Mindfulness Meditation
The meditative state of mindfulness is a kind of awareness of oneself and the moment that is crucial to the teachings of Buddhist meditation. The goal of mindfulness is to exist in the moment. In doing so, you can examine your own thoughts as if from the outside, become aware of the constant rush of thoughts in your head, and examine them calmly and dispassionately, realising that while some may be important, others may not. The practitioner of mindfulness can then try and see the world in a more objective manner, or to see the “true nature” of things. For this reason mindfulness can be seen as a synonym for insight.
This state of awareness is most easily achieved through simple forms of meditation. Sitting comfortably, away from outside distractions and noise that could defocus your mind, simply breathe deeply and become aware of your breaths. The goal is to exist entirely in the moment, so listen to what your senses are saying – hear the sounds in the room and beyond it, become aware of the weight of your body in the chair, or your hands on your knees. Attempt to hear the noise in your own head as though you are an outsider. Similarly, one could attempt to focus on a candle, concentrating on the flame to the point where you become distant to your thoughts. If thoughts or emotions do come into your mind, don’t try and force them away. Simply accept them, and look at them as if they belonged to someone else. Many meditative methods are taught by Buddhists to achieve mindfulness.
While meditation may be the easiest way to begin achieving mindfulness, it is not simply a meditative technique, but a state in which many people try and live their daily lives. As a way of leaving the stress of your own mind, it has strong relaxing powers, and the greater insight of this state has obvious benefits. Once one has practise in achieving mindfulness, it becomes easier to do, even in a distraction-filled environment. Many people simply set themselves every day objects to act as reminders to leave their thoughts and come back to the present. For example, you could train yourself to focus on awareness when you see a red traffic light, or hear a clock, or enter a room.
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