Mindfulness is a big trend right now, with hundreds of studies each year exploring its health and wellbeing benefits. It’s used for managing stress, pain, addictions, and even to help people become better leaders.
But what really is mindfulness? According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, it’s about paying attention in a specific way: intentionally, in the present moment, and without judgement. Essentially, mindfulness is about observing. When we aren’t mindful, we don’t really notice our experiences from an outside perspective. We’re fully absorbed in them.
Think about when you’re angry: you have angry thoughts, your body gets tense, stress hormones spike, your blood pressure and heart rate increase. You might raise your voice, use hurtful words, and say things that aren’t entirely true. There’s a lot happening, but there’s no part of you stepping back to ask, “Is this what I really want to be doing? Is this good for my wellbeing?”
When we’re mindful, that changes. We start observing our experiences. We notice the beginnings of an angry thought, the tension in our body, and stress building up. We recognize that it feels unpleasant and might realize our thoughts are exaggerated, adding to our stress. This gives us the chance to ask, “Is this how I want to act? Is this good for me?” We can then let go of some of the anger, take a breath, and find balance.
With mindfulness, we can understand our anger better and might find that we handle situations more effectively and sensitively. Even though we all have the ability to be mindful, many of us spend a lot of time being unmindful. It requires practice to be mindful.
In the beginning, being mindful can actually feel uncomfortable. You might notice all those angry thoughts and unpleasant feelings and it can make you upset because it’s not how you want to be. It’s easy to switch from being angry at someone to being angry at yourself. But with practice, you learn to be mindful of that too, letting go and simply observing your experience.
Mindfulness is transformative. It’s a gateway to living more consciously and purposely. While mindfulness itself isn’t curious, kind, or wise, it creates the space for curiosity, kindness, and wisdom to develop. It’s more than just a relaxation technique or therapy—it’s the foundation for a spiritual practice and becoming the best version of yourself.
Regarding karma, it seems we have different views. Karma, which means “action,” shapes our character. Our actions, driven by our emotions, change who we are. If we act with love or fear, selfishness or compassion, mindlessly or mindfully, these actions become habits and build our character. Buddha said, “karma is intention.”
You seem to see karma as an external mystical force. In reality, karma is shaped by our actions. Each decision influences our character. For instance, if you do something wrong, people might get angry or distrustful, affecting your wellbeing. That’s the result of your karma. If you apologize and make amends, people’s attitudes toward you might become more forgiving, improving your quality of life.
It’s more helpful to think of karma this way rather than as a mystical force.