Each month, there will be a new, guided audio meditation (for paid subscribers), which corresponds to what we are working with in the Thursday morning meditation group. In a sense, the word mindfulness is exceedingly simple. A literal/functional translation of the Buddhist words that we translate as “mindfulness” (Sati/Smrti/Trenpa), would mean something like "remember the moment" or “remember the object of meditation.” At the same time, we are strengthening our awareness. The words that we translate generally as awareness (Sampajañña/Sheshin) have a sense of pointing to the broader faculty of mind that notices the larger context of the moment, such as hearing birds in the background, the proprioception that tracks our body in space, or hearing someone calling our name when our focus is elsewhere. Awareness is like the heart muscle of the mind, and it strengthens through meditation in much the same way that cardio strengthens our physical heart, without us having to literally tell our heart to beat with each step or movement of the workout. The question in mindfulness/awareness meditation—a question that gets answered very differently depending on what technique we are practicing—is “what the heck do I do with all my thoughts?”
Related articles: Five Keys To A Sustainable Meditation Practice
Related Guided Meditation: Practicing Mindfulness - Reclaiming Your Power
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