Mindfulness
Paying attention to your own thoughts as they happen, without labeling or judging them.
What the essays say
In the first essay, mindfulness is what makes the questioning possible. Slowing the mental noise creates room for questions that had never been asked.
These techniques allowed me to open my eyes and tune in to the conversation happening inside my own head, and most importantly, not to label or judge my thoughts.
Where people disagree
- Many people practice mindfulness as a secular tool for stress and focus, apart from its roots in Buddhist contemplative traditions.
- Some teachers in those traditions argue that removing the ethical and spiritual context changes what the practice is for.
- Research supports some benefits, while critics say popular claims often run ahead of the evidence.
