“One of the biggest problems with a life is that, well, we miss too much of it. Not literally of course, but think about it. How much of your time are you really present? We are not completely conscious of the present moment most of the time in ordinary life. Much of our attention is on the past and future – at the expense of being mindfully in the here and now. If you don’t believe it, just observe your thoughts at any moment, jumping around like a crazy monkey. One minute you are ruminating on what somebody told you last week; the next you are thinking about what you plan to do on the weekend. In the meantime, you are missing your life right now.”
Given that it is nearly impossible to read a book or hear a talk on spirituality that doesn’t sing the praises of mindfulness, what I’m about to write may seem like heresy; I think mindfulness is a tad overrated. There are studies aplenty claiming to prove that mindful living is beneficial for our bodies, minds, hearts, and souls. I am not contesting the validity of such findings, nor am I claiming that mindfulness is just a passing fad, the residue of Eastern religions and philosophies impact on our fast-paced lifestyle. What I am claiming is that mindfulness practiced only as the mental discipline of being fully present to the present moment ought not be considered sufficient; it does not take us all the way home.
Mindful living is a means to a greater end; namely, to becoming aware that there is a spiritual depth at the heart of that to which we are trying to be present. Whether we are washing dishes, driving a car, speaking with a friend, taking a walk, etc., there is a sacredness to which mindfulness is meant to be a portal. But if our goal is merely to be as fully present as we can to what we are doing and who we are with, we remain at the doorway of this depth rather than crossing the threshold into its embrace.
Because it is almost impossible to sense the spiritual essence of life when our “monkey mind” is unchecked, being mindful by any name – reflective, recollected, contemplative, – is necessary in order to breach the barrier that prevents us from experiencing life’s fullness. Focused not distracted, slow not fast, quiet not noisy, are the means by which we must venture in order to experience the sacred essence of ourselves, others, and all creation. But the discipline of mindfulness in and of itself is not enough, for it is only the beginning of the journey to the soul of life both within and around us.
Attuned to Soul 