Chapter 4 The Practice of Minfulness

Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. Used as a therapeutic technique, mindfulness originates from Buddhist meditation practices but has been integrated into Western psychotherapy, especially in stress reduction and mental health treatment programs like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).

How Mindfulness Enhances Bridging the Gap between Lower and Higher Realms of Existence

Promotes Self-Awareness: Mindfulness increases self-awareness by encouraging individuals to observe their thoughts and emotions without judgment. This heightened awareness can lead to a deeper understanding of oneself, which is crucial for personal growth and development. Understanding the “lower” aspects of oneself, such as instinctual drives, emotions, and habitual patterns, is the first step in transcending them to access “higher” states of consciousness and being.
Cultivates Presence: By focusing on the present moment, mindfulness counteracts the tendency to dwell on past regrets or future anxieties. This cultivation of presence helps individuals appreciate the richness of the immediate experience, opening the door to a more profound appreciation of life. In spiritual terms, being fully present can facilitate a connection to the transcendent, revealing the sacred in the ordinary.
Fosters Acceptance: Mindfulness teaches acceptance of what is, fostering a non-reactive state of inner calm. This acceptance can be crucial in spiritual development, where resistance to uncomfortable truths about oneself or reality often hinders progress. Acceptance paves the way for transformation by allowing individuals to confront and integrate the shadow aspects of themselves, leading to wholeness and spiritual maturity.
Enhances Emotional Regulation: Regular mindfulness practice has been shown to improve emotional regulation, reducing the impact of negative emotions and enhancing resilience. Emotional stability is vital for engaging in deep contemplation and spiritual practices effectively, as it supports sustained attention and openness to higher states of consciousness without being overwhelmed.
Encourages Compassion and Connection: Mindfulness cultivates compassion towards oneself and others, recognizing the interconnectedness of all beings. This sense of connection is fundamental to many spiritual traditions, which emphasize love and compassion as pathways to transcend the individual ego and experience a sense of unity with the higher realms or the divine.
Supports Meditative Practices: Mindfulness itself is a form of meditation that strengthens the mind’s ability to concentrate and remain open. These qualities are essential for deeper meditative states that many spiritual traditions associate with direct experiences of the divine or ultimate reality. Through disciplined practice, mindfulness can act as a bridge to more advanced spiritual exercises and experiences.

Mindfulness can significantly enhance the potential for human beings to bridge the gap between the lower and higher realms of existence. It does so by fostering qualities essential for spiritual growth, such as self-awareness, presence, acceptance, emotional regulation, compassion, and meditation skills. By integrating mindfulness into their daily lives, individuals may find themselves better equipped to undertake the inner work necessary for development, contemplation, and spiritual practice, ultimately facilitating a deeper connection to the higher realms of existence.

4.1 Is it “mind-full-ness”?

The term “mindfulness,” despite the implication of its English composition (“mind full”), does not refer to filling the mind with content but rather describes a quality of conscious presence and awareness. In the practice of mindfulness, the mind is “full” in the sense that one is fully present and attentively aware of the current moment, without distraction or judgement. This involves a deliberate focus on the now—observing thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment with an attitude of openness and curiosity.

Mindfulness vs. The Goal of Meditation:

Mindfulness as Awareness: In mindfulness practice, the mind is “full of” awareness of whatever is happening in the present moment. This could include awareness of physical sensations (such as the breath), emotions, thoughts, or external sounds. The emphasis is on observing these experiences without attachment, allowing them to pass without getting caught up in them.
Meditation and the “Void”: Some forms of meditation, particularly those influenced by certain interpretations of yoga or Buddhist traditions, aim at reaching a state of emptiness or void, where mental activity (the “chitta stuff” or modifications of the mind) is minimized or silenced. This is often achieved through techniques that encourage concentration and eventually lead to a quieting of the mind.

Complementary Practices:

Mindfulness as a Pathway to Quieting the Mind: While mindfulness involves acknowledging and observing thoughts and sensations, it can also be seen as complementary to the goal of quieting the mind. By becoming fully aware of mental activities and learning not to engage or identify with them, practitioners can experience a reduction in the dominance of these activities, leading to moments of calmness and clarity.
Different Objectives, Similar Outcomes: Although the immediate objectives might seem different—mindfulness emphasizing awareness and presence, and some meditative practices aiming for a quiet or empty mind—both can lead to similar outcomes, such as increased peace, reduced stress, and a deeper sense of connection to oneself and the world.

In essence, mindfulness practice enriches the mind with heightened awareness and acceptance of the present moment, rather than filling it with specific contents or seeking to empty it entirely. This nuanced understanding highlights mindfulness as a form of mental training that enhances one’s capacity to engage with the current moment in a non-judgmental and fully conscious manner, which can, in turn, support the broader objectives of meditation and spiritual practice.

