This Mystery Calls for Mindfulness

Buddhist philosophy has taught me to hold very close the notion of mystery, impermanence and flow that marks our existence as humans on this earthly plane. To not fear it. To trust it.

I’m pretty clear on the fact that the future holds much that I cannot know or see in this moment, and with as much equanimity as possible, I hold that truth with reverence. 

Mindfulness has taught me not to seek certainty in the future, but to learn to see what’s in front of me and to live with the unknown all around us.  

So, here we are. We’re in a pandemic, approaching a pivotal election, in a cultural uprising. And life as we ALL know it has been flipped, paused, disrupted, shifted (as it NEEDED to be). We abruptly looked in the mirror, and gasped. 2020 is inviting us into the utmost change of systems, beliefs, leaders and even the way we use technology and platforms. A transformation, a burning down.

There is a mystery, an uncertainty that lives in all of this change. Creating anew invites us into that mystery. To walk into it.

Now more than EVER, we are being called to learn how to deal with uncertainty. To befriend it. To lean into it. To listen to it.

This isn’t a maybe. This is a necessity.  

Uncertainty is hard to hold or face directly for many of us. The mystery isn’t always easy to stomach.

Why? 

Because it’s uncomfortable!

Many of us have a hard time being present with difficult emotions. So we turn away from them. Disassociate. Maybe you turn away by using drugs, drinking, watching TV, hanging out with friends, eating….

As a recovering addict, I know that story all too well. For YEARS, I ran away from my emotions by smoking pot. I didn’t even know I was running away (that’s how unaware I was).  I lacked sensory clarity, and I was unaware of my attitude toward sense experiences. I went straight from reaction mode into action (and I definitely didn’t feel like I had choices). Sound familiar? 

So what do we do with these heightened levels of mystery, transformation, uncertainty? We’re in it, so how do we cope with that? 

I believe mindfulness is the tool that will support us during this time in human history.

Paying attention to reality with mindful awareness is MEDICINE. We are having tons of reactions to the present moment, whether the present moment is filled with anti-racism work, or business shifts due to the pandemic, or emotional challenges due to social isolation, or [fill in the blank]. We need tools to recycle these reactions, to process them completely, and to even replace afflictive thinking with kind, compassionate and loving thoughts. I believe this is a necessity. 

And I’m grateful we can access this tool. Just by tuning into a way of paying attention. Anywhere. While seated. While walking. While in a conversation. It’s revolutionary, and it’s freely accessible.