Introduction
Mindfulness is rooted in many traditions and religions but no matter which perspective is being taken, there are some fundamental principles. Some say there are 9 principles, others up to about 12. Also, know that some people call these ‘attitudes’ that can support your practice. Knowing what these are and employing them in your mindfulness practice and day to day life can enhance your experience of the now. When your eyes are wide open and seeing life as it is, taking one or more of these stances may guide you and deepen your experience.
The Principles / Attitudes
Non-Judgement: When we constantly judge our experience as right or wrong, good or bad, it makes it hard for us to see what is really happening and what is really in front of us. We let go of making short hand evaluations, and instead describe what is happening mindfully, without unhelpful and excessive judgement.
Patience: Rushing around from place to place can mean we miss what is in front of us. There are many experiences we miss because we are not present. Patience allows things to unfold and for us to observe the unfolding. As my Dad says “All in good time, all in good time”.
Beginners Mind: As we get older and have more experiences, we can have beliefs that block our ability to interpret the same things in different ways. To bring about a beginners mind means we are more able to look at a situation for how it is, rather than what we believe about how it is.
Trust: Listening to ourselves and our internal experience is vital to a mindfulness practice. We must trust what we feel, as this might teach us something about ourselves. To not be rooted in a trusting relationship with ourselves in a mindfulness practice hinders our ability to be our own teacher.
Non-Striving: With non-striving, we attempt to dial down the achieving and ‘being better’ part of our psyche. When we strive in excess, we become counter productive as we become exhausted and can become irritable. Here, we let go of trying to make things be a certain way and instead be with the moment, as it is. The moment is enough.
Acceptance: Refusing to see what is there and what the situation is means we go about our lives less skilfully. We start to respond to what is not the situation rather than what it is. Acceptance does not mean you like it or agree with it. Seeing and accepting reality is the first step in taking positive action. Acceptance is like being falsely accused of a crime you didn’t commit and taking the necessary steps to appeal your conviction. Non-acceptance is like being falsely accused of a crime you didn’t commit and standing at the bars of the cell, screaming and shouting saying “This can’t be happening”.
Letting Go: Sometimes the mind holds onto things. There are many possible reasons for this. The principle of letting go is all about releasing things you don’t need or want to hold onto. Once we have let go of whatever it might be, it is more accessible to observe and allow the moment. If it’s not serving you, let it go.
Compassion: In the face of pain and suffering, we can choose our response. Do we behave like a bully to ourselves and other people, or do we act with compassion and kindness? I can’t see the logic behind being the bully, but for some reason we behave in this way. Orientate your mind towards compassion in EVERY situation and see how it alleviates some of the suffering.
Gratitude: We tend to focus on what’s wrong in our lives. We might then end up taking other things, that aren’t so ‘wrong’, for granted. Gratitude is saying “I’m grateful that I need to clean the windows because it means I have a house”. Gratitude is not something we only employ when we have gone above and beyond or something truly miraculous has happened. We train our minds to see the best in every situation. Where there is gratitude there is peace with the present.
I hope this has been an interesting read for you today. If you have any questions, please do reach out by email. I am also currently running a yoga class series (April 2024) where one class is focussed on one principle. We have introduced non-judgement, so you aren’t too late to join and find out more. Take a deeper dive into mindfulness with your yoga practice.
Further Resources
If you want to learn a little more from an expert, please watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n7FOBFMvXg
I also recommend learning more about mindfulness from a reputable trainer, such as the Oxford Mindfulness Centre. Please find the link here: https://www.oxfordmindfulness.org/
If you enjoy reading books then this one is a brilliant one to begin with: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Teaching-Clients-Use-Mindfulness-Skills/dp/0415696755
I have also written another post about mindfulness which has some more general information: https://www.almaentera.com/learning/mindfulness