Evaluation and Reflection on Mindfulness Life Skill - Essay Example

a) Well, to say it frankly, I began to fully engage in this course at a little late stage. Earlier, being affiliated to Western education and an essentially Western system of education, I believed mindfulness training to be essentially an oriental concept and considered it to be something esoteric. To some extent, I even doubted the efficacy of mindfulness training. However, as I become more engaged with the course material and the audio inputs at my disposal, I decided to give mindfulness training a sincere try. During the earlier stages of my practice, I found it difficult to concentrate or focus (Lama 2002). However, I got more engaged with my practice, I practically began to feel the benefits of mindfulness training. Things had not changed on the outside. The professional, domestic and financial problems I faced remained the same. However, I got in touch with the essential peace residing at the core of my existence, which gradually changed the way I perceived and dealt with the outside problems (Lama 2008). At present I consider myself to be a serious practitioner.

b) The essential thing I learned in the mindfulness training is that the outside phenomenons are really not beneficial or harmful in the true sense (Tolle 2010). Also, the emotions, feelings, and negative ways of thinking that I experience in my mind are also neither harmful nor benign (Tolle 2010). It is only when I start judging the outside stressful experiences or my inner negative afflictions that things begin to get problematic (Ricard 2010). This sends my mind on a roller coaster ride, with one thought giving way to another, with one afflictive feeling leading to another, with one urge to lose my poise flowing into a pattern of harmful behavior (Ricard 2010). As I progressed with sitting meditation and began to focus on my breath, I slowly realized that at the core of my existence there lied a center that was all consciousness (Ricard 2010). This center neither judged the things or phenomenon to be bad or good nor intended to change their very nature or the fact of their existence (Ricard 2010). So, now that I have actually realized the presence of this center of consciousness within me, during the moments of stress, I just stand aside for a minute and try to just observe the things as they are, without judging. This restores my pose and helps me move ahead with a positive attitude.

c) Also, focusing on the impermanence inherent in the ways of the material phenomenon makes one realize that impermanence and imperfection are the natural parts of human existence (Lama 2003). The minute one accepts this fact in totality, all the stressful problems and situations begin to appear transitory and impermanent, and losing one’s balance because of them starts to appear immature (Lama 2003). Hence, mindfulness training is awakening me to certain fundamental aspects of life which will help me keep calm in all the aspects of my personal and professional life.

d) One quintessential fact that I have learned through my brief engagement with mindfulness training is that all human beings want to be happy (Lama 2009). Nobody wants to be unhappy (Lama 2009). Every act a person does, every word that any person says, having a cup of tea, getting angry at one’s child, socializing with friends, etc is performed with the intention of accruing happiness either for oneself or for one’s loved ones. The very understanding of this basic fact of life makes everything appear in a positive light (Lama 2009). Seeing people engaging in behaviors that are destined to bring unhappiness, no more makes me intolerant or unhappy. Rather this makes me think that people are doing such things only to get happiness. It is only that they are misguided or misinformed in the approach that is making them act so (Lama 2009). This bent of mind creates a space in my mind where compassion can germinate, compassion both for myself and for others. I have also realized that I can make this sense of balance lasting and more permanent by being diligent and persistent in my mindfulness training.