07 May A mindless misunderstanding of mindfulness?
Again yesterday, a norwegian psychologist which probably have done a 8 week MBSR’course, makes a comment on mindfulness, where he basically says Mindfulness suggest an attitude of unreflected acceptance of the world around us as it is, and that the only thing we need to change is the way we relate to it…!(You can read it here (in norwegian)). And that this is something we probably should not swallow as black and white. Duh!!! I’ve so had it with unnuanced, intellectualizing academics and clinicians that take a course in mindfulness, then claiming to have ‘figured it out’. Though this is what happens as part of the commerzialization of a body of knowledge with a message recognizable for most of us, though requires much practice (not reading theory!) to tap into (sorry, long sentence).
Yoga, mindfulness and other meditative practices can learn us a little bit more about who we are, and how we related to our inner movements (thought, feelings and bodily sensations). Maybe, after many years of practicing, one is able to expand these practices into your range of affect regulating skills, thus enabeling you to respond differently to your surroundings than when reacting in affect.
This doesnt not mean that as long as you ‘respond or act mindfully’ (a popular applied expression) everything will be fine. And if you cant, it makes you a mindless being. Or as long as you accept your surroundings as they are, without expressing how it touches you (equanimity misunderstood), harmony will prevail!
A little reminder:
Yoga and meditative practices doesnt ‘work’ for everything. There is potentially many benefits, which an individul can connect with and access through regular and guided practice. Physical and mental.These methods were originally taught one-on-one, because they serverd as therapeutic and medical interventions (amongst other things). I do feel very strongly about this perspective, that these practices are personal and intimate, and even though taught in a group format everyone learning the same, it is NOT the same for everyone in that room. It is experience-based practices, which at a minimum can give the practitioner an experience of contact, perhaps even reducing some tension activated in the nervous system.
Or at best, it affords you in the realm of siddhis, where levitation and meditation untill implodement is an everyday matter…;)
People, if you wanna know what it is or isn’t, practice!
Enjoy!