There is nothing mysterious, nothing revealed , nothing tricky about mindfulness. It is perfectly natural. More important, because it is based on the natural order of things, it works. The mind is allowed to do its natural work and the tension of life relaxes. The tightness of life lets go. Natural energy flows.
Mindfulness and the pursuit of the middle way cultivates non-attachment, non-clinging, and non-aversion. It is the way of release and freedom. Mindful practice reduces tension, fear, anxiety and suffering. Mindfulness recognizes and releases natural intelligence. I don’t need supernatural inspiration or secret tricks. I just have to wake up and pay attention. The intelligence is revealed naturally.
Gods and Goddesses may be standing by and witnessing what I do, but they do not need to intervene. In fact, an intervention would disrupt, disturb nature and go against the order of things. Mindfulness relies on the innate energy and true nature of humans. It allows my energy to flow and move to natural consequences.
Mindfulness relies on no promise of future happiness or relief. In a strange way, the promise of future reward would create a tension and be a repeating source of suffering right now. Waiting is frustrating. I want it, I can’t have it yet, I want it and it is nowhere to be seen. Pie in the sky is worse than no pie at all.
Joy and freedom result from mindfulness right now. A good life naturally can bring passing joy and happiness. A generous person experiences the joy of giving while they are being generous. But then the joy is gone.
Mindfulness avoids the discontinuity. It is a different way of experiencing and interacting with the world. It is what naturally happens in an attentive mind. It does not rely on the satisfaction of good acts, even while that joy is present in good acts. Every act and every experience becomes a neutral action. Action is neither good or bad, but it is the mindful awareness that makes it joyful.
That does not mean that every act is without harmful consequences. However, the consequences of mindful actions taken with discernment, based on the natural intelligence in human energy, are likely to be beneficial. Done mindfully, even actions that have negative consequences, can be a source of learning and discernment.
Harm is much less likely to occur from intentional, mindful acts. By knowing the nature of what I am doing, by mindful attentiveness, I am less likely to cause harm. My natural human energy and skill in understanding it makes it possible for me to act in an appropriately human way.
For me, this especially means learning the skill of using my mind in a natural way, free of the distortions and constraints I have placed on it. I aspire to become more skilled in acting with loving kindness because it is the natural way.
There’s nothing special about this. It is simply the pragmatism of natural consequences, guided by a skillful mind.