The Habit of Mindfulness

When was the last time something trivial managed to ruin your day? Maybe it was a snub from a colleague, someone cutting you off in traffic, or a careless remark from your spouse. Think about how you reacted — perhaps you were pissed off or even on the verge of tears. How long were you thrown off for?

For thousands of years people have grappled with how to lead a happier life. It has been addressed by almost every school of theology and philosophy. And schools of thought that developed in complete isolation — such as Buddhism and Stoicism — arrived at almost identical conclusions. You can improve your life by controlling your emotions.

You are the master of your own happiness because you control your own mind. You, and only you, dictate the thoughts that come and go. And the practice of mindfulness was developed to help you control your mind.

There is nothing hokey about mindfulness. It is a simple state of clear, non judgemental, and undistracted attention to the contents of consciousness. Cultivating this habit has been shown to reduce pain, anxiety, and depression. It also improves cognition. The teachings of the Buddha, which I have curated for you, are an empirical guide to freeing the mind from suffering. They are based in experience, and validated by modern science.

People have been meditating since 7,000 BCE. Buddha discovered his path to enlightenment some 2,500 years ago, and spent his life spreading this teaching to help people influence their subconscious and lead a better life through better thought.

Your subconscious mind is like a fertile plot of land. Weeds will run rampant if you don’t cultivate it. But cultivation takes work. Luckily Buddha laid out a framework that has survived the centuries. The Habit of Mindfulness was designed to guide you through Buddha’s framework for mindfulness. This book was designed for you. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced meditator, these exercises will help introduce you to the philosophy of mindfulness deepen your practice.

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Sean O’Connor is the author of The Habit of Mindfulness and The Art of Stoic Perception.