The practice of mindfulness-awareness reveals many nuances when surfing the waves of life. Ostensibly, heightened
awareness brings about a sensitivity to varied phenomenon as a practitioner notices that life forms have a drive to thrive and survive.
But what does one do with this heightened sensitivity and even compassion for all living things, including Mother Earth?
Here is where the nuances can get sliced and diced by metaphysicians ad infinitum. For example, prayer (a form of focused intention) tangibly affects a healing outcome in sick people who don't know they are being prayed for, let alone believing in the power of prayer. So is it enough to pray in order to alleviate the varied and sundry ways in which beings suffer?
If that were true, then no money would ever flow to victims of earthquakes, no laws that violate human rights would be changed, and everyone could sit in a cocoon of pleasurable vibes and never get their collective asses off the couch (or meditation cushions).
Thus, developing awareness must hold within it a balance. An infamous Tibetan Buddhist teacher coined the phrase "meditation in action," and this seems to address the conundrum. Yes, we must practice mindfulness-awareness in order to clear egoistic thoughts and ground our physical/emotional/mental/spiritual/enlightened being.
However, this grounded and clear space is only the beginning. From there, a kind of "actionless action" springs forth, where we intuitively know when and how to move; we hear the call and respond.
Respond.
But what does one do with this heightened sensitivity and even compassion for all living things, including Mother Earth?
Here is where the nuances can get sliced and diced by metaphysicians ad infinitum. For example, prayer (a form of focused intention) tangibly affects a healing outcome in sick people who don't know they are being prayed for, let alone believing in the power of prayer. So is it enough to pray in order to alleviate the varied and sundry ways in which beings suffer?
If that were true, then no money would ever flow to victims of earthquakes, no laws that violate human rights would be changed, and everyone could sit in a cocoon of pleasurable vibes and never get their collective asses off the couch (or meditation cushions).
Thus, developing awareness must hold within it a balance. An infamous Tibetan Buddhist teacher coined the phrase "meditation in action," and this seems to address the conundrum. Yes, we must practice mindfulness-awareness in order to clear egoistic thoughts and ground our physical/emotional/mental/spiritual/enlightened being.
However, this grounded and clear space is only the beginning. From there, a kind of "actionless action" springs forth, where we intuitively know when and how to move; we hear the call and respond.
Respond.
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