(this is the response paper written after reading 'The Miracle of Mindfulness' for an Asian religions course at LSU)
Seasons come and go; time progresses. The phenomena of life cycles. Potential. Growth. Beauty. Rest. Death. For a moment one feels sorrow seeing an end in death, but if seen through a different shade or lens the understanding arises that it is in death that their is the greatest connection and bond with potential.
In the world as we know it, our societies are quite unique. We face different environments, come from different backgrounds, and are each comprised with a unique set of ethics, morals and values. In this, just as each student is unique in the way they learn, grow, struggle and excel... so are societies. Each particular one holding its own different ideological make-up, we become victim of a great fall on the proverbial path of life, (self-righteous)pride onsets and so begins the creation of prejudices, hatreds, jealousies and the life of those not ‘falling’ into the same categories. Division accumulates. The atrophy in the human body builds. We Are One Body though, no matter the difference in role of each part or the atrophy ‘falling’ place.
From our limited, ‘fallen’ perception we fail to look beyond the difference in ‘color’ or shade outwards to the understanding of the whole collage. We have failed to see our interdependence, our connectedness. Whether by means of complacency or distraction, we stay in our “self” perspective, falling into the traps of judgements, biases, hatreds and the like. For some reason we have become content with our limited view of the collage, not really seeing the collage at all, but only seeing what is of ourselves and immediately next to us. Instead of stepping back to get a broader, more objective and well-rounded view, we maintain a comfortable, yet unfulfilled existence within a snow globe, never really stepping outside the delusions dream and into the wild and pure.
Just as muscular atrophy slowly and steadily disjoins the muscles from the body, by cutting off the flow of blood... our lack of mindfulness - the peace within brewed from awareness, love and compassion - is building walls, separating us as is the ONE body of humankind.
The agendas we each set are well-planned and thought out, but as a whole, we’ve neglected the understanding of the limitedness of our particular vantage point...and that, is ignorance. We must realize we are ONE. We must realize that we live, breathe, and move together before we die together; ‘with or without a goal, we all move the same direction.’
This type of ignorance is not one that can be picketed, protested or fought outwardly against - it is a shedding from within, a disarming of the self. It far too easy for us to project issues and make them not our own. For some reason, our generations present have a really difficult time taking responsibility of the make up of our selves (our motives, values, characteristics and actions).
Americans are the busiest we have every been. In that sense, it would be very wrong to say we merely “don’t take responsibility.” We have however, neglected a lot of things because of the whirlwind storm created from such busy, demanding and planned out agendas. i would argue that this entrapment is in fact denying responsibility as well, just not in the sense of the immediate-satisfaction -“responsibility” that seems to run our culture these days. Our only means of escape however, like any successful prison break, must start from the inside out. We must learn to find peace within our selves...and that starts with ideas like ‘Mindfulness”.
Our world is one of beauty, yet how often do we as the members of today’s societies stop to enjoy it? As time increases, it seems our pace does as well. We somehow and in some facet become fixated in our ever-growing consumer-minded culture and enslaved by a clock, computer or phone. We get caught in the clock, enslaved by time and from thenceforth stuck in the solitary confinement of our minds, delusional of reality. We’ve created our own prisons. Our intentions of “self-betterment” are good, but are they clear? Are our motives pure, or are we polluting them with half-truths? These are the questions we must start asking ourselves in times like these if we ever seek to live together instead of merely dying together.
It’s as if we’ve lost touch. Almost as if we’ve become secluded so subtly and intrinsically that we are not even in touch with our own “true” selves or minds - those that were once pure when we entered the world in the first “Potential” stage of life. In the “potential” stage we find the beauty and innocence of a child: Open and willing, engaged in learning our environments and what it presents to us... we face the world arms wide open. But as we lose this beautiful innocence we also lose track of that beautiful mindset of humbly receiving...the awareness of the gift of your cup and the openness to whatever is poured into it whether sour, salty, bitter or sweet seems to fade.
Although we’ve let go of our openness, we’ve picked up some baggage along the way. We’ve gained experience and knowledge, and ignorantly we go on unaware of the possibilities of what is unknown.
If all walks of life practiced mindfulness, the world would be a completely different place. Instead of bigotry, there would be hope in acceptance. Where we once saw decay, we might see growth. Instead of focusing on feeding our desires and being governed by what we ‘want’, we might work a good deal more at only taking or using what we need.
Mindfulness is not meant for only those who practice Buddhism though. Mindfulness does not impose a ‘correct’ or ‘absolute’ doctrine, and in fact, i would dare to say it applies to all other facets of spirituality. Most religions have a very similar core of “goal characteristics” and actions, and it’s hard for ‘me’ to see how mindfulness would do anything but help boost each and everyone towards being the best they can be.
Any good change comes with sacrifice. A world class gymnast did not spontaneously become flexible, strong and agile enough to be able to tumble the way she does. It took years of stretching, ripping and rebuilding muscles, and it is the same notion of “training” that will be required of us if we seek to live mindfully in the world. The liberation of that kind of freedom comes with the sufferings that go with its practice. The question then becomes, are we willing to deal with pain? Are we willing to be uncomfortable for the greater good? Will we search aimlessly on our own efforts, or will we finally learn the paradox: to live, we must die...in order to gain, we must empty ourselves. We must learn the truth that we ourselves are the issue. And the goal is in trying to turn that ‘self’ off. It is a call for all-embracing and unconditional love and compassion for, with and through all. It is an understanding of the difference between want and need. It is a knowledge of our motivations, wether it be mind, ‘stomach’ or heart - mind, body or spirit. Will we wake up the the fact that we are all self-righteous? Will we look within and turn off our pride, die to self - or will we live by our stomachs?
With hope and tools like The Miracle of Mindfulness, many little people in many little places can start waking up. We can work to empower the people of the world to shed whatever mud the wear and tear of time in the world has clung to us. We can work towards understanding the ripples of understanding, acceptance and indiscriminate acts of kindness. We can open our eyes to the oneness of the universe, our interdependence not only amongst each other but existence as a whole, and the purity within humility, love and service. The question is not of potential or possibility, but one of choice. It starts with the one in the self and ends with the one in ALL. If there is any hope is a wholesome emptying, any goal in shedding sorrow, if there is any truth in the mission of the Boddisattvas - It starts with being aware. We must begin to shed light, decreasing our darkness to let light shine. Awareness begins with consciousness and focus of me, where and who i am, and what are my surroundings and distractions. It is culminated by the awareness of the connection i share with all and they with me. It is culminated in the vantage point of: We... noticing maybe the perspective of just ‘Me’ is upside-down. We Are One Body.
in every borrowed breath we take we cause ripples...are we acting as intruments of division, or
That of unity?
Life Love and Peace
Our second night at the lodge, we enjoyed a nice dinner just for the two of us alongside the river. That morning, we hiked to a waterfall and learned about the rainforest from our guide, Max. At dinner our candles were struggling against the breeze...so naturally, we had to intervene. Speaking of candles, they were our only source of light, other than the stars and sun, that we had at the lodge. 
