vDid you know that the word “mindfulness” is derived from the Pali word sati? Pali is a Middle Indo-Aryan language native to the subcontinent of India. Sati or mindfulness means to be aware, but in Buddhism it takes that awareness inward, focusing on balance and peace, moment by moment.
There is a paradox that exists in mindfulness: how can you be fully in the moment and achieve your goals? On one hand, it seems like you would need to be completely focused on the task at hand in order to get anything done. But on the other hand, if you’re too focused on the outcome, you may miss out on all of the wonderful moments that happen along the way. So how can you strike a balance and achieve your goals without sacrificing the present moment?
The key is to understand the difference between acceptance and change. Mindfulness is about accepting things as they are, not trying to change them. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have goals or that you should just accept whatever comes your way. It simply means that you shouldn’t get too attached to the outcome of your goals. If you’re focused on changing something, you may miss out on the opportunity to simply experience it.
Another important distinction is between escape and engagement. When you’re faced with a difficult situation, it can be tempting to try to escape it. But mindfulness is about facing things head-on, not running away from them. This doesn’t mean that you should put yourself in dangerous situations or force yourself to face things that you’re not ready for. But it does mean that you should be open to the possibility of difficult experiences and willing to face them when they arise.
There is also a paradox between effort and non-striving. Mindfulness requires effort, but it’s important to remember that it’s not about striving for perfection. If you’re constantly trying to achieve some unattainable goal, you’ll miss out on the beauty of the present moment. Instead, focus on your process and try not to be invested in the result. Trust that the effort you put in will pay off in the end, even if you don’t see the results right away.
Finally, there is a paradox between self-focus and non-self. When you’re practicing mindfulness, it’s important to focus on your breath or another point of attention. But at the same time, you need to let go of the idea of a separate self. This doesn’t mean that you should completely ignore your thoughts and feelings. But it does mean that you shouldn’t get too caught up in them. Instead, simply recognize them and then let them go.
It is essential that we keep the conversation going about these paradoxes, for both those training to be mindfulness practitioners and those who already teach it in a clinical setting. By understanding the contradictions inherent in mindfulness, we can learn to navigate them skillfully and use them to our advantage. With practice, we can find a balance between acceptance and change, escape and engagement, effort and non-striving, and self-focus and non-self. And in doing so, we can learn to live more fully in the present moment and achieve our goals without sacrificing our well-being.
