Title: mindfulness

User: Damodara Svarupa dasa      Date: 2007-05-27 09:02:45

 

Nityananda, Gauranga, Hare Krishna!

Jaya Guru Parampara! Jaya Swamiji Gaurangapada!

Dandavats to all the Vaishnavas.

 

Recently, there was a documentary on television concerning anxiety and depression and a way to escape this awful state of mind. The newest technique the psychiatrists presented is an ancient technique now known as mindfulness.

 

In a nutshell, mindfulness is a technique in which a person focuses on his breathing and slowly becomes aware of all the thoughts which his mind keeps bringing up. While observing this turbulent stream of ideas, he has to try to disconnect from these thoughts and realize that he is not these thoughts. The past is gone; the future is not yet there. So what exists is the present in which the person is situated. It in fact is a Buddhist way of thinking which tries to find the inner peace. The psychiatrists are rather pleased with this technique, as it has helped many persons not to get caught up in their turbulent stream of ideas any more and by this means are able to escape their depression.

 

It would be even more pleasing if these persons could learn the three Mantra Rajas and focus on mantra japa like it is being thought by our Gurus. We as devotees are so blessed when finding God in the first place and the resulting inner peace simply by chanting the Holy Names of Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna.  

 

Humbly aspiring to become a worthy devotee and a true servant of the Holy Names of Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna,

Damodara Svarupa dasa

 

Title: Re: mindfulness

User: Swami Gaurangapada Date: 2007-05-31 12:33:02

 

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Jaya Guru Parampara! Pranams  and Blessings ! Thanks for the info Damodara Svarupa dasa. One needs to be careful with this mindfulness technique as trying to even observe our turbulent desires will blow us away into indulging in them. What the Bhagavad Gita teaches us is to totally ignore or neglect or starve these desires by not even thinking of them and substitute them by spiritual and divine desires of serving Lord Gauranga Krishna so that they leave us permanently. This mindfulness technique is for those who do not have the higher taste and means of Naam Bhajana and Bhakti Yoga to substitute their lower desires.

 

Daaso'smi, Swami Gaurangapada.