Have you ever imagined mindfulness as your best friend? An interesting perspective on this issue comes from the book Satipatthana: A Practice Guide by a scholar-monk Bhikkhu Analayo. In the chapter titled “Cultivating Mindfulness,” he makes the following comparison: Although mindfulness requires cultivation, being a quality that needs to be established, such cultivation is not … Read more
As my daily meditation comes to an end, I anticipate the act of writing. Sometimes, it’s a moment of inspiration, prompting me to reflect on past events and past relationships, no matter how distant or painful they may be. Sometimes, however, my mind resembles a blank sheet of paper, resulting in apathy and inertia. During … Read more
Do you work in a high-stress job? Is your day packed with back-to-back meetings—some with people who aren’t exactly the easiest to deal with? Or maybe you spend hours in front of a screen with little human interaction (which can be stressful in its own way)? If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. … Read more
Compassion is one of the core Buddhist practices that allows us, at least for a few moments, to step out of our ego-created shells and direct our energy towards others, to feel what they feel, and soften our hearts. Very often this is hard to do, for to feel another person’s pain requires not only … Read more
What is Jon Kabat-Zinn’s definition of mindfulness? We’ve already explored different Buddhist meanings of this term in the article about its seven alternative translations. Today, we’re turning to a secular definition of mindfulness that comes from Jon Kabat-Zinn‘s book Wherever You Go, There You Are. In the chapter titled “What Is Mindfulness?” he writes, “Mindfulness … Read more