Let’s clear common misconceptions about mindfulness.
1. Mindfulness is not “clearing your windshield,” it is a rear-view mirror.
You can familiarize yourself with smoke — see the results of your mind’s inner workings (fires).
Clearing the smoke requires putting out fires. Reframing the root causes and doing other practices. Mindfulness alone will not do that for you.
2. Mindfulness does not let you “see the reality”
Well, not today.
What you get is a minor reduction of emotional symptoms. Not the removal of the decades of accumulated biases and misconceptions. The actual distortions that prevent you from seeing things as they really are.
You keep your focus on a chosen object of meditation. Follow your breath, and concentrate on some mental image or concept. Stop the thoughts when you become aware of them, and revert your attention to the object. Emotions are prevented from maturing, and you experience a relaxation effect.
But as soon as your mind touches any trigger — the biases and misconceptions are reignited. Even if emotional symptoms have not yet unfolded.
The clarity is based on the absence of biases and misconceptions that distort your perception. You gradually approach “reality” as you clear these distortions. Remove the causes.
3. Noticing an emotion is enough
Merely noticing an emotion does not free you from its influence. You may get a bit more centering and act with consideration. But your perception and responses are still impacted by the causes of the emotion. Obsolete beliefs, misconceptions, etc.
An exception:
a systems outlook “lens” may indeed dissolve residual reactions. It can happen during mindfulness meditation too. You look at thoughts and emotions from an established objective perspective. The mind discovers there are no causes to support them. The underlying views that form your perception of the situation are based on compassion.
Essentially, it is spontaneous reframing.
4. The trap of nihilistic “just let it go, it is just a thought, an illusion.”
It is a thought, and it is created by the “virtual reality” of your mind.
However, this illusion is persistent, and heavy — since it is supported by the root causes.
Nihilism denies these root causes exist. But you are still getting triggered, even after reminding yourself “nothing exists.” If “everything is an illusion,” there are no causes for destructive reactions.
“The fire” of the root causes that produced this thought or emotion (“the smoke”) is still there. Just letting go of the smoke does not fix anything.
5. There is no “non-judgmental awareness” in this very intentional practice.
Of course, you can play “non-engagement with thoughts,” which in reality is chasing your judgments and stopping the mind halfway.
Any thought or emotion still activates your web of triggers. New thoughts pop up. The only question is at what stage of the chain of reactions you will notice them. And bring the focus back to the object of meditation.
6. Tactical mindfulness
Your explicit “whys” and hidden agendas can make or break your practice of mindfulness.
“Tactical” mindfulness that serves egocentric motivations may work as a temporary distraction for the “meditation game.” Still, it will undermine your progress. Reinforce the very egocentric beliefs you are trying to change.
So a safety check is recommended – are you serving your unintentional agendas, or your true values and aspirations?