We need to remember that our mindful awareness isn't something to be treated with excessive formality or sanctity. Instead, it's more like ringing a bell – when we ring it, the sound continues, and we let it resonate for...
Mindful awareness has various descriptions, and in the Buddhist traditions, we have different ways to talk about it. Essentially, it's a quality of the mind that's innate, not something physical, but rather non-physical. It allows us to be watchful and observe our internal and external experiences. Normally, we observe through our senses, like our eyes and ears, and our thoughts make judgments about what we perceive. But awareness offers an alternative. It's a quality of the mind that allows us to simply tune in and bear witness to something without engaging the thinking mind, without judgment or interpretation.
Of course, this can relate to something we're experiencing through our senses, but awareness can also function independently of sensory perception. In a general sense, I define it as a quality of watchfulness, observation, and or bearing witness. Mindfulness is the aspect of remembering that awareness, hence "mindful awareness."
In formal practice, we connect to mindful awareness through the breath and the body, as well as other objects. In Tibetan Buddhist traditions, we even use visualized images to bring our attention into the present moment. But fundamentally, awareness is always there. It's a quality of our mind that we can strengthen and tune into. We don't necessarily need an object to focus on, but in the beginning, having an object like the breath to return to when the mind wanders is helpful because it serves as an anchor.
However, the primary aspect of this practice, as I've been describing, is cultivating mindful awareness. There are various reasons one might want to do this. For some, it offers a gateway to more calmness and groundedness in life. In the Buddhist traditions, we cultivate mindful awareness to gain clear insight into the nature of reality and to remove the causes of suffering. This adds a deeper purpose within the Buddhist context. But it's okay to start wherever you are.
When we initially come into contact with awareness and practice it for a few years, we might experience that there is someone or something that is aware. This creates space in how we interact with things. We can be aware of our thoughts and perceptions, creating a sense of depersonalization. But if we take awareness further, we can also see that the one who is aware is made of space, and this realization leads to deeper freedoms. These are teachings and practices found in the Buddhist traditions, often referred to as "vipashana awareness" or "insight awareness practices."
So, based on our formal practice where we cultivate and strengthen awareness, the first step is to recognize it. This may take some time, but it's a crucial aspect of the journey.
At some point, you might want to bring mindfulness into your day. Some of us can become quite attached to a particular state we experience in formal meditation. Initially, there's nothing wrong with that, but if we cling to that state, thinking that unless we're in that state, we're not truly meditating, it can become its own distraction and sidetrack. So, it's essential to understand that awareness is merely a quality of the mind that can be watchful, as I described earlier. We can bring this quality into our day as much as possible. One of the most significant obstacles I've encountered in bringing mindful awareness into my day is remembering to do it. It's easy to get engrossed in tasks, conversations, or work without realizing it. Reminders can be incredibly helpful.
Before I dive into some practical tips, I want to emphasize that intention is vital. In the morning, during our formal meditation, we should set an intention of care, love, and altruism for ourselves and others. We're doing this because we care, and we want to grow mindful awareness to become more helpful, kind, and compassionate. Intention matters not only in formal practice but also for integrating it throughout the day. We need to cultivate an intention to remember awareness. At the end of our meditation or when we wake up, we can form this intention, saying something like, "Out of care for myself and others, I want to remember mindful awareness as many times as I can throughout the day." When we set an intention like this, it's more likely to happen because we're committed to remembering it.
Now, let's move on to some practical tips:
Set an Intention: As mentioned, set an intention to remember mindful awareness throughout the day. This intention will serve as a powerful reminder.
Short Sessions: In addition to your formal morning meditation, consider setting up short sessions throughout the day. These could be as brief as one to two minutes. Use transition periods as opportunities for these mini-sessions. For example, when moving from one task to another or from one room to another, take 30 seconds to a minute to click into awareness. You can focus on your breath or simply be aware without an anchor.
Use Transitional Periods: Make use of transitional moments throughout the day as reminders to click into awareness briefly. These moments don't require closing your eyes or stopping your activities; they're meant to help you remember awareness. For instance, during your commute, you can designate points such as when you get on your bike, wait at the subway platform, or arrive at your destination as opportunities to drop into the body or awareness. There's no pressure to achieve a specific state; it's about being present in those moments.
We need to remember that our mindful awareness isn't something to be treated with excessive formality or sanctity. Instead, it's more like ringing a bell – when we ring it, the sound continues, and we let it resonate for as long as it does. Sometimes it's short, sometimes long, and that's perfectly okay. This approach shows our respect for mindful awareness, as we invest energy in cultivating it because we value it. However, we don't want to elevate it to the point where it becomes overly formal.
It's essential to recognize that while it's a precious and profound quality of our mind, it's also something we carry with us everywhere. We shouldn't confine it to specific circumstances or environments, thinking it requires incense or rituals. In reality, it's our mind interacting with awareness and the world around us. This mindset allows for more flexibility, where we can practice in various settings, whether they're noisy, dirty, pleasant, or unpleasant.
In different situations, we'll notice various reactions arising within awareness. In appealing environments, attachment may arise, while in unattractive places, aversion might surface. Within mindful awareness, we can observe perceptions, sounds, thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. The beauty of awareness lies in its impartial nature. It doesn't judge things as good or bad; it merely observes. Moreover, awareness can naturally foster compassion. It's not nihilistic but rather a non-judgmental observer. In Buddhist meditation, this non-judgmental aspect of awareness is crucial, as it helps us realize the extent to which our minds project judgments, emotions, and clinging.
The more clearly we see how things exist and how much our minds project, the greater the opportunity for inner freedom and spaciousness. It's a recurring pattern: the more we see, the more potential for liberation arises.
So, there are several reasons for incorporating mindfulness into our daily lives. For beginners, it can help establish a sense of grounding and regulate emotions. For those who want to dive deeper into their practice, it offers a chance to connect with a more profound understanding of their own mind and the nature of reality.
To experience a deeper sense of freedom and peace, we must turn our attention to the mind and its projections. Observing these projections and seeing through them is a natural process that unfolds as we engage in our practice. It's not something we need to force, but we do need to set it in motion. The short moments I mentioned, whether sitting, standing, or during transition periods, are invaluable for dropping into the body with awareness or becoming aware of the state of our mind. Through this, we gain clarity, which leads to a greater sense of freedom.
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