Mindfulness meditation is everywhere these days. And for good reason; without a doubt, the practice of deliberately bringing our attention into the present moment helps pull us out of thought and back into the reality of the unfolding moment, the only moment there is. In this way, mindfulness can help us reconnect with our actual living moment to moment experience (which most of us completely miss!).
It is clear that developing the capacity to be mindful of emotions and mental states and our reactions to them, as well as shedding light on unconscious beliefs we had been running on is extremely beneficial. Seeing all this can open up the possibility of a more conscious and compassionate response to ourselves and to all aspects of our lives.
So mindfulness meditation and engaged inquiry is undeniably powerful and essential to becoming more self-aware and present in our lives, not to mention all the neurological benefits that we know a consistent mindfulness practice can nurture. However, when it comes to self-inquiry and awakening, mindfulness can have the tendency to trap us in certain ways. It doesn’t mean we have to leave mindfulness behind, it means we need to take it further…
In this interview, one of my dear teachers from the Leela School, Jared Franks, offers his wisdom on how we can move from mindfulness into true self-inquiry. Enjoy ~