Mindfulness
There are two ways of being in the world. One is called the “doing mode,” and the other is called the “being mode”. When we operate in the “being mode”, we are usually happier than when in the doing mode, for obvious reasons. If you are in the being mode, there is less of a tendency for you to be excessively angry. Mindfulness, therefore, is an anger management strategy because it is a source of happiness.
If you’re happy, you cannot be angry at the same time. Mindfulness means to live with awareness, in the moment, non-judgementally, with acceptance and compassion for oneself and others. Compassion means seeing the difficulties and suffering of another person or living creature and being willing to help in some measure. That is, to reduce suffering. When we practice mindfulness in our everyday lives, we set our positive intentions, and, as in a self-fulfilling prophecy, this materializes. Mindfulness can also help us to make better choices as we become more proactive and less reactive. It also entails, as much as possible, bringing all your senses to whatever we are doing so that we can enjoy life more fully.
Mindfulness brings joy in everything we do
Mindfulness also implies that we slow down and do one thing at a time, being fully present in whatever we are doing. It brings joy to everything we do, even the mundane, everyday activities. Some mindful activities are: mindful meditation, breathing, walking, communicating, and eating. We can bring mindfulness to everything that we do in the journey of life.
According to James Baraz, a Buddhist scholar, ” Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now, without wishing it were different. Enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will). Being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).” The foregoing is based on the concept of impermanence, a core belief in Buddhist psychology.
Key Mindfulness Concepts
Here is a summary of key mindfulness concepts, based on the openmind.com, with minor modifications…
Mindfulness is…
- Observing our life as it is happening
- Accepting your current situation without judgment or struggle
- Allowing feelings to exist without letting them drive your actions
- Noticing thoughts as they arise without the need to believe them
- Taking action based on what you feel in your heart rather than old habits or short-term convenience.
