Recent research indicates that mindfulness meditation can aid individuals in improving their problem-solving skills. Although mindfulness involves consistent daily effort and practice, it can provide invaluable relief to anyone feeling overwhelmed by emotions. Simply observe thoughts, feelings and other present moment experiences without judgment or reaction and become mindful in the present moment - this type of approach also promotes developing what's called "beginner's mind", where you let go of biases from past experience and look at problems as opportunities rather than obstacles to solve them.
Meditation practitioners commonly report spiritual development, yet remain uncertain of its exact definition. Some mistake spirituality for religion; however, spirituality actually involves aligning your mental, physical, emotional worlds in order to find more meaning and purpose in your life. Spirituality helps identify what brings joy, lights up our souls, and makes us feel connected with something greater than ourselves.
Eastern spiritual traditions employ mindfulness as a way of awakening ourselves to life's reality, including its suffering. According to these teachings, although suffering cannot be avoided it can still be transformed. Yet mindfulness has been co-opted as an oversold therapeutic technique with false promises in Western societies; mindfulness becomes another tool used by neoliberalism rather than used as a weapon against its harmful conditions.
This path can be dangerous as it gives us the illusion of change without actually altering any behaviors, further strengthening forces that keep us trapped in suffering and ignorance.
