Mindfulness as a Spiritual Practice

­­­­­­Mindfulness as a Spiritual Practice

PRACTICE

52 Weeks of Spiritual Practice

By Deborah Williams

The purpose of the 52 Principles is to develop a partnership, a connection with God. Connecting with God is why we are here; the soul’s desire. To be in communication with the Creator is ideally the most fulfilling life, our best life. The intent of the 52 Principles is God-realization through daily practice. Practice the principles with frequency and find God-consciousness through your own efforts. With practice, you will begin to encounter your experiences in a spiritual context as you begin to practice and master spiritual principles. This week’s spiritual principle is Mindfulness.

Mindfulness means we are aware of what is happening in and around us; moment to moment. Mindfulness creates harmony, compassion, kindness and intimacy. The scriptures are clear that God is mindful of His creation; What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of earthborn man that You care for him (Psalm 8:4); The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron; (Psalm 115:12). , What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that You care for him (Hebrews 2:6). Mindfulness is also associated with Buddhist practices in relieving the suffering of others through loving speech and deep listening.

Mindfulness results in intimacy, kindness, serenity, love, and understanding. We are encouraged to always be mindful of ourselves and others; So be careful how you live; be mindful of your steps. Don’t run around like idiots as the rest of the world does. Instead, walk as the wise (Ephesians 5:15). Mindlessness is a disaster when we are negligent, rude, inattentive, and uncaring to ourselves, associates, family, and friends. The practice of mindfulness requires our full presence and attention and is the best gift we can give to ourselves and others.

Full attention is challenging in our multi-tasking society. We seldom think about what we are doing and do it with our full attention. The ancient recipe for staying in the present is “Do what you are doing.” When you eat, eat. When you walk, walk. When you sit, sit. Whatever you do, you do it with full attention; no judgment, no regret. If you are not mindful, you only see what you expect to find.

Mindfulness practices in Happiness by Thich Nhat Hanh details numerous practices to honor and respect the life of self and others. The five basic spiritual practices or trainings for the purpose of relieving the suffering of self and others are to:

Ø  Practice compassion, kindness, and generosity

Ø  Practice responsible behavior and respect for all life

Ø  Protect ourselves and others from sexual abuse and unloving relationships

Ø  Practice loving speech and deep listening 

Ø  Cultivate healthy habits in consuming products for the mind, body, and Spirit

Mindfulness is tapping into the energies of the Holy Spirit – God’s Energy to protect and serve others. We touch the Holy Spirit through our mindfulness of the moment, realizing our ideal for self and others. Touch has healing powers (Matthew 9:20-22). 

Mindfulness Practices

Ask others: “Do you think I understand you and your difficulties? Please tell me so that I do not contribute to your dis-ease or dis-comfort. And I can love you in a way that you love.” Use kind and loving speech.  Listen to the response without interpretation or judgment and do not cut them off.  Through deep listening and kind speech, mindfulness deepens understanding and is healing; like touching. We can touch the heart when we go beyond the surface.

Mindfulness for a day: Eat vegetables, fruit, and drink water – just for  today; Go for a walk – just for today; Refrain from judging others- just for today; Be kind, smile, and give a compliment to someone – just for  today. Notice how you feel at the end of the day, and then decide the following morning if you want to continue for an additional day.  “A journey of 100 miles begins with a single step” – Tao Te Ching (pronounced Dow).

Mindfulness is living a God-realized life. Mindfulness can be adopted with any spiritual tradition or faith. Mindfulness is awareness of the energy, in the present moment. Follow and protect the vital energies (sex, breath, Spirit) in order to realize our Ideal for self and others.

What is your daily process of tapping into the healing power of Mindfulness? Develop your own spiritual practice.

Peace and Many Blessings