<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Nov 16, 2007 5:31 AM, Allen Gerstl <<a href="mailto:acgerstl@hotmail.com">acgerstl@hotmail.com</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<br><br><br>On Thu, 15 Nov 2007 08:48:37 -0800 (PST)<br>R' Yonatan Kaganoff<br>Wrote: Subject: [Avodah] Mindfulness and Being Present in the Moment<br><br>>I was talking to my wife the other week about the following question
<br>>and wanted to ask the members of the list if they had any ideas about<br>>it.<br><br>>Are Mindfulness or "Being Present in the Moment" Jewish values?<br><br></blockquote></div><br>See Avos 3:9 "hamafsik mitalmudo .... mischaveyiv benafsho"
<br><br>There are all kinds of interpretations on this text<br><br>The simple read is whilst learning one should not be distracted by external events Who is this Mischayeiv beNafsho? When a surgeon is not mindful, he could cost a life. Same for a driver of an auto.
<br> <br>My day school rebbe told us there is a different about complaining about the room being too hot/cold at the BEGINNING of the Shiur and in the middle.<br><br>If one complains at the beginning - FINE<br>When one complains in the middle it means he is distracted.
<br><br>OTOH, [unlike say l'havdil in ZEN] I don't see mindfulness as an end in itself, rather a means to an end. <br><br>-- <br>Kol Tuv / Best Regards,<br><a href="mailto:RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com">RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com
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