McMindfulness

There’s a lot of talk of mindfulness in my line of work. Trainings and benefits of mindfulness are everywhere. Mind and it’s fullness is everywhere. But wasn’t the mind always full in the east? The mind and 52 mental factors — at least in the Tibetan tradition. I’ve often wondered if Zinn did take out too much of discipline, love and compassion and prescribe something that is too little, too fast, too loud on taste and too little in nourishment for the west — McMindfulness.

Never mind the Mindfulness based on Buddhist Ethics, Concentration and Wisdom. Perhaps the version of McMindfulness that Zinn forged was meant to fly in the face of objections from the scientific, medical and patient (religious) community of the time. My hats off to Zinn as a pioneer, a bridge, a way to help a lot of patients, young and old with challenges associated with attention, memory and feelings.

However, much water has passed since the time Zinn introduced a bleached mindfulness in America. Now there is a movement of mindfulness or a mindlessness of mindfulness - a fast and easy way to be more, more efficient and better at what you are doing with no ethical discussions or considerations. At the current lack of direction and regulation for fear of loosing market share, we might have people signing in on mindfulness trainings to be better killers, better liars or focused thieves who do not need Ritalin before the job, with a CV mentioning certified mindfulness practitioner and or instructor.

A mindfulness bereft of ethical values is really not mindfulness since the word or action not only pertains to awareness but to an awareness that aids in the selection of ethical conduct, which in turn is conducive to thoughts and actions inspired and cultivated by equanimity, kindness, joy and compassion - states that usher grace or happiness for oneself and others.

A close awareness of ones body, feelings, thoughts and the interdependence of all around us. Particularly a close awareness or short leash on the swelling of attachment or aversion within the possibilities of thoughts, sensations and feelings. Letting go when it arises. Killing it in the bud.