MINDFULNESS - A VITAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE

The more involved I get with my own mindfulness practice and the work that I am fortunate to be doing at A Mindfulness Life Center, the more I am experiencing some trepidation and judgement from people in my life.  Where does this resistance and judgement come from?
I have had people ask me, "Is Mindfulness a cult?" or "What is it that I am seeking in a Buddha based practice"?  I have listened as people have shared with me some of the overwhelming stress in their lives, while telling me that they desperately need something like a mindfulness class but just don't have time.  I have not really understood where the resistance or the judgement have been coming from but I have felt a longing to somehow help people better understand exactly what mindfulness is.  Mindfulness is really quite simply, paying attention. You can be laying on a mat in a quiet yoga studio, you can be folding laundry, driving in rush hour traffic, reading the bible, cooking dinner and be doing all of those things mindfully, if you are fully present in each moment.

While my daily practice involves time where I intentionally draw away from noise and activity so that I can reach a deeper state of relaxation, while still remaining fully conscious, the real challenge and benefits come when I take that mindset out into my daily life.  I like to think of it as a muscle that I am training.  Each time I practice Mindfulness, I am training my mind to be at peace. The more that I practice, the quicker my mind remembers this natural state and the easier it becomes to go back to that place.

Mindfulness is practiced by men, women and children from all walks of life, all ages, all different faiths, and all different life experiences.  Today I had the pleasure of talking with a young firefighter, a professional athlete trainer, several working men and women, several stay at home moms, several retired men and women who had one thing in common.  They were all attending a mindfulness class with a desire to create more peace in their lives.  I have no idea what their religious beliefs are and it makes no difference.  Mindfulness is not a religion based practice.  It is not a "cult" or anything trying to convert anyone from or to anything.  It is true that yoga and some forms of meditation come from the Buddhist culture just as all things originate from someplace.  While mindfulness can be practiced during yoga and meditation, mindfulness is not the practice of Buddhism.  Mindfulness is not meant to replace anything but I believe it is a vital piece of the puzzle in our lives as we strive to create more harmony, peace, and balance.