mindfulness

The contemporary understanding of mindfulness is reflected in Jon Kabat-Zinn’s definition:

Paying attention, in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, nonjudgmentally

Being non-judgmental is important but it is only one step in a broader practice that involves several key components. I believe that using the word non-judgmental as a key part of the definition misdirects and confuses people along the path. The emphasis needs to be redirected. Mindfulness is not a non-reactive and non-judgmental position but involves an open and receptive presence with discernment into the true nature of self in order to be present in a wholesome way.

The word non-judgmental refers to a state. This is the way I will be with experience. I believe mindfulness is a MULTIFACETED PROCESS of how one is in relationship with what is known and responds to it. The overarching map of mindfulness involves the three components of awareness, relationship and action.

I would like to offer my definition for mindfulness.

META-AWARENESS
ENGAGED EMBODIMENT
DISCERNMENT OF SELF-REFERENTIAL JUDGMENT
NON-ATTACHMENT WITH SELF
SKILLFUL ACTION

*AWARENESS

The original explanation of sati was to bring a sustained awareness to what is present in order to examine and learn from it. In holding what is present this allows for the possibility of discernment to understand how the present moment experience and self has come into existence. 

One constantly hears that modern mindfulness is to:

Know what one’s experience is in the present moment

To know means to be aware of one’s experience. This definitely is part of the definition of mindfulness. There is no question that awareness is an essential first step to mindfulness. If we don’t know what is happening how can we know what to do with it. The problem is that too often we are lost in thought and don’t know what we know. There needs to be meta-awareness or knowing what one knows.

Furthermore, the understanding of awareness in mindfulness is that there is a sustained knowing of what is known. As Andrew Olendzki explains in Tricycle Magazine Fall 2014 The Mindfulness Wedge:

“The ability to hold awareness upon a chosen object with some stability or to return it to a primary object once it has strayed, and to do so without agitation, self-blame, or frustration, is a useful skill to learn.“

Bear in mind if you are aware of your sadness, guilt, shame and anger you may actually be MORE sad, guilty, shameful and angry. You are suddenly aware of what you are feeling while previously you were lost in the emotion and did not know what you knew. The problem is that modern definitions that limit mindfulness to enhanced attention does not do justice to what it really is. It is not just the: “Joy of Being in the Now.” What are we aware of? The initial sensation, the meaning making and one’s relationship with what is present or the action that follows?

*RELATIONSHIP

Mindfulness is not just about awareness! It is about developing a wholesome relationship with the present moment.

The initial aspect is RECEPTIVITY. Non-judgment has an implied quality of containment and separation. Mindfulness is an invitation, opening, allowing and intimately experiencing what is present without resistance. One begins to befriend the mind! This is not about inhibiting one’s normal reaction of judgment. If judgment occurs then it is just part of what one is intimately experiencing. This is achieved by directly feeling what is known through the body. Mindfulness is not just about the thinking mind but also importantly involves processing one’s experience through the body to feel one’s way through suffering.

Mindfulness is not only about being in the now

But being ok with whatever is now

Mindfulness is also about DISCERNMENT, not non-judgment. Judgment is a critical evaluation of what is present influenced by personal bias and the need to be better than someone else. Discernment is a clear seeing into how our sense of self and present moment reality comes into existence through self-referential judgment. It is an insight practice that brings clarity to the moment, not a judging process.This allows one to be with what is as it is not what we make, want, believe or need it to be. This insight allows for non-identification with the sense of self that is critical for not suffering.

Can you be one with it

Not the one that is it

*ACTION

It is through non-identification with the sense of self one is able to be open to the interconnectedness and interdependence with other allowing one to act skillfully. There is no reified sense of self to defend. Mindfulness is always associated with wholesome action.

One can see that being non-judgmental is in fact not an important component of mindfulness. It is not about what one does not do, not judge, but what one does do, awareness, embodiment, discernment and skillful action.

by Dr. Phil Blustein
March 7, 2025

Historic mindfulness was much more than the contemporary understanding of mindfulness as awareness and being non-judgmental.

