Mindfulness & Compassion
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Mindfulness is a psychological state of awareness that is fundamental to human experience. It is frequently associated with Buddhist meditation, but is a state of awareness that can be achieved through a variety of difference activities and in different situations. Some athletes talk about it as getting into the zone. Others may feel a sense of being at ease in specific situations. Some traditions use prayer or contemplative techniques to achieve states of mindfulness. However, some sort of meditation-type of technique is useful is achieving this state.

Mindfulness is useful in "uncluttering" our minds so that we can (a) focus on the tasks at hand, (b) not get caught up in a particular drama, or (c) not let our own ego-clinging interfere with our personal or professional relationships. Mindfulness also allows us to develop compassion for ourselves and for others. Although there are no guarantees, we can begin to use mindfulness to help us feel the shared nature of our human experiences and to begin to take such empathic approaches to heart as we work with others.

Such approaches to mindfulness and compassion are important in developing the relationships necessary in developing and maintaining communities of various kinds. Some examples of communities where mindfulness and compassion can help the relationships include:

  • classrooms
  • schools (among children, among teachers, among all people involved in the school including staff and parents, as well)
  • local communities
  • interest groups
  • businesses.

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©2015 Jeffrey W. Bloom

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