What Makes Use Lose Our Mindfulness

Teachers of, and writers about Buddhism frequently

will tell us that it is the awakening of a new

mindfulness that is the starting point to cultivating

the Buddha consciousness.

Sometimes this mindfulness is not brought about by

studying and practicing Buddhism but just by our

experiences of life and the strength of our soul and

character.

This writer had the opportunity to experience such an

awakening himself some 23 years ago when he stopped

using drugs and drink.

He saw it again recently when a younger man that he

knows in Bangkok stopped the use of drink and drugs 30

days ago.

With this kind of change, the mind and consciousness

becomes clearer, and with it, there is a new

mindfulness about so many things, both in the present

and the past and a new use of and directing of our

mental and physical energy.

There is also a new joy in living as we become free

from the burdens of unhealthy habits and how those

unhealthy habits weaken and deaden the mind, heart and

soul.

It is easy for us all to see that things like drugs

and drink, which we usually go to for pleasure, to

relax, or to be one of the guys and accepted by

others, can in reality be something that is making us

dull and sluggish and cultivating a habit and

addiction that will be difficult to let go of.

Many times, it is also our ongoing interest and habit

of living our lives through the senses that takes us

away from mindfulness.

The habit of watching television and movies every

night may take us away from seeing who and how we are

and what our thoughts and feelings are like.

We are also very attached to experiencing pleasure

through the body and some may say that the desires

that we experience or crave through the body can be

hurting us in more ways then we are aware of.

We often may wonder why someone that we can experience

a mental, physical and spiritual connection with when

we have sexual intimacy with them may not be able to

be someone that we can love or even like when we are

not interacting with them in that manner.

Any addictive tendency to something through the senses

will weaken our mindfulness as our attention is

directed to that experience instead of within and to

things happening around us.

Another thing that can weaken our mindfulness and make

our whole being sluggish is what our attitude is to

eating and diet and what we eat.

Yoga and Buddhism ask us to be mindful about what we

eat, asking that it be only enough to give us

nutrition, and that we eat as close to a wholesome,

pure and vegetarian diet as possible.

The greed for money can keep us at work for a far too

great a time and make us think about getting more and

more, without seeing how we may be getting into habits

of bad or dishonest business ethics.

Many times we seek recognition from others and this

may be more prevalent in some countries and cultures

then in others. In seeking recognition, we are getting

caught up in the idea that what others think of us may

be most important, instead of understanding that we

can work on ourselves and bring ourselves to a better

and higher state.

Another mental and behavioral state that takes us away

from mindfulness is our attitudes to others.

Many times we make a judgment about another very

quickly that may be rooted in dislike, anger,

resentment or fear.

Again, with this emphasis on looking to and acting or

reacting to things externally, we lose our

mindfulness.

If these are the things that take us away from

mindfulness, what may be some of the things that can

bring us to a greater state of mindfulness.

One is to be sober, living a life free from drugs or

drinks. The use of other stimulating substances that

disturb and unbalance the body and mind, such as

cigarettes and coffee should also be avoided.

A period of time each day spent in silence is useful

to bringing one to a greater state of mindfulness.

This period of silence can take place in the Yoga

practice of relaxation or in the both Yoga and

Buddhist practice of meditation.

If we spend sometime studying religious or spiritual

scriptures we are opening an avenue for cultivating

mindfulness also, as we have an opportunity to reflect

on aspects of living that we usually may not each day.

With mindfulness we can make changes and be

enthusiastic about making those changes.

With mindfulness we can cultivate the consistent

effort and discipline that is needed to grow as

people, whether it involves getting sober and clean

after years of drink or drug abuse, or whether it is

working the path of Yoga or Buddhism.

With mindfulness, we can see and experience the fruits

of our internal progress and changes that we make in

our habits and attitudes.

And again, according to many teachers of, and writers

about Buddhism, it is mindfulness that serves as the

foundation for the cultivation of those mental states

that in Buddhism are known as the factors of

enlightenment, those being joy, concentration,

tranquility, equanimity, effort and energy and an

investigative nature.

©2004 John C. Kimbrough

(John lives and teaches in Bangkok, Thailand. He can

be reached at johnckimbrough@yahoo.com)