Mindfulness is a word that always comes up when reading explanatory manuals or books about meditation or yoga.

This corresponds to the word “sati” in the Buddha’s meditation method. The English translation of the Pali commentary is as follows.

memory, recognition, consciousness, intentness of mind, wakefulness of mind, mindfulness alertness, lucidity of mind, self — possession, conscience self — consciousness

You can get anything feels for each word, but do you know how to actually use them?

Actually, when I first heard the words “mindfulness” or “awareness” at a meditation center, I had no idea what they meant. In fact, even when I looked up this word in a dictionary, I couldn’t figure out what it meant, and I had never seen such a word come up in everyday conversation or even in books.

Isn’t that why there are many meditators who are unable to understand this mindfulness technique properly?

In conclusion, the word “mindfulness” is “sati” as mentioned earlier.
This “sati” is the most important point in the practice of meditation and is the origin of the method.
Specifically, it will be like this.

“To focus and concentrate on the object of meditation.”

This is “sati“, the mindfulness you have been told about.
So, how do you “focus and concentrate on the object of meditation”?

For example, try concentrating on your breathing.

breathing in
breathing out
taking short breath in
taking short breath out
taking long breath in
taking long breath out
I breathe in feeling it with my whole body.
I breathe out feeling it with my whole body
 (MN10 Kayanupassana-Anapana bappam)

This constant, uninterrupted focus on your breathing eliminates delusions.

This is “sati“.