What exactly is mindfulness?  What are the qualities and characteristics that makeup mindfulness?  In this week's talk, MOI teacher Johnathan Woodside explains the spiritual faculty of mindfulness.  He defines it as present-centered awareness free from wanting our experience to be different than it is.  Mindful awareness is knowing what is happening as it's happening.  It's about connecting to our direct experience instead of getting lost in the stories of the mind.  Johnathan emphasizes the importance of how we relate to things and asks if we can find freedom in those relationships.  It's easy to be overwhelmed by ingrained habit patterns of greed and aversion.  But by simply being mindful of the direct experience, by seeing greed and aversion clearly, we can become free from their grip.  It's not always easy, but with patience and perseverance, we can find freedom.  We can know a mind full of awareness, peace, and contentment.  

If you feel inspired by these teachings, and wish to practice generosity, please consider supporting MOI and its teachers by visiting, https://mindfulnessoutreachinitiative.org/generosity/