs foul feelings, sparks of anger arise without warning, then there is every chance that one is living in unawareness.

Only through mindfulness, only by turning inwards, only by paying attention ‘awareness’ can be born. Through awareness one can know the cause of suffering. It hurts, it will hurt to know how we create our suffering and we’ll no longer be able to deceive ourselves. One has to go through the fire of acceptance, of accepting the responsibility of our own misery. One has to burn in this fire of self-knowing and acceptance in order for the ignorance to burn and the gold within to shine.

A person living with awareness will shine like gold. How would you know, what is the scale for measuring awareness, one may ask! If your heart sings with Joy, and you experience peace, bliss, compassion and inner balance; you stand steady and joyful in every situation and difficulties only refine and polish you, then awareness has blossomed in you- you’ll spread the fragrance to others!

How could one be inebriated- with awareness? Meditation is the secret. Underlying all mindfulness techniques is the ability to be awake and present in the moment, this leads to awareness, awareness is the key to being self-directed and living life more attentively, mindfully and enjoying every dimension of life.

While practicing meditation, there are three skills in which the mind is trained:

1. Focus: The mind is trained to be able to pay attention, so as to not be drawn here and there, whether due to the spontaneous rising of impressions in meditation or due to external stimuli.

2. Expansion: The ability to focus is accompanied by a willingness to expand the conscious field. Through meditation that which is normally unconscious comes within the field of consciousness and transformation happens.

3.Non-Attachment: The ability to remain undisturbed, unaffected and uninvolved with the thoughts and impressions of the mind is the key ingredient that must go along with focus and expansion.