4.2 Three Orthogonal Axes

The terms “profound attentiveness,” “serene expectancy,” and “intelligent adaptability” encapsulate key aspects of what mindfulness practice involves, particularly as understood within various spiritual traditions. Each term highlights a distinct dimension of mindfulness, contributing to a comprehensive approach towards cultivating presence and awareness:

Profound Attentiveness: This emphasizes the core aspect of mindfulness that is about being fully attentive to the present moment. It’s the capacity to notice and observe one’s thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and external environment in a detailed and focused manner.
Serene Expectancy: This aspect suggests an attitude of openness and receptiveness without preconceptions or judgments. It embodies the quality of patience, allowing experiences to unfold in their own time without forcing or resisting them. This non-judgmental stance is a foundational principle of mindfulness, fostering a calm readiness to experience the present as it is.
Intelligent Adaptability: This reflects the dynamic nature of mindfulness, where there is an active engagement with the present circumstances in a wise and adaptable manner. It’s about responding to life’s situations with awareness, creativity, and flexibility rather than reacting out of habit or impulse.

While these three pillars effectively capture the essence of mindfulness, the practice and its integration into daily life might also inherently involve or give rise to additional dimensions:

Compassionate Connection: Beyond individual awareness and adaptability, mindfulness fosters a sense of interconnectedness with others and the world. Compassion arises naturally from the nonjudgmental stance of mindfulness, as recognizing one’s own experiences in the present moment can enhance empathy for others’ experiences. This element extends the practice outward, emphasizing the relational aspect of mindfulness.
Equanimity: While serene expectancy touches on this, equanimity as a distinct quality involves maintaining a balanced state of mind amidst life’s ups and downs. It’s about experiencing joy, sadness, pleasure, and pain with a steadiness of heart and mind, not swayed by the fleeting nature of experiences.
Intentionality: The purposeful setting of one’s attention or intention is a foundational step in many mindfulness practices. This means consciously deciding what to focus on in the present moment, which guides the practice and gives it direction.

Integration of Elements:

These additional elements do not necessarily stand apart but can be seen as emerging from or deeply intertwined with the three pillars you identified. For instance:

Compassionate Connection emerges naturally from a state of profound attentiveness and serene expectancy, as a deep understanding of one’s own experience fosters empathy and compassion for others.
Equanimity can be seen as a product of intelligent adaptability and serene expectancy, reflecting a balanced response to changing circumstances.
Intentionality can be closely linked with profound attentiveness, guiding the focus of one’s awareness in a purposeful way.

Thus, while the practice of mindfulness is richly captured by profound attentiveness, serene expectancy, and intelligent adaptability, its full expression encompasses a broader range of qualities and outcomes. These additional elements are not entirely separate but are often naturally cultivated alongside or as a result of the foundational aspects of mindfulness practice.

4.3 Bridging the gap

Mindfulness serves as a powerful tool in bridging the gap between the material and spiritual worlds—akin to the concept of the Antahkarana or “bridge of light”—by cultivating qualities that enhance one’s capacity for traditional meditation practices (like Raja Yoga), deep esoteric study, and altruistic service to humanity. Here’s how mindfulness facilitates this bridging:

Enhancing Traditional Meditation (Raja Yoga)

Foundation for Concentration: Mindfulness cultivates profound attentiveness, providing a solid foundation for the concentration required in Raja Yoga. By learning to focus the mind on the present moment, practitioners develop the ability to control and direct their attention, essential for deeper meditation states.
Equanimity: The serene expectancy developed through mindfulness leads to equanimity, crucial for navigating the challenges of meditation. Practitioners learn to observe thoughts and sensations without attachment, allowing them to maintain inner calm amidst distraction.

Facilitating Study of Esoteric Science

Openness to New Insights: Mindfulness fosters a state of open, nonjudgmental awareness (serene expectancy), making practitioners more receptive to understanding complex spiritual concepts. This openness is vital for grasping the nuances of esoteric teachings.
Enhanced Comprehension and Retention: The profound attentiveness nurtured by mindfulness improves focus and concentration, which are essential for studying and internalizing esoteric knowledge. Practitioners become more adept at absorbing intricate details and making connections between concepts.

Promoting Altruistic Service to Humanity

Compassionate Connection: Mindfulness naturally cultivates compassion by encouraging a deep awareness of one’s own experience and, by extension, the experiences of others. This compassion motivates altruistic service, as practitioners feel a genuine connection to the well-being of humanity.
Intelligent Adaptability: Mindfulness enhances the ability to adapt intelligently to changing circumstances. In service to humanity, this means being able to respond effectively and creatively to the needs of others, applying spiritual principles in practical ways to benefit society.

Mindfulness enhances the practitioner’s ability to engage more deeply in traditional meditation practices, comprehend esoteric teachings, and commit to altruistic service by fostering qualities such as focused attention, openness, compassion, and adaptability. These qualities not only support spiritual practices but also contribute to the broader goal of bridging the material and spiritual worlds, advancing the individual’s spiritual evolution and capacity to serve humanity.