Mindfulness: Defining the Undefinable
Mindfulness goes by many names: consciousness, being, awareness, the present, the now, and stillness.
“Waking up” into a mindful state of awareness takes practice.
In the ninth century, the Buddhist sage Lin Chi told a monk, “If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him.” He meant that those who think they’ve found all the answers in any religion or physical idol need to start questioning.
Mindfulness cannot be described; it must be experienced. Any attempts to define it are downright silly. How can we explain consciousness? Consciousness is the eternal mystery of life.
The Difference Between Mindful and Thinking States
What does it feel like to be alive in a mindful state, versus lost in the thinking state? The thinking state is a powerful gravitational force. Call us cursed or just plain bonkers, but our lower self gravitates towards the misery of the thinking state. Eckhart Tolle calls it the “pain body.” The Apostle Paul referred to the “flesh.” Carl Jung wrote of the “shadow.” However we define it, our propensity to “go negative” is so automatic that it takes a radical commitment to bring about lasting change. The good news is, using photography as a means for mindfulness is effective because it is creative, gets you into a “feeling” state, and most of all, is really fun.
The Mindful State
Conscious
Awake
Lost in Creation
Feelings in the Body
Aware of Senses
Living in the Present
Humble (Beginner’s Mind)
The Thinking State
Unconscious
Asleep
Lost in Thought
Obsessions in the Mind
Detached from Reality
Regretting in Past
Prideful
How Mindful Photography Can Help
The process of mindful photography opens our senses up to the reality surrounding us. Many people seek to transcend the waking dream-state of thought they live in 99% of the time. New mindful photography practitioners invariably get that cheek-to-cheek grin when they drop down into their own bodies for a few seconds, freed of their minds, and observe the miracle of life around them through their senses.
Mindfulness is an Acquired Taste
It’s a slow, home-cooked meal versus a fast food, eat-on-your-lap experience. Fast food gets the job done but it isn’t exactly peaceful, and the cleanup is disgusting.
I invite you to grab a copy of The Mindful Photography Field Guide: 15 Smartphone Photography Practices for Inner Peace. As you embark on these practices, keep your face towards God. Be present now. Everything else is a distraction. Your life is happening at this very moment and nowhere else. What is laid out in front of you this very day is your path. Abandon yesterday’s baggage and give up trying to control tomorrow.
Roll up your sleeves, wipe off your lens, and get ready to be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Blessings,
Joe
PS:
If you found this post helpful, you'll love my book, The Mindful Photography Field Guide: 15 Smartphone Photography Practices for Inner Peace. It’s packed with practical tips and inspiring stories. Ready to dive deeper? I also offer one-on-one coaching to help you master mindfulness through photography. Reach out to me via my contact form. Let's connect and transform your journey together!
