569: The Proper Mindfulness by Miranda Oct 4 25

Proper Mindfulness 

Proper mindfulness, the seventh step of the Noble Eightfold Path, belongs to the category of mental discipline, along with proper effort and proper concentration. In everyday language, mindfulness, as defined by Webster’s dictionary, means “the quality of being mindful, bearing in mind; aware.” In this sense, it refers to attentiveness, keeping something in mind so that we can be discerning and make sound decisions.

By contrast, proper mindfulness within the Buddhist tradition points to something deeper: the practice of being fully present with whatever is arising right now. More than that, it means being present without judgment, without clinging, and without pushing away. It’s the bare recognition of what’s here. For example, I might notice worry. If I notice it with aversion: “I don’t want this worry,” that’s not proper mindfulness. Proper mindfulness is simply seeing: “Ah, worry is here.”

This practice rests on the first step of the path: proper view. Without proper view, mindfulness has no foundation because it lacks wisdom. Proper view means seeing things as they really are: that everything is changing, that suffering comes from clinging to what changes, and that freedom from suffering is possible.

The Buddha described four foundations for cultivating this kind of mindfulness:

1. Mindfulness of the body: This is often the easiest place to begin. We don’t need special concentration to notice the body. We can be aware of our breathing, our posture, movement,  and activities like eating, walking, bathing, etc. The body becomes our anchor, a steady reminder to return to this moment.
2. Mindfulness of feeling tones: Every experience carries one of three tones: pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. Pleasant feelings often lead us to clinging, unpleasant ones lead to resistance, and neutral ones usually go unnoticed. Mindfulness means observing these tones directly. When something pleasant arises, we notice the pull. When something unpleasant arises, we notice the push. And when things are neutral, which is most of the time, we begin to notice that too. This practice opens the door to equanimity: a balanced mind that doesn’t chase or reject anything.
3. Mindfulness of the mind itself: Here we simply notice the quality of our mental state. Is the mind calm or restless? Joyful or angry? Clear or confused? Just acknowledging: “restlessness is present” or “fear is here,” creates space between us and the emotion. In that space, wisdom grows.
4. Mindfulness of mental objects: This means noticing the recurring patterns that shape our experience. We might see desire pulling at us, resentment pushing something away, or restlessness keeping us agitated. It also means being mindful of thoughts themselves, observing them arise and pass without getting lost in their stories. In addition, mindfulness of mental objects includes reflecting on the core teachings, like the Four Noble Truths or the Eightfold Path, and noticing how they play out in our daily lives.

The Buddha summed it up simply: all phenomena arise through the six sense bases and their objects: eye and forms, ear and sounds, nose and smells, tongue and tastes, body and touch, mind and mental objects. If we are mindful of what arises in these six domains, then we are practising properly.

In the end, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness are the Buddha’s direct path to freedom. They teach us to be present with life as it is, to see clearly, and to let go of our habitual reactions. Every moment of true mindfulness is already a step towards freedom.