How Mindfulness Literally Saved A Life

The Power Of Doing Nothing

We all have read a poem or story or heard a speech that moved us in some way. Sometimes these words are so moving and life altering that they help us to adjust course along our life's path.

We often do not understand the power of our words. Some people do and use this realization for either personal gain or for the benefit of others. It is also important to realize that you do not need to be in a position of power to have this effect on people too. It could be a small post on social media, a kind word to a stranger passing by, that impacts a persons life.

To my knowledge I have never been that person who had positively impacted another's life in such a way. It was not until the other day when I had a very humbling conversation with one of my practitioners who passed on a conversation they had had with another fellow practitioner.

It was related to me that this person had accidently stumbled on our Sangha and thought what the heck, I'll give mindfulness meditation a try.

It turns out this fortunate encounter saved their life, literally. There was a lot going on in this persons life and they were at an impasse. But the practice of sitting and 'doing nothing', connecting with themselves and the world around them, and relearning all that they had been taught in the past changed their perspective for the better.

Mindfulness allowed them to change their perspective from one that had a catastrophic outcome to one that was more subdued and then eventually to one of balance. Perspective is an important consideration when analyzing a situation. Most often we view circumstances in the most catastrophic manner possible. And more realistically it is not typically a viable outcome.

People often tend to dwell on a situation, playing it forwards and backwards, constructing 'what if's' that too will never come to fruition all in the name of 'covering their bases'. When we look back at many of these events in our own lives we see that they very seldom happen and if they do it is no where near as bad as we play in our minds.

All in all, you are still here and you have overcome what ever the circumstance was.

The situation they were currently dealing with did not change. However their perspective, or view, as a direct result of sitting mindfully, connecting with themselves to achieve calmness of this circumstance did. And that is one of the many results of mindfulness.

One person can make a difference and that person can easily be you. Everyone you meet, even for the briefest of moments, whether it is at the grocery store, the cashier at a restaurant, the cart collector at a retail store, is an opportunity for you to help someone.

Many people are fighting internal battles which we will never know and part of being a mindfulness practitioner is helping people ease their suffering.

Be kind. Be considerate. Be empathetic. You never know what someone else is going through.

I wish you all peace and ease.

Vladimir

Blue Lotus Mindfulness and Meditation Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization.