#488 Defining Mindfulness

     A concise definition of mindfulness is inherently reductionistic, squeezing into a few shabby words the limitless natural capacity for awareness & open-heartedness. Who would spend a lifetime practicing mindfulness meditation if one could "get it" from a definition?
     So mindfulness is a natural capacity, a method or practice for cultivating this capacity, as well as a way of being in the world.
     Analogies can be drawn between a person practicing mindfulness & a computer that could intentionally, continuously, upgrade it's own operating system: http://mindfulnessforeveryone.blogspot.ca/search?q=operating+system
     Another analogy is how a novice swimmer relates to water compared to an expert swimmer. The novice is afraid of the water & exerts a lot of effort in fighting the water. The expert likes the water, which naturally supports her, and she exerts minimal effort to propel herself forward. The expert open-heartedly engages & collaborates with - instead of fears & fights - the environment. Friction, noise, wasted effort is minimized, while quality of life & efficiency is maximized. Even intelligent, well-educated folks may be unable to distinguish between being swept away by the torrential river of life from surfing the waves.
     But when the status quo no longer satisfies, one might investigate mindfulness.