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Finding space is very tricky in a world which is so demanding of our attention. There is a constant pressure to fill our lives with the latest gadget; the driver being ‘you will feel more fulfilled and whole once this is in your possession’. And there probably is a fleeting sense of wholeness as the ‘Buy Now’ button is pressed; a small release of endorphin in the brain, but this soon passes.
All of the above describes a search for wholeness by connecting with the external. But there are vast riches within us if only we would care to look. The only problem is that the mind is conditioned to search outside of ourselves.
Mindfulness practices are designed to train the mind to look inwardly. Note the emphasis is to ‘train’, the mind.
When you first sit quietly and practice a ‘body scan’ or ‘breathing’ meditation, the first thing that most people notice is that the mind wanders. The initial reaction is ‘I can’t meditate because my mind is so busy’.
The point of the practice is to gently and kindly bring the awareness back. And over time people of all walks of life start to notice a little bit of space appearing between the thoughts and feelings.
Unfortunately it’s not an instant gratification like pressing the ’Buy Now’ button – it takes practice. But unlike the instant material reward which is fleeting, the rewards of mindfulness practice are long lasting and you will have started your journey back to wholeness and the greatest inner spiritual wealth.