Sunday Thoughts: Mindfulness - modern fad or God's design?

'Be still and know that I am God' (Psalm 46:10)

Mindfulness is all the rage at the moment.  There are numerous styles, practises and resources available, from guided meditation to applying mindfulness to every day activities such as eating or walking.  I was prompted to think about mindfulness this week as it's a topic discussed on the Hope in Depression course, for which I am a facilitator on a course being run at the moment.  We have a wonderful mindfulness expert who speaks on the course and every time I hear her speak on the subject, my thoughts fly to what this practice tells about the way God made us, and the way we are designed to live, be, and experience & worship him.

There are, of course, many ways in which mindfulness could be practised.  Indeed, there are even many ways it could be defined.  I'm sure there are many ways which the practice of mindfulness could be distorted and not reflect even the common grace of God.  Even the term mindfulness could be interpreted as an overemphasis on the self.  But I am not here to talk about that.  Where does the fashionable practice we package up as 'mindfulness' triangulate with God's design?

To my understanding, what we call mindfulness is about consciously being in the present.  In a large part, this is about noticing the world around us - using all our senses.  A common mindfulness exercise involves taking a small piece of food such as a raisin and looking at it, smelling it, noticing it, and then as you eat it, taking notice of all the sensations you have.  Closely related is the technique of grounding, which is commonly advised to help relieve a panic attack or intense feelings of anxiety. You've probably heard it: you look around and find 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, and one thing you can taste.

And why is noticing the world through our external senses so important?  Because by bringing us into the present, it calms our thoughts.  Our brains can feel like a whirlwind, as we scurry down rabbit holes and drift off into other thoughts.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it is hard to feel grounded with thoughts alone.  In mindfulness we are encouraged not to follow thoughts that pop into our heads, but just to acknowledge them gently and let them float away.  (This not to say we should never follow those thoughts - it applies generally to the time of meditation, although it is useful technique to apply with anxious or unhelpful thoughts).  In order to quieten and still our thoughts we need our other senses to help us - sight, touch, sound - because we are made with bodies!

Our bodies are there for a reason - they are how we experience the world.  This is a very Christian view of the world - we are not spirits trapped in a corporeal realm, as some philosophies would say, nor is the physical world spiritual itself as pantheism would propose - we are physical beings given life by the breath of God (Genesis 2:7).  Our bodies are wonderfully made (Psalm 139) and we use them to worship God.  

But the central focus of mindfulness is not the things we sense around us, but the grounding of ourselves and thoughts in the present that results.  And for the Christian, as opposed to someone just using mindfulness for its neurological benefits (which in themselves are real and valid), this is about centring our hearts on God. 

Firstly, consciously noticing the world around us reminds us of both God's majesty and providence, causing us to respond in awe and wonder.  Take, for example, the words of Isaiah:

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. (Isaiah 40:26).

Or Paul, responding to those taught that we should treat our bodies harshly and abstain from food in the name of purity: 

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer. (2 Timothy 4:4-5)

Adapting to a fallen and dangerous world means that our brains are hard-wired to notice the negative things - the things that are likely to lead us into danger.  We have to be noticing and conscious in order to really notice the things that we can be grateful for, and even secular neuroscience extolls the virtues of daily gratitude on our mental health.

And what of being brought to the present?  Our thoughts may take us to the past or the future.  They may dwell on what we have done wrong in the past, or worry about what will happen in the future.  The bible says:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)

and

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Unless we stop and sit at the feet of Jesus, it is so easy to get swept up in the plans we make, the things we want to do - even if these are good things.  We have to stop and remember that he alone is sufficient, that we are accepted by him, that nothing we do can change that, and that he is in control.  It means, in that moment, not looking to the past or present, not trying to do anything.  Sometimes the greatest act of faith is to stop.

It may just be my experience, particularly forged in university mission which by its nature is very cognisant of intellectual experience, but it seems there is a scepticism for collective spiritual ritual - using certain words, sounds or activities to aid our worship, and doing this collectively.  For those both inside and outside the church, it speaks of uniformity and conformity, and many Christians also rightly fear that people may place their rituals ahead of God, or impart some spiritual meaning into them that isn't there.  I'm sure there has been many an argument over liturgy, order of service or any other aspect of collective worship as focus on these rather than on God.

But what did God give us to remember us by?  In some ways, it's a corporate mindfulness exercise!  When we take communion, we taste the bread (or wafer, as is usually the case!) and wine (Luke 22:19-20).  The using of our senses brings our minds back to the present from whatever distracting thoughts they've wandered off on.  And as we taste, smell and feel the textures with our tongues, we can bring to mind the night of the last supper - Jesus with his disciples preparing to go and meet his death.  We can be reminded of the fact that it is Jesus who gives us nourishment (bread) and cleanses us (wine/alcohol).  

And as we go about our day, we can use the practise we call mindfulness to notice the blessings God has given us, and to give him thanks.  As we walk along, feel the sun on our backs, the wind on our faces, or the rain on our heads, hear the birds and the sound of our feet on the path, feel our muscles moving and heart pumping, and see the glory of creation - from the glory of the sun to the smallest of leaves, birds or insects, we can praise him for everything that he has made.  

And we can use our senses to help us to pray cries of help and longing for God's restoration in the world as well.  I was once at a prayer meeting with various interactive 'stations' and the theme for that month was for persecuted brothers and sisters in other parts of the world.  One of the activities was to 'worship like a North Korean'.  We had to go into a darkened room, share communion (a biscuit) and sing silently together.  We can notice the feelings of pain or anxiety in our bodies as face our own troubles or empathise with those of others, and bring them to God - acknowledging that he is in control.

Mindfulness as a term may be new and fashionable, but some of things it draws upon have always been there - it is how we are made to worship.