Last week Vidyadasi led the class and explored what we mean by 'Mindfulness' - what qualities are we looking for? In addition to a guided practice and discussion there was time to reflect on some notes & points on the theme of mindfulness: 

Mindfulness is not the same as thinking about something.   It is more like ‘awareness’.

In mindfulness, we are just ‘being’, not ‘doing’.

These things are ‘doing’: planning, worrying, remembering, replaying, ruminating, comparing, going over, wondering, imagining.

Turn off the autopilot.

‘Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally, to things as they are.’

(The Mindful Way Through Depression – Williams, Kabat-Zinn, Teasdale, Segal)

It’s being ‘curious about things rather than trying to change how things are.’

(Karunajala)

‘Peace can only exist in the present moment’
(Thich Nhat Hanh)

Nandavajra will continue on the theme of mindfulness on Wednesday 19 April with further opportunities to practice and clarify its purpose