Mindfulness Hurts. That’s Why It Works.

Insightful article on mindfulness, and the challenges in its practice.

Mindfulness Hurts. That’s Why It Works.

 

Thich Nhat Hahn, a vietnamese Budhist monk published a wee book called the Miracle of Mindfulness in 1975 long before mindfulness was "popular". A magnificent read! it really focuses on the act of mindfulness in every day life and in everything one does. I re-read it on a regular basis and fuck knows how many people I have recommended it to.
A no nonsense, no bullshit read!

 

Try and get a copy, man. You will not regret it.
It just shows a better way to think about life and how you lead it.
The guy has written loads of books but that is a good one to start with.

 

I am glad that you posted over here, because it forced me to reread the article a couple more times and even gain valuable insights helpful to myself as well.

It has also been my observation that rereading a good article or book helps find more new insights, squeeze more intellectual capital out of it and also foster contemplation that again sheds new insights. I found it a rewarding exercise.

For example, the term 'mind-wandering' is a useful antonym to mindfulness, imho.

The author says that mindfulness can be harder for people suffering from negative emotions like fear, anxiety, neuroticism, boredom , negative self-images and poor self-esteem, and they tend to mind-wander instead, which is more of an escapist stance and which exacerbates the negativity.

The author suggests taking the help of a counselor or professional , probably a therapist.

(I find this insightful and interesting because some spiritual masters with a background in psychology also have emphasized the need for therapy to complement meditation).

Imho, therapy can help one to confront one's negativity directly without avoiding it and help bring it to the surface. Acknowledgement of these emotions can help one meditate better or observe them dispassionately and mindfully without reacting to them.

I have also come across articles where therapy was found to be more relieving for some people than meditation. So perhaps a judicious combination of therapy and meditation might be more effective than just one of them alone, in terms of managing or boosting mental health.