Dharma Lessons

Mindful Living: A Buddhist Model for Uncertain Pandemic Time

By Thay Thich Minh Thien
Wisdom Garden Buddhist Center
San Jose, California, USA

Introduction

• The Pandemic has created “a perfect storm” with 3 crises – Health, Economic, and Spiritual
• Mindful living - the best solution for the conflicts of survival and sustainability

QUESTIONS

• How can we utilize mindful living as both a solution to help us ease in our lifestyle during this pandemic time, and also help to sustain our well-being ?
• How does this relate to our Lord Buddha’s teachings?
• And why now?

Mindfulness

• A training of mental awareness in a mindful application to living subjects
• Involving both the physical and the mental based on the Buddha’s teaching of the four foundations of mindfulness (Bhikkhu Bodhi, 2000)
• Relevant to basic daily activities, like eating, consuming, doing simple household chores, breathing, etc…

Mindfulness in eating

• Benefits the body and the mind
• More in tune with the body and better in managing the feeling
• Reducing poor eating, or overeating habits due to the shelter-in-place on pandemic time

The model of Mindfulness in eating

• To practice in mindful eating, contemplating the following:
• The availability of food is a gift for living beings through hard work
• We should eat mindfully with gratitude
• Practice eating with moderation, and without greed
• Maintaining our compassion while eating mindfully to reduce the suffering, preserve our planet, and reverse the process of global warming
• We accept this food to nourish our ideal of serving living beings

(Thich Nhat Hanh, 2000)

Mindfulness in consuming

• Economic stability resulted in relentless consumption

(Lebow, 1955)

• power of consumption in relation to vital connections among material objects, and the concepts of status, power, and value
• Wants vs. needs
• Greed is one of the three defilements (greed, aversion, and delusion)

The model on mindfulness in consuming

• Be more mindful on our greed, desires, or cravings
• Practice consuming mindfully to the needs and minimize the wants
• Mindfulness to recognise our worries, fears, and not wants.
• Gain greater peace, joy, contentment, and wisdom

Mindfulness in simple household tasks or daily chores

• Helps to discipline the unruly minds
• Important to improve our way of living
• Helps cope with psychological issues

The model on mindfulness in household tasks or daily chores

• All chores are considered the subjects of mindfulness
• Helps let go of worries, stresses, or psychological concerns
• The silent chanting of “Gathas” practiced by monks and nuns

Mindfulness in breathing

• Has a certain impact on higher-order behaviour and thinking
• One of the most effective way to treat mental disturbances
• Optimizes our attention level and reciprocally
• Becomes more synchronized and balanced

The model on mindfulness in breathing

• Four types of mindful breathing techniques:

1). counting the breath

2). following the breath

3). placing the breath

4). observing and contemplating the breath

• Can be used interchangeably, respectively, or in combination

Values and compassion

• Mindfulness may help to “rediscover and choose values that may be truer for us.” (Shapiro et al., 2006; Carlson, 2013)
• Compassion to be a predictor of psychological health and well-being, while also promoting altruistic behaviour and generosity (Jazaieri et al. 2013)
• Compassion can be taught and learned (Kemeny et al. 2012; Jazaieri et al. 2013; Weng et al. 2013)

Conclusion

• Mindfulness - the last resorts in helping change people’s view from materialistic values to well-being
• If well-being is achieved through the practice of a mindful way of living and less dependent on consumption, and materialistic way of living, we will be less distressed and able to survive this pandemic
• Many studies suggest that mindful way of living will lead to better well-being through practices that promote positive thoughts and behaviours