There was a REFRAIN after each of the mindfulness practices that indicated one contemplates the body (feelings, mind and dhammas):

* Contemplating experience both INTERNALLY and EXTERNALLY. One contemplates one’s own and then another’s experience.
* Observing the IMPERMANENCE of existence.
* Consciousness of what is present to the extent needed for BARE KNOWLEDGE with SUSTAINED MINDFULNESS such that one is aware of what is present as it is without mental proliferation and selfing.
* ABIDE INDEPENDENT or with NO CLINGING to anything.

Significantly the refrain is pointing to understanding the impermanence of experience and the importance of non-clinging as the segue to freedom.

by Dr. Phil Blustein
February 21, 2025

The Buddha described right or appropriate mindfulness. It consisted of the following qualities:

“And what, monks, is right mindfulness? Here, a monk dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings . . . contemplating mind in mind . . . contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure in regard to the world. This is called right mindfulness.”

One dwells contemplating body in the body, feelings in feelings, mind in mind and phenomena in phenomena. One brings awareness to and experiences sensations as a sensation without selfing.

One is ardent or committed, passionate, curious and energized in the process.

What is critical is the element of clearly comprehending or clearly seeing that addresses the understanding of the essence of existence. Impermanence, dissatisfaction and not-self. The sense of self is an impermanent structure that is fabricated.

There is an initial sustained observation of the designated sense object in order to allow one to bring to mind the teachings of the Buddha. It allowed for discernment. Is what is present skillful or not and how does one respond in a skillful way? In understanding the impermanent nature of self there is no identification with it.

Mindful or the ability to have sustained awareness of the present moment to allow one to examine and learn from the present moment.

One wants to act to remove covetousness and displeasure ie. inhibit clinging. To eliminate the preferences of desire and aversion that is the segue to awakening.

Mindfulness is a lot more than awareness and being non-judgmental. Following awareness what is cultivated is a skillful relationship with the present moment and subsequent wholesome action guided by the discernment and resultant insight that reality and the sense of self are conditioned constructs that are fabricated. With this understanding there is no need to identify with the sense of self. One can move beyond the limiting constraints of one’s personal narrative that defines one’s sense of self and be present from mindful presence that is a spaciousness of innate compassion and wisdom.

by Dr. Phil Blustein
February 7, 2025

The contemporary definition of mindfulness is: Awareness of the present moment, on purpose, in a particular way, non-judgmentally.

The word non-judgmental that is a dominant part of the definition refers to a state. This is the way I will be with experience. I believe mindfulness is a MULTIFACETED PROCESS of how one is present with what is known and responds to it.

The overarching map of mindfulness involves three components.

* AWARENESS: Awareness of what is present.
* RELATIONSHIP: How to develop a wholesome relationship with the present moment by directly experiencing what is known without resistance through insight into selfing.
* ACTION: How to act skillfully through non-identification with the sense of self.

by Dr. Phil Blustein
January 16, 2025

Microdosing of the breath can be an effective tool to increase awareness and decrease background mental and somatic hyperarousal, mind wandering and reactivity to what is known.

As often as you can, bring intentional awareness to the breath and follow it as long and sustained as you can. The breath is important in supporting the relaxation response of the autonomic nervous system.

One can “microdose breathing” by remembering to intentionally breathe with a prolonged exhalation relative to the inhalation and slow breathing with 4 to 6 breaths a minute as often as you can remember throughout the day.

This form of breathing can be in the background as one performs another activity such as walking, eating, reading, waiting in line, driving etc. It can also be a standalone practice in the moment when one does not need to actively engage with other or in a task.

One can use cues such as post-it-notes, apps or timers on your phone or physical links such as before you eat, walk, go to the bathroom, answer your phone or before posting an email to remind oneself to bring awareness to the breath.

These short bursts of controlled breathing are a great way to support a greater predisposition to be in a resting state of a stabilized nervous system and a decreased tendency for emotional and cognitive hyperarousal and reactivity.

by Dr. Phil Blustein
January 3, 2025