Mindful Living

In one of the practices of mindfulness, as I understand it, one strives to be aware of and experience everything, from the fragrance of one's breakfast cereal to the sound of the locking the car door. It sounds kind of funny, but I actually enjoy noticing these things.

On a bigger scale, a professor of mine, when asked how he is doing often replies, "Just grateful to be alive." He does it in such an amiable and genuine way that it often causes me to ponder about my own life. Almost every day for the past week, I have thought that mantra to myself, sometimes even spoken aloud to someone else. I'm just grateful to be alive today. Every day is another day we get to learn and grow and share with others. May we all find happiness and be free from suffering.

Mindfulness, and Pictures from Oahu

Today I had a day-long seminar on meditation and mindfulness.  It's a lot to write about here, but here's a little bit... We can practice mindfulness just a few minutes a day. It is about being present with everything in the moment. For example, when you are eating, just eat. We can realize that little things (like eating, walking, or doing the dishes) are not little, but are life. If we focus too much on what's happening next, we will miss the present.

Mindfulness also relates to our natural system for seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. While necessary at times, it can get out of control. The means we use to avoid pain can become detrimental, and we can also become obsessed with pleasure. Mindfulness teaches that we can let go of this struggle, and just let our thoughts be. Basically, mindfulness is not about needing to be a certain way, but rather it is a curiosity of exploration, a way of approaching every moment and interaction in life.

I also put some pictures from today on Flickr.