Lesson 56 - Mindfulness

One of the cornerstone teachings in Buddhism is that of mindfulness. Mindfulness is a practice in careful attention. It is important to be mindful in ALL things, in this way we have the best opportunity to guard ourselves from negative outflow like harmful speech or harmful action. When we are mindful we are completely in the moment and aware of our deeds and actions. We are not concerned with the past or future only the exact present moment. When we are mindful there is no need to second guess ourselves because we know that we used our full attention to focus the best effort possible on the task. Mindfulness also allows us to truly see a situation for what it really is because we have been fully attentive and not wrapped up in our own internal dialog and perceptions. Being mindful in ALL things is the best way to practice the dharma. So the next time you brush your teeth or have a conversation with a friend I challenge you to be mindful. Do not get caught up in your thoughts or opinions of the situation or participate in an activity as if in auto pilot mode but instead be fully present, experiencing moment by moment the joys of living a life fully alive and attentive. I assure you that this will improve your quality of life in innumerable ways.