Mindfulness: Living Through Challenges and Enriching Your Life In This Moment

Chapter 8Beyond Mindfulness

It is amazing how little we know about our own minds.

For many years, I read of the awe and reverence given to sacred sites in India, one of the places that developed such a rich and sophisticated science of the mind. My university allowed me an opportunity to present at the World Conference on Psychology and Spirituality in New Delhi. To my good fortune, my mentor Stephen K. Hayes was going to Nepal a month later to study an ancient practice for removing obstacles, and I would be able to meet him there. This allowed me three weeks with no agenda, so I chose to go to Bodh Gaya, the city where the historical Buddha attained enlightenment. I had heard that this city had temples of almost every tradition, which would allow me a wonderful opportunity for study and practice.

After spending a week in Delhi, and visiting the Taj Mahal, I got over the jet lag, and some of the culture shock. There was a lot more shock to come, however, as Bodh Gaya was in Bihar, the poorest state in India.

I flew into a tiny, run-down airport in Patna, the state capital. I approached the “tourist advisor,” which consisted of a man sitting on a stool. He told me a bus would be arriving in about four hours that would take me directly to Bodh Gaya. However, I was eager to make the seven-hour journey, as I wanted to arrive before nightfall. Armed with my Lonely Planet Guide