Scientists and doctors in research have discovered an ancient medicine for depression. It is shown that combination of mindfulness with antidepressants is more effective than antidepressants. https://www.jwatch.org/na40648/2016/03/15/mindfulness-more-effective-when-antidepressant-treatment.
Mindfulness is the new prozac that doesn't come in a pill and without the side effects
It is becoming popular amongst psychiatrists and psychologists in treating stress, anxiety, depression and post traumatic stress disorder.
They have found that mindfulness is the answer to all stress and depression and distress in life.
Buddha is the first author of mindfulness. He taught a way to relieve suffering for ever by showing how suffering is caused.
Suffering is the word used to translate the word Dukka. Dukka must be translated into today's language as all types of stress. That includes stress, anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress disorder and much more.
He showed that all phenomena are dependent on causes. This phenomena is called dependent origination or dependent arising.
Every effect has a cause within this time and space reality. Einstein said the same thing in a different way, in his theory of relativity.
In cause and effect reality, every effect has a cause and every effect is a cause of another effect.
If this exists that exists. Therefore, if this ceases to exist, that ceases to exist.
Mindfulness is required to observe this dependent origination reality. With mindful observation of the present moment experience we can see what causes suffering. When we see what causes suffering, we can then learn how to let go of the cause of suffering.
Mindfulness is to bring attention to the present moment, but what you do when you are in the present moment is another thing. For that we need wisdom. We develop wisdom through another process. In Buddha's teaching this process is called Vipassana. That is exploration through observation, experience, investigation, research, analysis and reasoning. This gives us the knowledge through our own wisdom. We then act based on the knowledge through wisdom.
For example, we can take a moment when we all need to be mindful in day to day living.
At traffic lights we need mindfulness to stop when the light is red. We become mindful mostly in situations with extreme danger. Because our lives depend on that split second. How we act makes a life or death difference.
At traffic lights we can stop only if we are mindful to see the red light. Then we observe for any danger. We also have knowledge from our previous experience and from what we know from research, news ect to know what happens if we cross the red light. We also let go of the need to hurry and slow down to stop, no matter how much of a hurry we are in. We need to do the same in anger, or any stressful situation.
Stop
Observe
Let go
We are searching happiness from the world. Buddha said that worldly happiness is only temporary and always ends in suffering the moment we lose it. When we find happiness through all materialistic things it ends up in suffering because matter doesn't last forever. Not even diamonds.
Both suffering and happiness are mental phenomena.
Buddha said we must get closer to the mind and not to the matter to eliminate suffering. When we become closer to the mind, we can observe the mind. When we stop and observe the mind we begin to see the causes that brings suffering. Then we let go of the need to get hooked on those to find lasting happiness.
Fish getting caught in fish hook not knowing that there a hook. They fall for the piece of worm. There is no knowledge based on wisdom. If fish knows about the hook and what it does to them they will not get caught.
Fish doesn't stop, observe and let go of the need to catch the worm.
Buddha taught a Path to train our mind to eliminate suffering. It is the eight fold path. Mindfulness is the 7th step in the eightfold path.
Before we get into practice of mindfulness we must have 6 other prerequisites.
In the next post you will find out what they are.
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