How To Teach Mindfulness

I just discovered something interesting about teaching mindfulness.

You don’t really need to teach it for people to learn it.

You could just model it.

You could just practice for your own sake and be confident that the world will be a better place because of it.

You could keep your mouth quiet, even when you are tempted to enlighten others.

As I was trying to guide a friend of mine to be a more mindful person this week, I realized that instead of helping her, I ended up hurting her.  She felt judged and could not hear the message I was trying to relay to her.

I had an opportunity to practice mindfulness, but I lost it.

The opportunity was not in the conversation that was had, but the conversation that was not had.

It was the opportunity for me to practice being mindful around her.

So, if you are a teacher of mindfulness, seeking to be one, or just want to make the world a better place with your efforts in being more mindful – May I make a suggestion?

Don’t teach unless you’re a faithful practitioner.

And then and only then, consider “spreading the light”.