Mindfulness is the practice of becoming and remaining fully aware of what is being experienced in the present moment, including one’s own thoughts and emotions. By becoming and remaining self aware, one is able to realize greater space between oneself and one’s thoughts and emotions. Thus, no matter what types of thoughts or emotions are present, one is able to remain free from the control of those thoughts and emotions, to remain calm and collected, and to respond to situations in ways that are most helpful.
The practice of mindfulness has become a mainstream element of modern psychology, thanks in large part to the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. The MBSR program started in the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in 1979 and is now offered in over 200 medical centers, hospitals, and clinics around the world, including some of the leading integrative medical centers such as the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine, and the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine.
Over the last 30 years, a large body of evidence has been collected via the MBSR program that clearly demonstrates numerous benefits of the practice of mindfulness. Some of those benefits include:
- Increased self-awareness, self-trust, and self-acceptance
- Enhanced appreciation of life
- Serenity in the face of difficulties
- More accepting attitude toward life and its challenges
- More fluid adaptation to change and development of more effective coping strategies
- Lasting decreases in a variety of stress-related physical symptoms, including chronic pain
- Significant decreases in anxiety and depression
- Improved concentration and creativity
- Improved immune system functioning
Ultimate Warrior Training
The core practice offered by the True Freedom Foundation is a mindfulness-based practice that we call Ultimate Warrior Training. The practice allows us to break free from the pull of our programmed, habitual thoughts and emotions, no matter how strong they are, and to live our lives spontaneously and intentionally. The practice allows us to conquer the greatest enemies of all: fear, anger, greed, and stress. The Ultimate Warrior, one who has realized this freedom from the mind, is invincible, as there simply are no more enemies. Life, regardless of what circumstances we find ourselves in, becomes rich and harmonious – poetry in motion.
Self Awareness
The first step, and the last, in realizing true freedom is to change our perspective ever so slightly and become self aware. The moment we become aware of the mind and body, we transcend our small, limited self: the ego. We are free from the pull of our thoughts and feelings, and the dissatisfaction and stress that arise when the ego is in control. Our hearts and minds open and we begin to touch all the miracles in our life more deeply. Self awareness also allows us to respond to experience based on wise reflection, in ways that benefit both ourselves and others. Our actions and speech become intentional and deeply satisfying.
Wisdom
Every one of us experiences many brief moments of freedom from the pull of our thoughts and feelings. Wisdom allows us to experience more of these moments. By studying our minds and bodies with self awareness we begin to realize that they are constantly changing. We see that there is some separation between our self and our thoughts and emotions, and that whenever there is some space around our thoughts and emotions, we are free from their control. The more deeply we realize the impermanence of our thoughts and emotions, the easier it is to remain self aware and thus experience more moments of complete freedom and satisfaction in life.
Tenets of the Ultimate Warrior
The very foundation of cultivating the wisdom that liberates us from all suffering is the foundation of wise actions and speech. Wise actions and speech are unselfish and take into account the good of both one’s self and others. Such actions and speech are wise because they help us to break free from our habitual tendency to attach to our thoughts and emotions. Selfish actions and speech strengthen our tendency to attach to our thoughts and emotions, causing us to be pulled around by our programmed, habitual reactions to life, resulting in increased dissatisfaction and stress. The Tenets of the Ultimate Warrior are comprised of some helpful guidelines for acting and speaking in ways that are wise. These tenets are taught in our courses, and will be offered in a book called Becoming the Ultimate Warrior.
Bringing It All Together
As we begin to realize that wise, unselfish actions are absolutely essential for our own happiness, a strong aspiration steadily grows within us to act and speak in ways that are kind and helpful. The practice of self awareness allows us to live up to this aspiration by freeing us from the pull of our habitual reactions to life. The wisdom of seeing the impermanence of our thoughts and emotions, which develops as we study our mind and body, allows us to remain self aware during increasingly more moments of our life. Both self awareness and wisdom are dependent upon practicing the Tenets of the Ultimate Warrior, which make it possible for wisdom and the practice of self awareness to help us realize true happiness and freedom in life. Thus, each aspect of the practice of Ultimate Warrior Training is dependent upon the others.