The Art of Mindful Living

Life has its own pristine flow that is simple and blissful. But modern civilization has taken us away from nature. We have created our own habitat of concrete jungles all over the world. We also have become subservient to machines, conveniences and electronic devices. Humankind has been losing contact with nature, and this has created a huge gap between our head and heart. Life for most people has become a continual struggle, a daily battle. The idea of having peace and happiness in our life seems like nothing but a mirage for we are all bogged down with the stresses of work, family and the constant negative bombardment from the media.

But humans are essentially seekers. Most of us are seeking outside of ourselves; so, finding the key to happiness and peace, health and harmony has been elusive. We all still yearn for that sense of meaning and fulfillment in life. Despite all of the towering success stories of the modern world of science, humanity seems to be the most confused species on earth at this time. It is natural to feel confused and insecure in a world where violence and terrorism of every kind have become an overwhelming presence.

Are there solutions for these seemingly insurmountable problems? The answer is yes. This is the dawn of the golden era of universal consciousness. The ageless Masters of all faith traditions of the world have left us footprints in the sand. These teachings of the seers and sages are finding new meaning and purpose in the context of our ever-changing and increasingly complex world. These ageless teachings are now leaving the seclusion of the monasteries and entering into the mainstream of life. Mindfulness, stress reduction and meditation are creating a new wave of higher awareness and consciousness. They beckon us to come back to ourselves and take a deep look inside our own minds and hearts, to find that the ultimate source of disruption in the world is within us, that is, in our own mind. We are inimical with our own mind. We surrender to all sorts of negative thoughts and keep fanning them until things go out of our control.

~~Bodhi Shuddhaanandaa