Let’s first define what is ignorance in the context of this practice. Here we are referring to the misperceptions- the false assumptions- and the delusions that our mind has about its nature. The way to free the mind from this bewildered or confused state is through gaining insight into what truly is.

Insight is a deeper level of understanding that transcends our intellectual cognition and can only be known by direct experience. The practice of mindfulness is our tool for gaining this insight- it allows us to cut through (i.e. penetrate) surface level, habitual emotions that cloud our capacity to clearly see the truth of what’s happening in our moment-to-moment life experience.

The insights that arise through mindfulness release the mind from getting caught up in reactivity and can even stop the cycle from beginning. It’s focused training for facilitating good circulation of the psyche- strengthening our psychological muscle- and medicine for restoring a healthy inner measure.

Fundamentally, our mindfulness meditation practice cultivates what is referred to as “clear comprehension” which provides us with the ability to see clearly what needs to be done, what we are capable of doing, and how it relates to the larger truth of life.

Through cultivating concentration, our attention can be directed and sustained so that it becomes collected and unified- and when concentration is combined with mindfulness and meditative forms such as non-judging, patience, acceptance, trust, letting go, etc., our attention manifests the power to transform- like a focused laser beam of light that can illuminate and penetrate the attending object in our awareness. Armed with clear intention and free attention, we discover the liberating force of mindfulness from an ignorant state of mind- and from a mind entrenched in the mental commentary of our habitual storylines.

The most life-changing benefits of our mindfulness meditation practice are the insights, which often manifest spontaneously. Through our insights, we realize direct or intuitive knowing- what brings on well-being and restorative inner measure- as well as what brings on stress, distress, discomfort , and dissatisfaction into our lives.

As we continue to explore and examine, we come to know directly how habitual conditioning brings forth our reactive nature, and how impersonal the nature of our difficult experiences can truly be. With the right intention, these insights build on one another establishing a solid foundation for enlightened self-awareness, and for living our lives more fully with a mindfully intelligent mind.

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