The yoke and burden of mindfulness

The Yoke and Burden of Mindfulness

“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (NRSV, Matthew 11:30) 

Often, we think spiritual practice is more complicated than it really is.  Or we make it more complicated in our heads to justify not trying it or not staying with it. 

What is mindfulness?  Jon Kabat-Zin is quoted in a Positive Psychology article as offering this: “The awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally”   (https://positivepsychology.com/what-is-mindfulness/)

The opening quote is from the Christian New Testament so am I saying that Jesus advocated mindfulness?  Well, let’s play with that a moment. Jesus talked quite a bit about paying attention, looking for those who had “eyes to see and ears to hear”, which clearly wasn’t everyone.  He also admonished those around him not to judge.  He said there was more to life than the appearances available to our five senses.  Mindfulness is not tied to any religion and for that reason is usually taught as a secular practice.  This does not mean that if our practice is grounded in a spiritual foundation, we can’t build mindfulness into our spiritual practice. 

A yoke can be the yellow of an egg and it can be a tool to keep two animals working together.  While the animals may chaff at the restriction of the yoke, by working together, in alignment, the task is shared and becomes easier.  For me, aligning myself or yoking myself to mindfulness, is simply the practice of reminding myself throughout the day that I am more than my emotions and more than what is happening in my life.  Although I can’t control what other people do or the events that unfold during the day, like traffic or weather, I can always control the thoughts I hold onto.  I can remind myself that in the midst of chaos, there is a peaceful center deep inside my mind.  I do not always go there or I’m not always able to get there, yet I know the peace is always there. 

In the midst of pain or “dis-ease”, in the midst of depression or uncertainty, without judging that human condition, I can notice it and choose to invite my mind to seek out places in my body and my life doing well.  Gratitude can lighten the load of sorrow as I inventory the comfort I sit in, the food available, the flowers on my patio, the delightful way my heart keeps beating.  I have to be “on purpose” to direct my thoughts in specific ways.  I have to bring my conscious awareness to a directed focus rather than let my mind wander in unconscious ways down a familiar rut of suffering by comparison and judging my human condition.  There is some effort to stay in the yoke and then I notice the weight lightening.  From a spiritual perspective, I can add the awareness of the endlessly creative “Radical Wholeness” within me that arises knowing I am created in the image and likeness of the divine. 

Not broken or left out.  I direct my awareness to the web of energy I am a part of, physically in this moment and eternally, in every moment.  The barrier of my body thins as time becomes less relevant and the now expands.

Try on the yoke of mindfulness and see if it lightens your burden.  Image description: a yellow-orangish sunflower with a brown center against the background of green tree and bright blue sky. The rough and prickly stem has two leaves and a bud.