It seems everyone nowadays is using the term “mindfulness” from politicians to gardeners. I guess we could say that the word mindfulness has crossed over to mainstream—from Buddhism. I noticed most people use this term when they want to bring full attention to something like; “let’s be mindful that we’re in the library, so let’s keep our voices down.” What does this word mindfulness or being mindful really mean in Buddhism?
The Buddha who was originally Hindu—often used the term “Sati” from his native language Sanskirt. The word “Sati” is often translated into English, as mindfulness. But, the word “Sati” in Sanskirt literally means “the act of Remembering.” So, the word ‘Mindfulness at its core—means to Remember.
Here’s your next Short-cut to Buddhahood.
Memories take us out of the moment and into the past, while Sacred Remembering brings us fully into the moment and into the sacred presence into the holy instant. Mindfulness is the act of sacred remembering.
What’s interesting, is in Hinduism the world is regarded as ‘dis-membered.’ This dis-memberment is from our higher selves; and was caused by the cruel intentions of others, as well as our own words and actions. Leaving many of us feeling unholy, un-whole and in pieces. So long we’re in pieces and fragments were not our true selves, when were not whole, were not able to live the wholesome life we’re meant to live. So, as Buddhist our job is to Re-member ourselves back together. To be mindful within every moment, is an act of sacred remembering.
This sacred remembrance is a remembering of who we are, the remembrance of our life’s mission and what’s important to us. This remembrance may come as acute awareness. For some, it will poise a question like, “What the heck am I doing here?” in Hawaii? or in NYC? or “what am doing in this job or relationship” or it could be “why have I allowed myself to be abused and allowed people to lie about me?” The state of remembering {being mindful} may feel like “where’ve I been” or “I feel like myself again.” In the state of sacred remembrance, there is a deep sense of knowing, knowing exactly what course we must take and what steps must follow. This is an act of re-connecting ourselves to the Universe or God.
As curious seekers from many spiritual traditions and paths—our job is to acknowledge this dis-memberment and consciously Re-member the Self back together.
Here is an extension to this Short-cut to Buddhahood: To live with wholesomeness, with true mindfulness—we need to… re-vive, rectify, retrieve, recover, rebuild, recollect and to re-connect ourselves with our higher Self. So Re-membering and Re-minding ourselves equals Mindfulness.
People who live their lives within the moment, are in a habitual act of self-remembering and re-collecting themselves. We all have the choice to be mindful as we travel down our challenging journeys. This is the first step towards spiritual awakening. The world was designed to make us forget; our job is to remember.