tba - Note to self: see ev. notes
LIVING WITH FULL ALIVENESS
If you don't notice that you're not being fully alive, how can you create your being fully alive?
Mindfulness is a "fullness" of mind, in the sense that the mind is fully functioning and full of useful, great thoughts.
It is using the mind to monitor, be aware/notice what is happening right now in your life. How is my emotional state? How is my energy? How is my effectiveness and personal power? Is my life, right now, going as I would most want it to go?
The opposite of mindfullness is being mindless - not noticing, numbing out, filling one's mind with distractions or escapes.
Perhaps one could simply ask: Am I being fully alive? Am I fulfilled? And, then, go about fixing whatever is causing oneself to be short of that!
Mindfulness is simply applying the mind to notice what is going on and to adjust accordingly toward what is best for one's full aliveness and happiness.
"Full aliveness" is what you've felt during peak experiences, during the experience of a new love relationship (you do remember that, don't you?!!!), in moments of special meaning/significance, in moments of triumph.
One of the top 5 principles to practice in life is that which precedes mindfulness: The Short Pause (aka The Power Pause). To have a great life I propose that you MUST, ABSOLUTELY, implement that practice into your life!!!!!!
Living mindfully is what we must do...and that is all about the noticing AND completely all about harvesting the mindfulness by fully correcting and adjusting one's condition back to what is consistent with being fully alive, fully happy.
Besides knowing that one must use The Power Pause, one must set oneself up so one is fully functioning (in the Homeostatic Well-Functioning Range in the first place, mentally and physically) so that you have plenty of energy and are feeling good physically, such that your mind is totally available for the wonderfulness of assuring that you are living with full aliveness, a smile on your face, a delight in living, a powerfulness that gives you a feeling of mastery...
[Note that if one has an empty mind there is little to access with mindfulness, for it is not just noticing with the mind what is going on, but it is about accessing the thinking and the knowledge necessary to adjust and correct one's condition back to what causes that wonderful state of being fully alive! This is why I encourage you to do full-on, full-press life learning, so that you will be a true Master Of Life! If you don't build your wisdom knowledge base, you cannot possibly live your greatest life! Follow the paths suggested on this site.]
SEEING THAT YOU ARE NOT THE VICTIM OF YOUR THOUGHTS
[If one is distracted or run by one's thoughts, the brain will be so occupied that you will not be capable of true mindfulness...]
"How simple can it be, to see that you are not your mind, your thoughts, or your emotions and that therefore you are 'not them' and not, at all, ruled by them. But many have not matured beyond the child-like belief that they are being controlled by those neurological happenings...controlled by the 'ghosts' or imaginings of their mind...
When one 'sees' this, one is no longer the victim of it, one is no longer stuck in a 'role' (inner child, victim, powerless, dependent) and one becomes the ruler, the chooser, the master of one's life.
I recommend that you do whatever is necessary for you to 'see' this fully, to grok it!"
The BuddhaKahuna
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CONTENTS
What the heck is mindfulness? Sounds kinda airy fairy!
One of the most useful skills and practices of all!
The "doing" of it
What does all that have to do with intention? Results?
Using the "non-judgmental" viewpoint to free up life
So, this is all it is
It's not meditation or deep relaxation
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WHAT THE HECK IS MINDFULNESS? SOUNDS KINDA AIRY FAIRY!
Mindfulness is easy and quite effective, not at all woo-woo!
It is simply
1. paying attention (noticing what is going on)
2. being intentional (aiming toward better results with your actions)
3. being disassociated (not at "the effect of"), seeing thoughts and feelings as phenomena and not as your being the phenomena and not as your having to do what the thoughts and feelings might urge one to do. [See Are you your mind or ?.] ___________________________________________________________
A monkey has no control and can get into a frenzy. A race car driver who pays no attention to the little nuances and details bounces off of walls. Humans tend to wait for a "wake up call" or a "big signal" - but, why, if we have the conscious ability to direct our attention and to correct our course, do we not live in "the center zone" of balance, harmony, and healthy centeredness. It only makes sense to pay attention and adjust our course often, noting when something is awry and not letting oneself operate with a body that is malfunctioning and/or less efficient. Only a fool would purposely choose to not pay attention to one's tensions and body and make adjustments to maximize life....
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ONE OF THE MOST USEFUL SKILLS AND PRACTICES OF ALL!
In the studies and in the literature, emotional intelligence is that intelligence where one is aware of what is happening (his/her emotions) and is able to regulate his/her emotions. Not a bad idea if someone wants to be happy and to stop doing stupid, harmful, impulsive reactions.
Mindfulness is the core, the hub, around which all other skills center. Among other things, it opens the door to acceptance - which it turn opens the doors to happiness and virtual freedom from needless stress (or suffering).
THE "DOING" OF IT
It is simply saying "I notice that I feel..." "I notice that I thought..." "I notice this is what happened...". Pretty simple, but saying this causes you to be in an "observer" (or witness) mode, so that you become more objective and maintain a better perspective and are no longer in a victim mode.
Describing something in detail, anything, puts one in a different state, one of objectivity, and overcomes random thoughts that probably aren't all that useful. This practice is one of the key ones to overcome a down or depressed mood - it shifts the brain and the attention, breaking the self-perpetuating cycles of moods.
WHAT'S DOES ALL THAT HAVE TO DO WITH INTENTION? RESULTS?
All the great, great athletes are so focused on what they are doing that extraneous factors like whether somebody likes them or what might happen in the future disappear from their minds. They get to focus on getting the results they want. And you'll agree that works? (Duh!) (See also Living Life As A Life Happiness Champion.)
An example of how you would use this is:
Notice what is going on around me. (Gets you noticing and into an objective
mode without lots of distractions throwing you off.)
Ask what do I want? (What do I intend?)
What does that look like (the result, in detail, smell, taste, etc.). See the Visualization section.
USING THE "NON-JUDGMENTAL" VIEWPOINT TO FREE UP LIFE
One of the effects of mindfulness is that one "sees" the facts and emotions, acknowledging them, but in a manner that is not for "judging" them.
SO, THIS IS ALL IT IS
Again, all it is is focusing your attention such that you are simply observing, using your brain and increasing its intelligence and your perspective and observation skills in life. Not bad, huh!
IT'S NOT MEDITATION OR DEEP RELAXATION
It's not the same as meditation or deep relaxation. But you'll notice that mindfulness is used in meditation: "oh, there's a thought. It's just a thought...", which in turn leads to having a perspective on one's life where thoughts aren't real and aren't threatening. (You'll have to read the fear section to understand and believe that statement.)
Yes, I would add the practice of meditation for anyone in this world who finds him/herself in any hurry or in any stress. Whether it is 5 minutes via a timer or 20 minutes twice a day, you'll be better off with less stress, needing less sleep, feeling more resourceful, and feeling better in general!
