Last Updated on October 14, 2020 by Paul Farrell, MRP, JD, PhD
Mindfulness is not about “the mind,” nor “thinking” … Go beyond to “no mind” … to action in the “zen zone!”
“Mindfulness” is a Magical Misnomer!
Not About “Your Mind,” Nor Thinking, Nor Over-Thinking.
It’s Not Even About Mindful Meditation!
“Mindful Simple Means Being Mindful”
In Your Actions, Soul, All Day!
Nothing More
So Simple!
“The phrase ‘Mindfulness Meditation’ could well be a misnomer. At least so in the Buddhist context, whether one claims to be following the Eastern or Western; the Indian or Chinese or Japanese, Thai, Burmese, or whatever brand of Buddhism. Meditation is not about being mindful, but about going beyond the mind, transcending the mind, or mushin (no mind) in the Japanese Zen terminology.
Mindfulness
“As a term, ‘Mindfulness’ has been used in the Western Literature before the West even knew about Buddhism. Then, it was not related to meditation. Being mindful simply meant being mindful. Nothing more.
“What I am referring to is being ‘Mindful’ related to ‘Meditation.’ It is not being mindful in the literary sense as used in the Western Literature.
Mindfulness Meditation
“Mindfulness Meditation – what if the mind is still conditioned with and by so many things, which are not conducive to our evolution? Being mindful alone of such conditionings will lead us nowhere. One must decondition such mind.
“Buddha’s word for Mindfulness was Sammasati, Samyak Smrti, or Right Remembrance – it is going back to the roots and remembering or knowing – back to the nature of all things. It is certainly not the same as sharpening or enhancing the conditioned mind.
“Buddha believed in the Total Transformation of Mind, or the flowering of mind as Buddhi or Intelligence. Hence, the term Boddhicitta for such fully transformed mind, or, rather Awakened Intelligence.
“Indeed, it was Patanjali who used the word Saumanya, which can actually be translated as Being Mindful or Mindfulness.”
Source Anand Krishna
About the Author
Dr. Farrell is a Behavioral Economist. His books include The Millionaire Code; The Millionaire Meditation: Stress Management for Wall Street, Corporate America & Entrepreneurs; The Zen Millionaire; The Winning Portfolio; Expert Investing on The Net; Mutual Funds on The Net; and The Lazy Person’s Guide to Investing.
He also published 1,643 columns on DowJones-MarketWatch and for years was their #1 traffic-generating columnist. Before the Internet, he edited & published FNX: Future News Index, a financial newsletter for stock market traders. Earlier he was a Wall Street investment banker with Morgan Stanley, Executive Vice President of the Financial News Network; and Associate Editor of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner.
He has a Doctorate in Psychology, Juris Doctor, Masters in Regional Planning and Bachelor of Architecture. He worked on the Esalen organic farm and served in the U.S. Marine Corps as Staff Sergeant in aviation computer technology.
