Exploring "Mindfulness: A Struggle-Free Path" this Sunday at 10am with Benjamin Hohl

Dear Community,

Exploring "Mindfulness: A Struggle-Free Path" this Sunday at 10am with Benjamin Hohl — Weekly Meditation & Discussion

This Sunday, Benjamin will lead an exploration of "Mindfulness: A Struggle-Free Path," inspired by the writing of Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, a Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist Monk, in his classic book, Mindfulness in Plain English. Registration and Zoom information available here.

Below is an excerpt from Chapter 14 of Mindfulness in Plain English (Wisdom Publications, Page 146):

"You can’t develop mindfulness by force. Active teeth-gritting willpower won’t do you any good at all. As a matter of fact, it will hinder progress. Mindfulness cannot be cultivated by struggle. It grows by realizing, by letting go, by just settling down in the moment and letting yourself get comfortable with whatever you are experiencing. This does not mean that mindfulness happens all by itself. Far from it. Energy is required. Effort is required. But this effort is different from force. Mindfulness is cultivated by a gentle effort. You cultivate mindfulness by constantly reminding yourself in a gentle way to maintain your awareness of whatever is happening right now. Persistence and a light touch are the secrets. Mindfulness is cultivated by constantly pulling yourself back to a state of awareness, gently, gently, gently...

Mindfulness simply accepts whatever is there. If you want to grow in mindfulness, patient acceptance is the only route. Mindfulness grows only one way: by continuous practice of mindfulness, by simply trying to be mindful, and that means being patient. The process cannot be forced and it cannot be rushed. It proceeds at its own pace."

With metta (loving-kindness),

Minneapolis Insight