Wise Mindfulness and Wise Concentration
“The moment one gives close attention to anything,
even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome,
and indescribably magnificent world in itself.”
-Henry Miller
Hello, Everyone!
I hope that you’re all enjoying the beauty and new life of spring, employing the mindful use of all of your senses to fully experience the vast wonders of Mother Nature.
In the biweekly, online dharma talk and guided meditation classes that I facilitate (please join us if you’re interested in learning more about Buddhist psychology and practicing in community), this month we finished our journey along the Noble Eightfold Path with Wise Mindfulness and Wise Concentration. If you’re just joining the newsletter or want to revisit what we’ve covered, all past newsletters are live on the blog. And, here’s a brief recap.
The Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path
At the heart of Buddhism are the Four Noble Truths, in which the Buddha offers a compassionate framework for understanding and transforming suffering. First, we recognize that suffering (dukkha) is an inherent part of life. Second, we see that suffering arises from craving, clinging and aversion. Third, we understand that there is a path to the end of suffering. Finally, the fourth truth offers us that path. The Noble Eightfold Path provides us with a wise and ethical guide to living with greater freedom, presence and compassion.
Over past months, we’ve explored the first six aspects of the path:
Wise View: The understanding that our actions and perceptions shape our experience.
Wise Intention: A commitment to kindness, non-harming and only taking what we need.
Wise Speech: Practicing honesty and speaking with care.
Wise Action: Living in a way that supports integrity and wellbeing.
Wise Livelihood: Choosing work that aligns with our values.
Wise Effort: Cultivating wholesome qualities and gently letting go of what causes harm.
Now, as we turn toward the final two elements—Wise Mindfulness and Wise Concentration—we arrive at the heart of contemplative practice. These qualities support a deep and steady awareness, allowing us to stay present, respond with clarity, and meet each moment with compassion.
Wise Mindfulness
Simply put, mindfulness means awareness. But not just any awareness. It’s the kind that invites us to become deeply present with what is here, now. As well as to expand our attention to include not only the world around us—what we see, hear, smell, touch, and taste—but also our inner landscape and the ever-shifting tide of thoughts, emotions, and body sensations that mark our experience, moment-to-moment.
Wise mindfulness is wider and more encompassing than our minds. It’s the watcher of our experience. It is awareness that experiences through the senses, that recognizes the object we’re focusing on, and that can hold our present moment reality with wonder, reverence, compassion and grace.
We practice cultivating wise mindfulness because, as humans, we are often lost in thought—on automatic pilot. We must be present to actually touch what is happening now—to see clearly, and to respond rather than react. Mindfulness offers us the space to step back and observe without being consumed—to be rather than automatically do.
Our world is a constant stream of distraction. In a culture addicted to noise, stimulation and speed, we are continuously pulled out of presence. With so much uncertainty and chaos surrounding us, we need to root our attention in awareness. To find a new place to stand, anchored in presence, steadiness and care.
To help us better understand mindfulness, we turn to the breath. If we were left in charge of managing the breath, we’d probably forget—distracted by thought after thought. But, the breath continues without our effort. It reminds us of life’s simplicity and wisdom. When we bring mindfulness to the breath, to the moment, to what’s actually occurring now, we reclaim the only moment we’ll ever truly have.
Each moment leads to the next. And how we meet this one—whether with tension or with gentleness—shapes what unfolds. When we’re caught in stories, fear or reactivity, we often respond in ways we later regret. But with wise mindful awareness, we have the chance to pause. To say, “Oh, there’s that story again.” We gift ourselves the choice to breathe, to calm, to choose differently, and to return to wise mindfulness and the other tenets of the Eightfold Path.
Wise Concentration
This final aspect of the Eightfold Path invites us to gather our attention and rest it—gently, sustainably—on this present moment. We’re not striving to make something happen. Rather, we’re relaxing into what is already here, available beneath the surface of our scattered minds.
When the mind steadies, a natural calm can arise—sometimes quiet, sometimes vibrant—yet always alive. This kind of presence is recognizable. You’ve seen it before in someone whose very being seems to radiate peace—fully engaged, fully listening, and yet utterly calm. That’s the fruit of Wise Concentration: a mind not trapped in reactivity, but resting in awareness.
I sometimes call this daily reverence—those tiny moments when we step out of the swirl and into stillness. Maybe it’s while watching the sunrise through the kitchen window, or hearing a bird’s song before the phone starts pinging. Maybe it’s the scent of your shampoo, or the sound of rain hitting the roof. These simple acts of attention deepen our ability to concentrate—not through strain, but through returning, again and again, to this present moment. We begin to sense a sacredness in ordinary moments.
Just like the Buddha did as a young child under the rose apple tree, our minds open into a steady calm. When we bring this kind of attention into our lives—aware, focused and reverent—we may experience a refuge and a source of peace.
Cat Tales...
What the Sibling Trio Teaches Us About Sangha
The furry felines in our home understand sangha well. They spend their days alternating between sitting with each other, sitting with either me or my husband, or splitting up into two together, with one sometimes off on their own. They pick their spots, almost always within paw reach of each other.
Their constant togetherness reminds me of the importance of community for our wellbeing. With an epidemic of loneliness in our world, often a catalyst for depression and deep suffering, these three siblings remind us that a life shared with others—be that family, friends or both—provides an anchoring and a soothing foundation as life continually unfolds with all of its twists and turns.
This summer, I invite you to bring your practice into the light — to gently live what you’ve been learning along the Eightfold Path, not in isolation, but alongside others. Whether it’s through mindful speech, wise intention, or compassionate action, each step becomes more alive when shared. Let this be a season of modeling what you’ve come to understand, offering it generously, and receiving the nourishment of good company on the path.
