The 4 Principles Of Buddhist Philosophy That Are Reflected In Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a therapeutic intervention modality inspired by traditional meditation techniques that emerged on the Asian continent more than 2,500 years ago. It is also a state of consciousness that can be promoted both to manage or overcome psychological disorders and to enhance emotional balance in general.
In this article We will see how it relates to key ideas that form part of the core of Buddhist philosophy
Mindfulness, also known as Full Attention, is a phenomenon that has been popularizing for several decades in the Western world, being proposed in the 1970s, especially through the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn. Currently it is one of the most widespread and demanded practices in psychology consultations around the world.
The practice of Mindfulness has been shown to have beneficial effects, especially in the management of emotional problems such as depression or anxiety, and also chronic pain.
The fact that scientific research has been carried out on the psychological effects of these practices, as well as improving their functioning and eliminating unimportant aspects, is due to the fact that Mindfulness is above all a therapeutic resource, not a ritual linked to religion and based on a system of symbols with diffuse meaning
However, it cannot be said that there are no parallels about what Mindfulness proposes, on the one hand, and the fundamental pillars of Buddhism and Hinduism, belief systems from which the forms of meditation on which it was set arose. Jon Kabat-Zinn. And if Indo-Tibetan meditation techniques had not existed, Mindfulness would possibly not exist today.
So… what are the aspects in which Mindfulness is reflected in Buddhist philosophy? Let’s see it.
4 ideas from Buddhism that are reflected in Mindfulness
One of the characteristics of Mindfulness is its simplicity; In fact, many of its exercises can be performed by very young boys and girls, and used in schools. In this sense, this practice contrasts with the tradition of meditation associated with Buddhism and Hinduism, since these rest on a framework of ideas and beliefs of a very abstract nature and linked to centuries of literature and the development of religions.
However, Beyond its simplicity, in Mindfulness you can also appreciate elements of that philosophy of life that is more typical of Asia than of the West and which so many people find inspiring today.
These are the main aspects in which the ideological background of Buddhism is reflected in what Mindfulness proposes to us.
1. The dissolution of the line that separates the “I” from the world
Something that many of the great religions that emerged in Asia have in common is that they place the human being in the humble position of one of the elements of which nature is composed; For this reason, for example, thinkers like Lao Tzu and Confucius placed emphasis on the important thing about not disturbing the natural flow of things not adopting a disruptive character or trying to dominate what surrounds us.
In this sense, wisdom and goodness would be characterized by our ability not to stray from the path of the dynamics that have been in place for thousands of years and that keep everything in balance.
In Mindfulness, this dissolution of the line that separates us from what is around us also appears. Thus, in Mindfulness we perceive our thoughts and sensations as elements that are part of both us and reality in general.
2. The renunciation of wanting to control nature
As we have seen, In Buddhism, progress is not seen as a phenomenon in which we learn to modify the environment to fit our needs, but quite the opposite; It must be the human being who assumes his humble role in the universe. Likewise, Mindfulness promotes a psychological state in which we stop taking for granted that we need to hold on to all the material goals without which we believe we could not be happy.
3. The philosophy of letting go and not clinging to thoughts
One of the keys to Mindfulness is that it is based on the idea of letting thoughts flow, without clinging to any one in particular, letting the flow of consciousness take its course. This fits with Buddhist epistemology, which leads us to release the contents of our minds and let them go naturally, at their own pace and as they came (they did so beyond our will and consciousness). By experiencing how they fade, we can connect with the wisdom latent within us.
4. Acceptance and compassion
Buddhism proposes an advance towards wisdom based not on the accumulation of ideas and mental contents, but on understanding that what arises in our mind also fades away; become aware of this flow, the denial of an essence inherent to the different things that pass through our minds.
That is why In their ethical system there is much more emphasis on compassion towards others and towards oneself, than in the need to make rigid interpretations about what is right and what is wrong and to antagonize. This tendency towards acceptance allows us to avoid the fight of egos, which means actively working to generate suffering.
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