Non-Judgmental Awareness in Times of Worry -- like now.

Jon Kabat Zinn’s original definition of mindfulness was: "The awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally" (Kabat-Zinn, in Purser, 2015).

When I get obsessed over this or that, I lose my mindfulness. Later I remember that I forgot. Often a sigh comes at that moment. What happens next depends on my energy. If the thinking is really persistent this returning might need to happen again and again, until some moment that it is enough to bring me back to steady mindful awareness. At these times I might meditate for 30 minutes and 29 of them have active thinking, stuff that keeps forcing its way in. My practice, at its best, is to accept: “This is how it is for me right now.” No judgement.

So, whether I’m doing well or “badly” it’s ok.

Bringing this practice to these days of the capricious and sometimes very damaging or deadly virus, it is still important to nurture my mindfulness and acceptance of the state of my mind at any moment.

Mindfulness is always important. I just have more opportunities to practice during social isolation, a back-handed blessing of this virus.

May I remember mindfulness again and again, with equanimity.

May we all learn and then remember mindfulness: awareness of now, without judgement.

May we all realize that the real work for us is the “no judgement” part. That’s not a footnote. That IS the note.