Mindfulness is a hot topic nowadays, but it’s often not clearly explained. To me, the core of mindfulness is self-observation. When we’re not mindful, we’re not observing ourselves. It’s like the lights are on, but nobody’s home.
Our thoughts, feelings, words, and actions continue to happen, but there’s no inner observer to evaluate them. Without this evaluation, we can’t recognize when certain thoughts or actions are causing suffering to ourselves or others. In such a state, we function on autopilot, guided by instincts and habits. These habits can achieve impressive things, like driving a car without remembering the journey or reading a book without retaining any of it.
The crucial aspect here is our suffering or, more broadly, the quality of our experience. When there’s no self-observation, we can easily make ourselves unhappy to varying degrees. But with self-observation, we notice the impact of our thoughts, words, and actions, allowing us to make adjustments. We might see, for instance, that a particular thought is making us anxious or angry and realize it isn’t even true. We can then choose to let go of that thought.
Mindfulness offers us two types of freedom: freedom from and freedom to. “Freedom from” means liberating ourselves from the control of habits and instincts, and consequently from the suffering they cause. These habits and instincts will still be there, but being mindful makes us less controlled by them. They become just thoughts and desires that we observe and might choose not to act on.
This alone is significant, as it changes the course of our lives. But we also gain the “freedom to” adopt new ways of being. We get to choose how we want to be. For example, we can choose to be kinder. By remembering that kindness is an option, we’re more likely to act kindly. If we recall what it’s like to feel and act kindly, those qualities are more likely to emerge. Being free from angry thoughts also frees us to think in more empathetic and loving ways.
What’s true for kindness applies to other virtues like patience, curiosity, courage, acceptance, appreciation, and reflection. Mindfulness allows us to choose these positive qualities.
In essence, mindfulness provides the freedom to stop causing suffering through unmindful habits and to develop new, skillful habits that enhance the quality of our lives and positively affect others. It’s the freedom from negative patterns and the freedom to create positive change.