Mindfulness Is Not Enough

Question: Just wondering: doesn't this technique recommended by the Univ. of New Hampshire Dept. of Psychology and Counseling correspond with some of your own teachings? Science may be catching up. Enjoy https://www.unh.edu/pacs/what-grounding

Does Grounding Align with My Teachings?

First, let me clarify: I don’t have "my" teachings. Everything I share comes from Zen teachings, which ultimately trace back to the Buddha’s teachings.

There are many styles of Buddhism, each with unique meditation practices, but they all point to the core teaching of the Buddha. In my view, that core teaching is the Four Noble Truths:

1. Life is suffering – or, to put it another way, life is often dissatisfying and unstable.

2. The cause of suffering is attachment – we grasp, hold onto things, and resist letting go.

3. There is a way out of suffering.

4. The Eightfold Path provides the way out.

I recently had a conversation with a Buddhist monk and Doug Smith. While their meditation techniques differed from Zen practice, we all agreed on the fundamental purpose of Buddhism: liberation from suffering through understanding and experiencing these truths.

Mindfulness, Meditation, and Grounding

Mindfulness and meditation can certainly help reduce stress and anxiety, keeping us grounded. But it's important to remember that relief is not the purpose of our practice. That doesn’t mean we don’t benefit from mindfulness—it just means that Zen practice is ultimately about investigating suffering, not just managing symptoms.

The grounding technique in the article—the "5-4-3-2-1" method—encourages mindfulness by engaging the senses:

• Name 5 things you can SEE in the room with you: Ideas for self-soothing through sight: pictures, art, stargazing, etc.
• Name 4 things you can FEEL: Ideas for self-soothing through touch: fabric, rocks, hands, pets, a soft blanket, your feet on the floor, the chair on your back, etc.
• Name 3 things you can HEAR: Ideas for self-soothing through sound: your favorite song, nature sounds, fingers tapping on the keyboard, stand-up comedy, etc.
• Name 2 things you can SMELL: Ideas for self-soothing through smells: a scented candle or lotion, food aromas, soap, etc.
• Name 1 thing you can TASTE: Ideas for self-soothing through taste: sweet, sour, chewy foods, etc.
•  

While this is a useful mindfulness exercise, mindfulness alone is not enough. Maybe the first step is to reduce stress or to reduce anxiety, then it is important to take another step.

The Risk of Distraction

One line from the article stood out to me: "It can also serve as a distraction from the difficulties you are dealing with."

While grounding techniques can help us navigate stressful moments, long-term distraction is not a solution. I’ve seen people—myself included—use various distractions to avoid facing life’s difficulties: the internet, relationships, substances, even meditation.

If you have an illness, managing symptoms is essential, but the real work is identifying the root cause. In the West, the focus is often on symptom relief rather than addressing underlying issues. The same applies to spiritual practice: once we relieve out symptoms and gain stability, we must investigate the source of our suffering. Why do human beings suffer? And how can we become free so we can help others?