The goal of all mindfulness exercises

I was reading some stories about Zen masters and I came across avery simple piece of advice. Avoid thinking fruitlessly. You willbe happier, you will make spiritual progress. You will experiencelife instead of thinking about it and you will be aware and in thepresent moment.

But what is it that makes it difficult to avoid thinking fruitlessly?

Going by my own experience I find that when I am upset, angry,condemning myself (and others) and dissatisfied and unhappy in someway then my mind starts working overtime. Then there are manytrains of thought that arise compulsively which take away thenecessity of facing up to and dealing with my pain.

This is also a mental impulse that we may have learned when we wereyoung. Perhaps our parents behaved in this fashion and we imbibedthis mental habit from them.

Mindfulness exercises can help with all of this.

Jack Kornfield mentions in his book "After the Ecstasy the Laundry"(an excellent book really) that many of us hold on to our rage andhatred. And the reason we do so is that we do not wish to face upto our pain and misery that we are carrying inside.

So we need to face our pain and be free from it - if we are to behappy, if we are to live.

And what is the way to do that? Thich Nhat Hanh in his book"Transformation and Healing" describes the Buddhist method ofbeing mindful of our feelings. Basically use awareness of thebreath to steady yourself, to keep you centered in the Now. Andwatch whatever thoughts, feelings and memories arise without tryingto avoid them. So this is a simple yet most useful of minfulness exercises.

Observe without reacting. Be like a mirror - reflect all thatarises in front of your consciousness without attachment oraversion. Do not feed any thoughts which arise by starting tothink. Simply observe it and have it pass away. Do not push yourfeelings away by finding reasons, excuses and solutions forthe way you feel. Simply be. Do not seek to be anything other thanwhat you are (feeling right now).

This is easier said than done. The old mental habits will arisecompulsively. You have spent a lifetime being caught up in the mindand it will take time to ease the old habits out and learn the newpractice of awareness. This is the connection between mindfulness and mental health. If you are aware and in touch with reality you need not worry about your mental health. This is also one of the best exercises of mindfulness for beginners.

Aim for 5 seconds of mindfulness, of awareness. If for 5 secondsyou are aware then for those 5 seconds you have lived and livedwell, in touch with reality. Congratulate yourself and feel happybecause of this.

Try not to condemn yourself when you get distracted - as you will -and when you get caught up in the mind. You will fail to be awarerepeatedly. Each time you catch yourself bring yourself back toyour 5 seconds of awareness (and try to extend it of course).

Focus on your successes and not your failures. This is a lifelongjourney and the journey itself is the goal. You will be living andliving well as you practice because you will be in touch withreality when you are aware. You will be experiencing life. Mindfulness exercises will help you achieve this.

I hope I have not bored you. Please email me if you have anyquestions - if there is something you do not understand.

Be well.

Mindfulness exercises
Meditation