The serenity that every person craves does not come only from a relaxed body, but is the consequence of focusing, even in the midst of adversity, on the most constructive aspects of existence. Serenity, therefore, is also the result of a calm mind, built largely by strengthening the capacity for mindfulness.
Strengthening mindfulness in constructive aspects of life.
Strengthening mindfulness has become a healthy exercise in our lives, as it allows us to disengage from those contents of the mind that generate discomfort, such as distorted, negative or useless thoughts, and allows us to focus on those contents that produce physical, mental and emotional well-being.
The ability to consciously focus and illuminate meaningful slices of life has to do with the human capacity to place attention in an intentional, stable and sustained way on the most constructive aspects and, in this way, that which is focused becomes more real for the person. Where attention is placed, emotion goes, energy goes, and shapes experiential reality.
Through the focus of attention, the vital landscape is drawn with a tonality that goes from light to dark according to its illuminating capacity. In this sense, it can be said that attention can be a source of balance or a source of imbalance in life.
Strengthening the capacity of attention is like turning on the spotlight that illuminates the screen of the mind, highlighting with its light the experiences that, through the reins of will and inner freedom, are weaving the existential project of life.
Attention could be compared to a muscle that needs to be trained. If it is desired that attention can be stabilized in a prolonged way on what a person considers important, and that it is a sustaining capacity of will and intentionality towards what one considers valuable in one’s life, it is necessary to train in it.
Mindfulness to look closely at life
This laser of conscious attention can be strengthened by developing one of the main functions of the mind recommended by specialists in psychology: the function of looking, observing and contemplating as opposed to the function of thinking and analyzing.
Whenever the attention is detached from the thinking mind and focused on the space between thought and thought, a capacity of attentive presence to what is in each moment is developed. This allows us to free ourselves from the tyranny of the conditioned mind that holds the reins of life and gives way to an observed mind that allows us to be more in control of our thoughts.
Attention, as the writer and philosopher Gurdjieff said “is the most valuable currency we have to pay for inner freedom”.