Michael, Paul, you're both right. Mindfulness is both simple and powerful. In brief, it means paying attention, purposefully, in the present, nonjudgmentally. It means to be intently aware of and sensitive to our own mental states. It means to see and listen to things and people around us. It is intimately intertwined with the concept of awareness and otherness. It is designed to nurture a greater awareness and clarity. It wakes a person up that our lives unfold only in present moments, and if we are not aware of those moment. It's a way to take charge of the direction and quality of our own lives, including relationships with others and ourselves as persons. It's an appreciation for the present moment with a continuing attending to it with care. It is the exact opposite of taking life, as well as things and people in our lives, for granted. . It's a capacity for self-reflection and self-awareness that is the key to Buddhist psychology.
Make it a good day. --Louis-- Louis Schmier http://www.therandomthoughts.com Department of History http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org Valdosta State University Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\ (229-333-5947) /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__/\ \/\ / \/ \_ \/ / \/ /\/ \ /\ //\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\ \_/__\ /\"If you want to climb mountains,\ /\ _ / \ don't practice on mole hills" - --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly (bsouthe...@frostburg.edu)