THE FOLLOWING TIPS come from answers given by teachers during discussion groups at an April 16, 2000 Insight Meditation Society retreat with Ajahn Candasiri.

WHAT IS HELPFUL TO MINDFULNESS?

• MAKING TIME FOR ONESELF, to be able to do formal practice and to do the other things that support mindfulness.
• DAILY SITTING MEDITATION.
• DAILY DEVOTIONAL PRACTICE, such as chanting or mantras.
• SUPPORT FROM OTHERS:
  • Support of a Sangha
  • Like-minded friends, spiritual friends, someone one can talk to about practice.
  • A weekly sitting group.
  • Wholesome friends and being around virtuous people.
  • Living in a community or cultivating a sense of community.
• "MINDFULNESS TRIGGERS." This means choosing common objects and activities to trigger a recollection of mindfulness, such as remembering to become mindful upon hearing a telephone ring or whenever walking through a doorway.
• DETERMINING TO MAINTAIN mindfulness throughout a common daily activity, such as while driving a car, gardening, swimming, commuting to work, walking, yoga etc.
• THE PRACTICE OF METTA or loving kindness toward others beings.
• FINDING QUIET TIME.
• PAUSING BEFORE REACTING.
• WALKING IN NATURE.
• KEEPING THE PRECEPTS, and using restraint.
• BECOMING GROUNDED in the body.
• MINDFUL SPEECH.
• GETTING ENOUGH REST.
• LISTENING TO OTHERS.
• RIGHT LIVELIHOOD.
• DISCIPLINE and STRUCTURE in living your daily life.

WHAT IS HARMFUL TO MINDFULNESS?

• BEING OVEREXTENDED, feeling busy, rushing, feeling overwhelmed.
• TIREDNESS.
• NEGATIVE INFLUENCES on the job, such as co-workers who do not have spiritual values, pressure to break the Precepts, and difficulty living a balanced life.
• FRIENDS WHO ARE a negative influence ("woundmates").
• LACK OF HUMILITY, being a know-it-all, haughtiness.
• USELESS SPEECH or not paying attention when others are talking.
• UNWARE OF LIMITATIONS, taking on too much.
• BAD TEMPER.
• HAVING AN AGENDA.
• UNWHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT.
• EXCESS STIMULATION.
• NOT PRIORITIZING.
• NOT SITTING DAILY.

	Page One | Editor's Notes | Buddhascope | Buddamerica | Dharmatalk | Foundobjects | GuestColumn | Meditation | Poetry | Quotes | ReadingRoom | SiteIndex | Contact Us | Subscribe