Meditation
“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.” -Thich Nhat Hanh
Mindfulness meditation is the practice of being attentively present in an open and non-judging way. The practice develops concentration which allows us to calm and steady the mind. The subject of concentration is usually the movement of the breath, or the appearing and disappearing of sound. As the mind settles, it is possible to experience whatever arises in the present moment with a kind and clear attention.
Learning to observe experience from a place of stillness enables one to relate to life with less fear and clinging. Seeing life as a constantly changing process, one begins to accept pleasure, pain, fear, joy, and all aspects of life with increasing equanimity and balance. As insight deepens, wisdom and compassion arise.
Mindfulness can be maintained throughout our daily activities. We can be mindful of the movement of our body, the sensations in walking, the sounds around us, or the thoughts and feelings that come into the mind. As mindfulness deepens, there is increased capacity for intimacy with the life within and around us. We are able to see through our conditioned behaviors and thoughts and discover compassion, equanimity and freedom in our lives. (source: Dori Langevin).
Mindfulness practice is the foundation of the buddha’s approach to yoga as well as Patanjali’s ashtanga yoga (“eight-limbed”) path as outlined in the Yoga Sutras.
