How far can mindfulness take us?

I am reposting this article on mindfulness because it is based on a chapter of my forthcoming book, A New Way of Seeing.

If we associate mindfulness only with mental peace, relaxation and some degree of emotional management, we are missing the point of mindfulness in Buddhism. As an important method on the Buddhist path, mindfulness is not only used to develop concentration but to develop insight and wisdom. Long-term practice nurtures intuitive, non-conceptual understanding of the very nature of things. Mindfulness is the key to going beyond the bounds of rational thinking; mindfulness leads directly to enlightenment.

Mindfulness practice can be life-changing and in my case that is exactly what it has been. My first experiences of mindfulness were a springboard to my spiritual path. I was 22 years old when I began to practise hatha yoga. I started going once a week and then twice a week and my liking for it was not only due to its physical benefits. Yoga gave me my first e…