Is Mindfulness Meditation Right for You? | An Excellent Test to Find Out
Mindfulness Meditation
Test for Mindfulness Meditation
The highest form of mindfulness meditation is the awareness of each thought that arises and falls in the mind. This technique has been the method of many enlightened masters in the past and continues to be the technique of choice for those who are inclined towards Insight Meditation, Mind Meditation, Zen Meditation or Gyan Yoga. As revealed in the epic article, Meditation Techniques, Types & Practice – A Comprehensive Guide, there are literally hundreds of meditation techniques and certainly Mindfulness Meditation is amongst one of the very best. The question that does come up though, is how do you know if this type of meditation is right for you?
Test for Mindfulness Meditation Suitability:
Here is a simple, but effective test to help you decide if mindfulness meditation, of the kind indicated above, is something which you are cut out for.
Slowly and consciously count down from 50 to 0 mentally, and then back up from 0 to 50. So mentally start from 50 and work your way down, 50, 49, 48, 47… and when you get to 0, start to work your way up, 0, 1, 2, 3… till you reach 50 again.
If you are able to do this without losing your count and getting pulled into another train of thought then, generally speaking, you have a trained mind and the ability to focus well. This means that mindfulness meditation, which requires such concentration, will certainly be suitable for you. In other words, the technique of watching your thoughts, feelings and actions will come naturally to you and is one you can master in life.
If you have a very hard time with this test, it means that you will have to put in some extra effort in order to practice mindfulness meditation techniques. It does not mean you should not try to develop these important traits of concentration and mental focus, it just means they may not come naturally to you and thus, will require some practice on your part to develop. So mindfulness meditation will be a little more work for you, than for those who already have this power of concentration developed.
If you are interested in developing your power of concentration, then the yogic technique of Trataka will be excellent for you. Here are the details for that meditation: Concentration Meditation Technique – Trataka.
J. Krishnamurti Quote on Mindfulness Meditation:
To give you an idea of how powerful and important such an approach is for enlightenment, here is a quote from the enlightened master meditator J. Krishnamurti about the power of mindfulness meditation and what it can do for you. He uses the term “passive watchfulness” to describe the action of being aware or mindful of every thought and action.
The mind is empty only when thought is not. Thought cannot come to an end save through passive watchfulness of every thought. In this awareness there is no watcher and no censor; without the censor, there is only experiencing. In experiencing there is neither the experiencer nor the experienced. The experienced is the thought, which gives birth to the thinker. Only when the mind is experiencing is there stillness, the silence which is not made up, put together; and only in that tranquility can the real come into being. Reality is not of time and is not measurable.
More Mindfulness Meditation Resources & Links:
Here are some more links to help you develop your ability to watch your mind and thoughts, and develop the power of pure awareness.
Zen Story Regarding Mindfulness Meditation: The True Meaning of Laziness
Zen Meditation Technique with Video Demonstration
How to Meditate By Yourself – Zazen Practice
Beginner’s Mediation Class | Learn to Meditate
Silent Mind Meditation Technique (Advanced Insight Meditation)
thanks for this article. It really helped me sort out if mindfulness meditation is right for me.
It all depends on how your define meditation. If you look at it as a technique, then there are many techniques, but if you look at it as the final state of simply being with “what is”, then there is just one.
Similarly, mindfulness meditation in it’s broadest sense implies being watchful of what you are thinking, doing and feeling. In the “higher” form, where it is being used to watch and comprehend the thinking mind from moment to moment, there it is the same as “silent” meditation on the mind.
Best,
Anmol
Absolutely true what you say regarding the 2 aspects of this concentration test. Simple but effective.
Love the way your blog is shaping up :-D.
Best,
Anmol
Wow, I just had a chance to do the technique and I had great discoveries which I assume almost everyone has when doing this.
First, when counting down, I realized how much counting is habitual, because I kept having an inclination to increment the number instead of subtracting one.
Then when I counted up I realized how my counting up is so automated that I tend to do it with a part of my mind while the rest was attempting to drift away in its own way a few times.
Brilliant exercise!
Hi Anmol,
do you make a difference between “mindful” and “silent” meditation?
And really is there more than 1 kind of meditation?