“People grow where they are loved.” Bob Goff
Many people come to mindfulness as a reaction to a busy, fast-paced life that is zipping by and they struggle to find quality and meaning in it. Or as a result of a condition such as anxiety, illness or pain, that demands a different approach than resistance and war!
Research shows us repeatedly that mindfulness, or being aware in the present moment without judgement, can bring about an acceptance, a moment of choice, where one can choose to react in a habitual way, or choose another path that might be healthier.
However, even deeper than that, Jon Kabat-Zinn, the reknowned mindfulness teacher and author, has stated that “I have come to see that mindfulness is an act of love.”
Love requires attention. How can we see it when we are not here?
When we practice mindfulness we take our seats and sit with what comes up. We can see our reactions, our thoughts, our grasping and desires and our aversions. The whole catastrophe!
With more awareness, comes more choice. We can choose to be fearful, to hide, to hate, to judge. Or we can see that these reactions hurt us as well, and open up to acceptance and love instead and see how that feels.
We can choose love over fear.
