In 2015, Amanda Poppei, Ann Baker, and Trish Weil offered a three-part workshop on Mindfulness. Following that workshop, there were people who wanted to continue to meet, for meditation and discussion. It was in this way that the present Mindfulness group was formed and has continued to meet first monthly, and now twice monthly. For anyone who hasn’t looked into the subject, the question that likely comes to mind is “what is mindfulness?” At the time of our workshop, the term was a buzz word, a sort of umbrella term for an array of concepts. In studying mindfulness, it’s easy to see why a broad term would be a necessity. The thinking that falls within this category is ancient and amazingly varied in source.
Mindfulness touches on all aspects of our living experience. Possibly its closest synonym would be “awareness.” Writers and teachers can lead us into a more mindful state of being. Consider Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, Pema Chodron, Thich Nhat Hanh. Recently, we have used a number of readings from Relational Mindfulness by Eden Tull. The group is extremely lucky to have Susan Salek, a certified meditation teacher, as a facilitator.
Mindfulness is a positive state of mind that we cultivate intentionally, aided by the practice of meditation. Mindful awareness centers around such qualities as acceptance and gratitude; letting go of expectations and investment in a given outcome. It also involves staying in the present moment: acknowledging the present moment as the only one in which we can actually live. Most of us find that as we intentionally come into the present moment, problems can either fall away or lose their urgency. This is because so many of us consume our energies in looking either forward in time or backward. Realizing that the thoughts our minds produce are not necessarily reality is another concept central to mindfulness. They are thoughts, only, not facts; and some of them can be obsessive and disturbing. The Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron writes, “It isn’t the things that happen to us in our lives that cause us to suffer, it’s how we relate to the things that happen to us that causes us to suffer. The more we witness our emotional reactions and understand how they work, the easier it is to refrain. It is also possible to move through the drama of our lives without believing so earnestly in the character that we play.” Mindfulness has much in common with the wisdom of Buddhism.
Mindfulness practice is never judgmental. We calmly acknowledge and accept our feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. We learn to live with the fact that our thoughts and feelings do not necessarily mirror reality. We learn to detach from thinking /feeling enough to observe these processes just as they are, as part of our usual day to day consciousness. The important part here is that we can choose to let these conclusions go.
Releasing the mind from worry over the future and regret from the past allows room for a new and renewed energy.Our group meetings include two mediations, one to open the meeting and a longer one towards the end. The group welcomes experienced meditators as well as those who may have never attempted it. Anyone who meditates knows that it is a wonderfully calming practice. It can sharpen awareness of beauty or any sensory experience. It slows us down. It draws attention to the body in a way that is comfortable and entirely natural. We focus, for example, how to sit in such a way as to release tension in various parts of the body. That practice in itself begins to calm and still the mind. We pay very close attention to breathing. Think of how a sigh brings comfort to the body; so does the breath, whenever we consciously choose to use it. Mindfulness is intentionally promoted. It is a practice that strengthens with time. Our meetings also include readings, to strengthen our practice. Members and newcomers are always encouraged to bring in readings.
To join or visit our group, contact Trish Weil, patricialweil@gmail.com or Ann Baker, BakerA@gao.gov. We would love to see you there!
-Trish Weil