MINDFULNESS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE 1
Mindfulness for Social Change
Fabiola Taylor
Governor’s State University
Running head: MINDFULNESS FOR SOCIAL CHANGE 2
Mindfulness for Social Change
Mindfulness is defined as the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.
The practice of mindfulness can help us achieve awareness in ourselves and the world around us.
Mindfulness can help each individual in so many ways, but the real question is “How can
mindfulness be an important practice for social change?” It all begins with mindfulness; with us.
In the video “Tich Nhat Hanh Living Mindfully”, Oprah and Tich Nhat Hanh discuss
mindfulness and how the practice can instill change, or transformation as he liked to call it, in so
many aspects, mainly starting with ourselves. Often times, our beginner’s mind, or deepest
desire, can impede us from achieving true happiness and awareness. Tich Nhat Hanh describes
that the greatest miracle is to be alive. Many people do not always realize this. So many people
are too busy getting through each day that they forget to live each day. Surviving and living are
two completely different things. With mindfulness practice, it is possible to live in the present
moment and to be happy in the here and now.
“If you are fully present in the here and now, you only need to make a step or take a
breath in order to enter the kingdom of God”, said Tich Nhat Hanh. True happiness is possible in
the here and now. With mindfulness meditation practices, we are able to get to the here and now.
