The pitfalls in the practice of mindfulness
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You cannot be purposelessly mindful. Consciousness is anyway very-very burdened. Man’s mind is a storehouse of all kinds of stuff. Man’s mind is already full. You do not want to load it with more sensory objects.
So, when you do look at something, when you do admit something into your mind-space, there must be a strong and valid reason.
In other sense, mindfulness has to be very-very purposeful.
Nobody should be allowed to gain entry into your mind unless the entry serves a clear purpose.
That’s why I talked of the ‘rabbit’ here. I didn’t talk of anything in general. I said, “Look into the eyes of the rabbit.” Now, there is a purpose there, there is a gain there. I am not talking of admitting just anything into your consciousness. I am talking of admitting that which will you insight. Insight about what? Insight about your own situation.
When you will look at the rabbit you will know who you are. The eyes of the rabbit specifically will tell you of your own longing. When you will look at that animal, you will see something that will tell you who you are, and will not allow you as a bonus, to kill and consume the rabbit.
So if there is something that really benefits you with insight, then be mindful of it, then allow it entry into your consciousness.
Otherwise, just being conscious of every little, trivial thing and object that is in you, around you, will leave you nowhere.
There you actually have to be dismissive, regardless, oblivious.
Contemptuously oblivious!
Purposeful, purposeful. You must know why you are looking at something. And the question then is, if you have listened to those videos carefully — “Am I with the Beloved or not?” That is the only question that must constantly occupy your mind-space.
So be mindful of stuff that helps bring back this question to you, and be totally dismissive of other stuff.
Just randomly and purposelessly counting the number of steps that you take from the kitchen to the washroom is no good. It’s a random and dull practice. It will further burden and dull down your mind.