What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness can be interpreted in two ways;
- concentration which is narrow and laser-like
- awareness which is more panoramic.
These are obviously linked, for with concentration there is the focus, and awareness is knowing that one is focused. When we are aware we are mindful not only of what we are doing but the feelings, the emotions that are arising and what's happening around us as well.
In Sanskrit and Pali the words for mindful both also carry the meaning "to remember" - remembering to be there in which the opposite is "to forget" with "forgetfulness" being preoccupied and forgetting you are there. In this way mindfulness can be considered a process of remembering to remember; remembering to be here right now!
How do we Achieve this?
A good way to answer this question is to refer to the Buddha's original teaching on Mindfulness, otherwise known as the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Sattipathana Sutta). Here the Buddha laid out the four contemplations of the body, sensations, mind and of mental objects. This is simply the process of meditation. Mindfulness is achieved through the practice of meditation.
Unfortunately, mindfulness is often seen as something to be achieved in itself and by itself for a specific purpose. This is analogous to the idea of only just eating a meal without any thought about how the ingredients are obtained, prepared and cooked and without considering what needs to happen after the meal is over. This can lead to situations in which there is much talk about mindfulness but little evidence of it as it is not rooted in the flow of life and the way in which an individual's mind works.
From the Chan point of view, it is better to think of mindfulness not as practice in itself but as an outcome of practice. This arises from following a range of practices and methods that comprise the Path. For the practitioner of Chan, there is no meaningful distinction between practice and daily life: practice is daily life and daily life is practice. The distinctive quality of Chan mindfulness is not just being "here and now" but being here and now without distraction, vexation, or conflict. It is a quality of being wholly in the present, with no trace of afflictions or contaminating elements.
What Training is Available?
All the Western Chan Fellowship meditation groups are set up to instruct in basic meditation methods and our short day and weekend retreats are excellent ways to begin to truly appreciate the process of mindfulness. For extended investigation our intensive retreats are recommended. Our retreat leaders are adept at assisting beginning practitioners introduce mindfulness into any and every aspect of their daily lives.
“Chan is mindfulness.”
Master Sheng Yen
