Mindful

What is man that you should be mindful of him?

 - From Psalm 8

Last fall, in 2018, I unexpectedly learned that the word "mindfulness" had become a thing. It has a lot to do with being reflective and purposeful . . . choosing your responses to things. Not letting your temper rule you. Not being pushed around by others, or being subject to any forces not under your own control.

You can, of course, be required to obey the law, to accept punishment when you break it. We all may be terminated from our job, by someone else, if we establish a record of failing to perform up to expectations. But if we're mindful, we do not let the experience of being fired, or receiving a speeding ticket, ruin our days, or cause us to mistreat others.

When you're mindful, you breathe deeply, a lot. You do yoga, and center yourself around your "core." You read deep thoughts. You think about others and how you may make their days better. You deliberately make yourself a contributor to goodness.

I think that, in a way, mindfulness is intended as an "anti-bullying" force. This is because, you can go through the normal routine, in organizations that are into mindfulness, and hear the word "bully" bandied about equally.

But mindfulness seems, actually, to be just the Millennials' version of The Golden Rule. The Christian ethic was to serve others. To put others first. But this principle did not square with the yearning of the Present Age, to "be yourself." We abhor the thought of being a servant, even though Christ said it is what we should do. Mindfulness is different than The Seven Habits, The Road Less Traveled, Emotional Intelligence, and the Beatitudes, in that it basically says "I'm going to do whatever I want. And so that I may be permitted to do or be whatever I wish, I need you to adopt the practice of being mindful. None of us will serve the other. None of us will treat others better than ourselves. We will simply not care what others think, or need, and call it being mindful."

It does not go as deeply as similar actualizing movements in the past; but has retooled them for a modern audience that does not want to be troubled.

There is a mindfulness that really mattered to humanity - - - the fact that God is mindful of us. He put us first. He modeled servanthood. He lay down His life for His sheep. And that is the essence of High Level mindfulness.

Mindfulness 2019 says "Pay attention to what you're thinking."

But sees that, and raises it a "Pay attention to what others need. And be that for them." And this is a mindfulness that actually requires sacrifice, and maybe, pain.

It's also the mindfulness that really does elevate us, almost to the status of angels.