What Does it Mean to be Mindful?

James: I'm honored to be guest posting and this is my first post. I hope that It works o.k. otherwise you can delete it friend. :)

What does it mean to be mindful? It means to be fully aware right here, concentrating on what is going on inside. . . . Mindfulness is not necessarily concentrating on an object. Being aware of confusion is also being mindful. If we have all kind of things coming at our senses--noises, people demanding this and that--we cannot concentrate on any one of them for very long. But we can be aware of the confusion, or the excitement, or the impingement; we can be aware of the reactions in our own minds. That is what we call being mindful.

--Ajahn Sumedho, in Teachings of a Buddhist Monk
from Everyday Mind, edited by Jean Smith, a Tricycle book.

James: This is one of the best descriptions of mindfulness that I have read. It shows me that I shouldn't feel inadequate for feeling confusion. That I shouldn't feel that I'm not being mindful because I'm experiencing confusing emotions. That mindfulness isn't only for when we are experiencing "good" emotions and experiences. How wonderful this teaching!!

Experiencing confusion can be a constructive occurence when we embrace it with mindfulness. This is such a beautifully simple teaching and yet I have been seeing past it's simplicity for some time now. As usual I've been making it too hard. Seeing past the obvious not believing that it would be that simple to understand. There is a part of me that wants to make Buddhist teachings more esoteric then true wisdom, mindfulness and right view reveal. It's interesting how one can read all kinds of talks and teachings about a subject but not grasp its core until it is worded a certain way where it breaks through the snares of one's ego. One explanation may hit home for someone but not for someone else.

One has to experience the Dharma teachings for themselves to gain a testimony of right wisdom.

Then again I'm no expert on the Dharma nor Buddhism.

~Peace to all beings~