Compassionate Mindfulness
‘Mindfulness’ has become something of a buzzword over the past few years, leading to hundreds of products and services to be sold under its name. Colouring books, teabags, digital apps and exercise classes – there seems to be a myriad of ways to access the benefits of being ‘mindful’ and they’re all available now! In many ways it is wonderful to see mindfulness growing in popularity as a way of positively impacting wellbeing, however mass marketing has watered down the true nature of this deep and ancient practice meaning the heart of what being ‘mindful’ is really about is becoming misunderstood. So what is mindfulness, really?
Mindfulness practice is about developing a warm, caring and honest relationship with ourselves and with life in order to gift ourselves a gentler way of being with our experience, even when it is difficult. So whilst there are many products and practices to help us focus our mind and be ‘in the now’, true mindfulness is more than just the ‘mindful moment’.
Mindfulness practice is often described as being like a bird with two wings – awareness and compassion – and this metaphor reflects the importance of developing both of these qualities in balance. A simple way of describing mindfulness is that it is the practice of bringing a curious and non-judgemental attention to our experience of being, and allowing it to be as it is. Mindfulness is like a gateway into our experience and all it encompasses – our thoughts, emotions, physical feelings, urges and actions – and compassion is what meets us at that gateway with curiosity, patience, non-judgement, courage, trust, empathy and tolerance.
This is why I always use the term ‘Compassionate Mindfulness’ – to provide a clear reminder that mindfulness is compassionate at its core, and that awareness alone can be stark and at worst unforgiving, harsh and unhelpful. When we embark on the inward journey of self-awareness we need to equip ourselves with the right tools and support. Just as we would never set off on a long walking trail without a map, a compass, water and snacks, we cannot expect ourselves to tread the path of inner discovery without developing the supportive and guiding qualities of compassion.