I have recently been reading about Buddhism and the concept of mindfulness. The author mentions always being aware of all of the stimuli around you (breathing, footsteps, etc) and all of the little things we normally do on “autopilot”.
This seems like a great practice and I can understand its appeal. Yet, previous to this I was reading about Taoism in Chuang-Tzu. There, he mentioned the centipede speaking with the walrus. The walrus asks the centipede how he handles so many legs. The centipede responds that he doesn’t try to think about it, but lets it flow naturally. If he actually stopped to think about it, he’d trip.
This sort of automatic “flow” as it might be called, also seems to me to be an approach with good potential and application.
But how can I reconcile these two concepts, which seem directly at odds with one another? I know they both come from different traditions, but might there be some philosophy by which we can know when mindfulness is proper and when flow is proper? Both of these traditions seem to be encouraging them exclusively, but this doesn’t seem like truth to me.
I’m pretty sure that the concept of “no mind” that can lead to “flow,” as all anxiety will be removed from the action can go along with the mindfull idea.
One goal is to stop thinking and planning stuff in your mind. That places your desires on top of what is really going on and creates an illusion out of life. So, if we instead think about our feet and breathing we are distracted from all other thoughts. Then you are doing and not planning. That is kind of like the “no-mind” state that is a Zen ideal.
Here is my interpetation:
The former – mindfullness – expands consciousness towards external stimuli, whereas the latter – no mind – may be used in conjunction with mindfullness if it is directed towards oneself.
Consider playing a sport like soccer. All concentration is placed upon what is going on externally, where all the players are, the velocity of the ball, wind, etc.; yet no concentration should be placed upon one’s own movements – they should be natural; which is to say, they should be preformed unconsciously, by virtue of already being pre-programed through practice and training.
If one’s mind is absorbed by external phenomena, then it seems the two concepts can fit quite well into one another – almost yin yangish if you ask me.
by all means you can be mindfull of external stimuli and still be on the perceived “auto-pilot” and still no disrupt you’re “flow”.
like the buddist act of annapana where the person trys to control breathing, but control the normal functions. basically trying to be as Normal as possible, while still being mindful.
A drummer need to let his skills go on “auto-pilot” but need to listen to every detail in what the others are playing. He must not stop to think how he should move every mustle in his body to do get just that right bridge going, but need to stay tuned with the rest of the band.
When I go for walks I tend to shift focus both from external stimuli to internal thoughs and just feeling the wind blowing while my mind wanders, and then back again.
I think a litle bit of everything is good, but not all at once.
In esoteric Christianity Man is considered dual natured. The automatic flow is an aspect of our lower selves. We deny it through our own unwarranted fears and imagination Consciousness originating from “above” Man begins with certain exceptions as self awareness and is the beginning of our higher nature. These two natures have the potential to become reconciled. This reconciliation of these two natures is the gradual development of the human soul through re-birth
It is hard to suggest reading since people can be attracted from several directions. One thing though is the idea of cosmology. The cosmological perspective is what allows it to take shape. Read the first chapter of Jacob Needleman’s “Sense of the Cosmos,” “The Universe” reproduced on the following site:
If this intrigues you and you’d like to go deeper, send me a P M and I can introduce you to readings from some spiritual and brilliant minds that have allowed me to appreciate human purpose while uniting science and religion in my understanding.
So, I’m seeing, looking over everything here (as well as responses in some other forums I placed this question on), that it seems the responses are boiling down to two general lines of thought on this question…
Mindfulness and nomind/flow are really two parts of the same process and not opposite. You must be mindful, and this then allows you to achieve flow.
-OR-
These two practices are different, and perhaps even opposite, but they are useful at different times and in different circumstances. Sometimes mindfulness is proper and sometimes nomind/flow is proper.
1 and 2 do not seem to be compatible answers to my question, yet each seem like possibilities. The problem with 1 is that is seems a little bit like a forced hodgepodge. The problem with 2 is that it seems to contradict what seems to be a Buddhist notion that we should ALWAYS be mindful.
once again, if we are caught up in our our mental world we are tied to illusion. That means that you can’t achieve no-mind and that you can’t be truely objective. This is why some Buddhists will say a prayer over and over. They are trying to block out thought.
Focusing on what you are doing makes you into an almost external observer rather than an internal one. So, the thought process in taken over by the mundane.
I’ve heard arguments that Zen ‘no mind’ is actually a fusion of mindfullness and flow, and I’m inclined to agree, as they really are two sides of the same coin.
Mindfulness is not only being aware of your surrondings and actions, but also not being aware of your awareness, which is where the Tao comes in. In the martial arts, which are profoundly influenced in Zen thought, all blocks, attacks, and counters should be completly automatic, without any sort of concious descion being made. Ideally you are completely adaptable, flowing with your opponent and with the Tao. However this doesn’t mean you don’t know what’s going on or what your doing, and that is where mindfulness comes in. Indeed, there is an very large amount of strategy–some planned, some on the fly–in a bout between two experienced martial artists, but the nitty gritty bits are taking care of automatically.
Use of a weapon further accents the concept. When using a weapon like nunchucks or a three sectional staff (two pieces of wood attached by chains) there is a serious danger to yourself if you aren’t paying attention. However with practice the weapon becomes an extension of yourself, and you are able to tell exactly where it is without having to look at it or even think about it. Mindfullness without mind once again.
That’s all for me right now, it’s a complex subject that I don’t claim to even halfway understand.
Let me break down the problem that you seem to be struggling with.
Humans, have instinct, as well as cognition, and the ability to choose, or make concious decisions. So, when at all possible, it is best to try to avoid making concious decisions, and relying on intution, or going with the flow of nature. However, during some situations it is going to be inevitable that we cannot just sit back with the flow, because we have the concious ability to know when a problem needs intervention. The circumstances of these situations where concious intervention is needed, however, is usually due to the lack of going with the flow, either by you, or someone else.
So, whenever possible, rely on the flow, and when absolutely necessary, relying on intellect, or measurement. Make sense?
I think it’s more of a balancing act, because most people wrongly interpret buddhism and taoism in the “No mind” sense. They think that no mind, means just being complacent and not doing anything. The call for no mind, is simply a means of balancing out the over emphasis of intellect, not overthrowing it completely.
Aww i totally dig the taoism… I live life by it now.
Taoism in my opinion is just about the appreciation of just being.
Walk down the street and appreciate everything.
It was about 3 degrees C the other day, it was raining and i was walking home soaking wet and cold to the bone. Still beautiful isnt it?
I suggest reading the Tao of Pooh (as in winnie the pooh)
really cool take on the taoist philosophy.
I’ve learned to appreciate everything in life from it.
