“Our awareness for things is degraded by an untamed mind that constantly runs unattended.”

Conscious awareness of the present moment is the essence of mindfulness. The seed of mindfulness is inherent to us all. However, we often forget to water it- to cultivate it. When we take refuge in our present moment and truly experience what we are doing in that moment, the full texture- the complete richness of our being manifests itself in even the simplest of activities such as breathing,walking, eating, etc.

The practice of pausing or stopping may seem easy, but it takes training and discipline especially considering our socialization to be constantly busy and occupied both with our inner and outer activities. Being still is unfamiliar and almost the antithesis of being a Westerner. More often than not,we are caught up in our thoughts, perceptions, or feelings about an experience rather than the actuality of the experience itself.

Our mindfulness path begins with the practice to cultivate concentration,which in turn leads to insight. It is through this insight- this seeing and listening deeply- which uncovers our true nature, our awakened consciousness to liberate us from fear, anxiety, and anger, and ‘opening’ us to discover happiness and contentment from within. Concentration itself becomes a source of joy.

Life is full of suffering. If we don’t have enough happiness on reserve, we will find little means to take care of our despair.We practice for deeper understanding and not for the form of appearance. Cultivating mindfulness practice, we can preserve our inner peace and joy, so that we can better handle the inevitable challenges in our lives.With a relaxed and gentle (compassionate) attitude- with an open mind and a receptive heart, we can develop a resilient foundation of freedom, peace, and love within our practice, and within ourselves.

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