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March 13, 2015

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Looking within empowers you to tackle the problems outside

OVER the past decade, the pursuit of material prosperity has become the aspiration for many people. But ironically, they are often left perplexed when confronted with the impact of this affluence.

Lacking an inspiring story, they find it hard to stay focused. Natural beauty no longer moves them, and it’s strange to think that they are only a few generations removed from those ancient poets who were so easily moved to tears by the sight of a few flowers in spring.

We might denigrate pre-consumerist society as poor, but with the benefit of hindsight — and the inevitability of another smog-filled day — some might wonder if we are really as rich as we once were when there was still clean air, clean water and quietude.

A recent survey suggested that the level of happiness among Chinese people has not increased much despite the rise in living standards (“Happiness fades as pollution, income fears rise,” March 3, Shanghai Daily).

Greater awareness

That raises questions about the much-vaunted faith that has been placed in growth. Is it a good bargain to pay for the proliferation of consumer goods that we don’t really need with foul air, dirty water and wholesale environmental degradation? And how should we cope with the stresses that have become part and parcel of modern existence?

According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, a founder of the mindfulness movement, we can look within for empowerment, strength and enlightenment.

His book “Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness” suggests that, by taking a few moments to practice mindfulness meditation formally — at home or at work — you can recognize and reduce work-related stress.

To do this, take a few moments to become aware of your breathing, and let whatever thoughts arise come and go.

The key point is to “befriend” your own awareness and learn to inhabit it with calmness, stability and openness.

With greater awareness, you begin to see yourself as larger than your problems and emotions, and part of a larger world. In this practice may lie an antidote to the hyper-competitive consumer society — frenetic, cluttered, but essentially empty. Proponents of a materially encumbered lifestyle try to disguise this emptiness by proffering more stuff and a plethora of other distractions, which succeed in blinding some people to the bigger picture.

Last week, a colleague became quite upset because a problem with the memory card in his mobile phone left him unable to share pictures with his friends. You could imagine his misery if you know the amount of fun he might be missing at that moment — the perpetual flow of sound and color, the latest jokes, chicken soup for the soul, rumors, and other cynical and indignant posts.

But every loss has its compensation. By being temporarily removed from this tech-enabled brave new world, he stands to gain something, by becoming reconnected to the real world and his heart.

The impact of the control smartphones have over us has yet to be fully appreciated. This control is apparent in most of those whose eyes seem forever glued to the bright screens clutched in their palms. By allowing ourselves to be distracted in this way, by fueling a false sense of engagement, we are losing the ability to properly prioritize, and are in danger of losing our sensibility to our environment. That sensibility used to be vital to our survival, by alerting us of the predators stalking us.

So I advised my colleague that he could well exploit this opportunity to wean himself from his phone, see life as it is, rather than as enhanced online.

Hopefully, in a matter of few weeks he might begin his life anew, recapturing his soul and staying truly present in the moment. But I know that the chances of him following my advice are slim.

Yet when life has become a performance, it is in need of a healing process. As Kabat-Zinn observes, “Mindfulness is the awareness that arises by paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”

He believes that “If you are pressed for time, being in the present gives you more time by giving you back the fullness of each moment that you already have.”

The author identifies seven attitudinal factors in “mindfulness-based stress reduction” (MBSR), among them “non-judging,” “patience,” “trust,” “acceptance,” and “letting go.”

If we put away our smartphones and delve into dusty volumes of poems from long ago, we might be surprised how our ancestors used to be struck by the beauty of their surroundings.

“Unawareness can cause us to miss much of what is most beautiful and meaningful in our lives — and, as a consequence, be significantly less happy than we might be otherwise,” Kabat-Zinn observes.

Mindfulness does not provides an answer to all life’s problems. Rather, in Kabat-Zinn’s opinion, we can see these problems more clearly through the lens of a clear mind. It points to the change we are capable of making as individuals.

As our living standards increase steadily, more and more Chinese citizens have become aware of the importance of keeping air, water, and soil clean from pollution. As Xinmin Evening News reported in an article on Monday, better environment calls for extensive public involvement, as well as more responsible government departments and law-abiding enterprises.

True solution

But true solution lies with individual citizens. Most people do not realize the difference they are capable of making if they rigorously cut back on consumption. Whether for policy makers, or green enthusiasts, this blindness alone stands in the way of us finding a true and effective solution. This blindspot can be blamed on our failure to be aware of our own self in a larger context, or lack of mindfulness. Mindfulness can be cultivated by following some simple steps.

As people familiar with qigong would agree, becoming aware of your breathing is the simplest way to achieve mindfulness. “When we are mindful of our breathing, it automatically helps us to establish greater calmness,” writes Kabat-Zinn. According to the author, you can also cultivate mindful walking, being aware of your body while walking calmly for a fixed period.

As Kabat-Zinn notes, you don’t have to wait for your vacation to enjoy a greater level of “well-being, inner peace and serenity.” Inner introspection enables you to expand your view and accept yourself as part of a far greater whole.

This realization is part of a greater wisdom, with the potential to catalyze momentous change.




 

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