May the summer provide you with time to nourish relationships with others through fun, relaxation and unhurriedness
I want to express my deepest appreciation and love to each of you.
Thank you for your presence—I’m so happy that you are here!
May you be filled with warmth and kindness.
May you be happy, healthy and safe.
May your heart know peace.
In kindness,
Karen
The Practice
Playing for Your Life
Renowned meditation teacher and bestselling author, Jack Kornfield tells a story that many students remember long after they first hear it.
A disillusioned young man once visited a Zen monastery in search of enlightenment. “I’ve tried and failed,” he confessed to the master. “Is there a shortcut to awakening?”
The master asked, “Have you ever dedicated yourself to anything?”
“Only chess,” the young man admitted.
The master arranged a chess match between the visitor and an elder monk named Gyose. But before it began, he raised a sword and declared: “If you lose, I’ll cut off your head. If you win, I’ll cut off Gyose’s.”
The young man played with fierce concentration. Everything else disappeared. But as Gyose began to lose, the young man looked up and saw his serene face—years of dedication, wisdom and compassion. A realization dawned: this man’s life is worth more than mine.
Out of compassion, the young man made a mistake on purpose. At that moment, the Zen master suddenly swept the board off the table.
“There is no winner or loser,” he said. “You have learned what is needed for awakening: complete presence and compassion.”
The master’s words remind us: We are playing for our lives. And the only moment we ever have is now.
A Summer Practice Invitation
This summer, you might experiment with what it means to live from the union of complete focus and compassion—right where you are. While we might not literally be “playing for our lives,” Jack’s story shows us how important it is that we show up in each moment of this precious life with presence and compassion. And, that takes practice.
I know that summer gets busy, which is why I’m offering a very simple practice that you can customize based on what feels best for you within your summer routine. You might choose one ritual or activity, or mix it up. Either way, the intent is to connect to wise mindfulness with wise concentration—allowing yourself to fully feel present and compassionate—if even just for a few minutes each day.
Create a simple daily ritual. This could be drinking a cup of tea, watering the garden, feeding your pet, or even folding the laundry.
Give it your full attention. Let this simple activity be your chessboard. Slowly and mindfully explore texture, temperature, rhythm...
Notice when your mind wanders to judgment, comparison, anxiety or distraction. Gently return to the moment.
Let compassion in. Perhaps for yourself, for someone who comes to mind, or simply for the fragility and beauty of being alive.
You’re not here to master the moment, only to meet it—with presence and with compassion. And, the practice and lesson is simple—just keep coming back. :)
Happiest summer to you all! May you fully enjoy the chessboard of your precious life!
Resources
Read...
How Joyous Effort Works by Janet Kathleen Ettele. Set in a small New England town, this powerful story follows Troy, a young man seeking to shed old patterns and live with more awareness, purpose, and care. Guided by Jules—a wise Buddhist teacher—Troy learns to bring patience, precision and compassion into the daily rhythms of life. Through grief, relationship struggles and the pull of old habits, this book explores how effort rooted in joy can transform even the most painful patterns. A gentle, story-driven introduction to timeless Buddhist principles, How Joyous Effort Works reminds us that real growth is not about perfection, but about how we meet our lives, moment-to-moment. A lovely summer read.
Watch...
How mindfulness changes the emotional life of our brains|Richard J. Davidson|TEDx. In this TEDx talk, neuroscientist Richard J. Davidson shares how mindfulness can fundamentally change the emotional life of our brains. Drawing from decades of research and a meaningful dialogue with the Dalai Lama, Davidson outlines four pillars of well-being—awareness, connection, insight, and purpose—and how each can be nurtured through consistent practice. If you’ve ever wondered how mindfulness supports emotional healing and resilience, this talk offers both the science and the heart behind the practice. A wise, encouraging listen for those interested in the intersection of mindfulness, neuroscience and compassionate change.
Listen...
Jack Kornfield on Practice in Daily Life: Right concentration. In this insightful talk, renowned meditation teacher Jack Kornfield explores the practice of right concentration through the gentle anchor of the breath. He invites us to notice how the breath mirrors our inner life—our fear, openness, tension, and calm—and teaches us how attending to it with kindness and curiosity becomes a doorway to greater presence. Over time, steady attention to the breath allows us to soften, to see more clearly, and to rest more fully in the moment. In deepening your mindfulness practice this summer, this talk is a beautiful companion. It reminds us that even something as simple as one breath holds the potential to reveal the whole of life.
In case you’re unaware and interested, I offer an online, donation-based meditation class/guided practice every other Monday night 8-9pm EST in a relaxed and warm setting on Zoom. The only requirement is an interest in increasing mindful awareness and skills through practice and growing your inner wisdom. If you’re interested in beginning, reconnecting with or deepening your meditation practice in community, we’d love for you to join us! Get more details and register here.
Also, if you know of anyone interested in deepening their mindfulness and meditation practices, please forward this email along and invite them to join as well! All are welcome and can sign up for the newsletter on my website.
Dr. Karen Walant has been a practicing psychotherapist for almost three decades and holds a MSW and PhD in Clinical Social Work from New York University. Karen supervises other clinicians in private practice and has given lectures around the country on issues related to attachment, mindfulness, meditation, addiction and recovery, deepening the therapeutic relationship, parenting with kindness, and fostering compassionate relationships. She is the author of Creating the Capacity for Attachment: Treating Addictions and the Alienated Self. A long-time meditator and teacher, Karen is a 2021 graduate of the 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training Program (taught by meditation experts Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield), is certified as a Mindfulness Meditation Mentor, and is certified as a Level I Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Teacher through Brown University, and completed her Certificate in Mindfulness and Psychotherapy from the Institute for Mindfulness and Psychotherapy in 2022.