Living in a world that is more fast-paced and distracted than ever, a great number of people are experiencing a longing to have a better sense of meaning, purpose, and connection. With the clamor of everyday living, spirituality is commonly a back burner, something far, something abstract, or something that is limited to certain rites. However, there is an increasing awareness that spirituality need not be distinct to daily life. Mindfulness is one of the most effective methods to re-establish contact with the inner world and live a deep spiritual life. Mindfulness helps us connect the sacred and the ordinary, enriching our spiritual life in a subtle and transformative way by cultivating awareness, presence and intentionality.
In its simplest form, mindfulness can be defined as being mindful of the current situation without being judgmental. It entails noticing thoughts, feelings and sensations as they come up instead of being caught up in them. Although the beginnings of mindfulness lie in ancient contemplative practices, it has become a popular trend in contemporary psychology and wellness practices. But there is a deeper spiritual aspect to mindfulness, although it has been found to be beneficial in reducing stress and enhancing mental clarity. It paves way to an in-depth comprehension of self, others and what is the nature of being in itself.
Among the main steps mindfulness increases spiritual connection is through the development of awareness. Spirituality can be as simple as noticing- becoming conscious of our inner world and the subliminal aspects of experience that we tend to ignore. Without mindfulness, individuals would tend to work on autopilot where they respond to a situation based on their habits, assumptions and conditioning. This ignorance leads to a feeling of disconnection, not only to self, but also to the greater spiritual reality.
Mindfulness helps people to track their thoughts and feelings without necessarily responding to them. This gives a distance between the stimulus and response, which brings more clarity and understanding. Here, one can start to see the patterns of thinking and acting that can be impeding the spiritual development like attachment, fear, or desires of ego. Being conscious of these patterns, people can overcome them, approaching the state of inner freedom and authenticity.
The presence is another crucial feature of mindfulness. Spiritual connection does not exist in the past or in the future but in the present. However, most individuals waste a lot of their time regretting or worrying about the unknown in the future. This is the continuous activity of the mind, which takes them out of the present moment and makes it hard to live fully and profoundly.
Mindfulness simply helps to focus attention on the present, making a mind conscious of the present moment. Mindfulness promotes being instead of doing whether it is by paying attention to the breath, monitoring bodily sensations or participating in a straightforward activity. People in this state tend to complain of a feeling of peace, clarity, and interconnectedness. The present moment is an opening to the spiritual plane, disclosing the holiness of the mundane.
Pure light and infinite love be with us!