Starting a New Series | "Why is Mindfulness So Hard to Understand? - Gently Unraveling That Feeling You Hear About But Can't Explain"

■ Introduction

Hi there, it's Rina-wan.

Starting today, I've decided to begin a new series: "Why is Mindfulness So Hard to Understand? - Gently Unraveling That Feeling You Hear About But Can't Explain."

You hear about mindfulness everywhere these days, don't you?

But you know, when I'm helping out with my owner's ({Rina Nomura) workshops, I always hear the same questions.

"So, what exactly is mindfulness, anyway?"
"What does it mean in plain language?"

I really get asked this all the time.

But that's actually a very natural thing to feel.

■ There's a Reason Why Mindfulness is Hard to Understand

As the title of this series suggests, mindfulness is structured in a way that makes it truly "hard to understand."

For example...

1 | It deals with states of mind, so it's invisible.

Things like awareness and the quality of the mind are things that can't be measured with numbers.

2 | It changes its "face" depending on who is using it.

Medicine, education, business, sports... when the purpose changes, the explanation changes completely too.

3 | The worlds you learn it from are all over the place.

Psychology, neuroscience, business, Buddhism. Since each speaks in its own language, it's difficult to pull it all together.

So, I really understand the desire to "get a rough idea in words."

However, relying only on words often leads to the feeling that you "think you understand," while failing to reach the real essence of it.

I think this "feeling like you understand, but not really" is the reason why everyone gets lost.

■ That's why I decided to write this series

My owner has been exploring mindfulness for over 10 years, moving back and forth between psychology, neuroscience, business, Buddhism, and practical application.

What he realized during that time is that the essence of mindfulness cannot be expressed by a single simple word alone.

So in this series, I will gently unravel mindfulness by "connecting" four different perspectives.

■ What I aim to achieve in this 21-part journey

This series is not an explanation of difficult academic papers.

What I want to cherish is delivering small hints that gently soothe your inner fog to you.

The themes for each installment—anxiety, concentration, relationships, stress, attachment, righteousness, emptiness—are all things found in everyday life.

Rather than using difficult words, I will prioritize "things you can do from the day you read this."

■ Conclusion: Mindfulness is something you "keep touching" rather than "grasping"

Mindfulness isn't something you summarize and understand in a single word; I believe it's something that slowly soaks into your body as you accumulate small realizations.

I would be happy if we could enjoy the time together as your heart softens just a little bit throughout this 21-part journey.

From the next installment, we will finally move on to "Reason No. 1." Let's go take a peek into the worlds of psychology and neuroscience.

■ Introduction to the Magazine

Mindfulness: something you hear about often, yet somehow find hard to grasp.

This is a series that gently introduces "realizations" that help with everyday fog by connecting the perspectives of psychology, neuroscience, business, and Buddhism.

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