What Is Mindfulness?
The four foundations of peaceful awareness
“Mindfulness is the Buddha. Just as vegetation is sensitive to light, mental formations are sensitive to mindfulness.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh in his book The Heart of The Buddha’s Teaching
Mindfulness is the act of bringing your conscious awareness to the present moment, without judgement. This is in contrast to a state of distraction, where we are consumed by a particular thought or feeling that pulls us away from engaging with the present moment.
Why be mindful?
Mindfulness is the first and fundamental step towards freedom from suffering. Before you can be calm and enjoy the present, and before you can identify and remove the causes of your suffering, you have to enter and remain aware of the present moment.
That’s because the present moment is the only place you have direct contact with reality. It’s the source of truth, and it’s the only place where you can take meaningful action.
If you continue reading, I will explain the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, which will help you enter the present moment and unlock your ability to transform suffering into joy.
