Addiction is essentially what happens when a person loses the power or will to control their natural impulses. Which makes it the exact opposite of mindfulness.
Mindfulness is the act of being aware of where you are and what you are doing and exerting conrtol over your actions accordingly. Thus, Addiction, as being the act of not controlling your actions, is the antithesis of mindfulness.
Mindfulness can be used to prevent the start or continuation of addictions. In the prietshood session of the April 2014 General Conference President Uchtorf told of an experience he had while he and President Monson where given the opportunity to tour Air Force One. (Uchtdoft talked about planes? YES! I just got BINGO!) Uchtdorf was allowed to go into the cabin and sit in the pilot's seat. Instinctively he put his hands on the wheel (or what ever the airplane equivalent is. The sky wheel, maybe?) and got in position to fly that baby. But then he heard President Monson behind him say "Dieter, don't even think about it." This story tells us two things. One: it tells us the President Uchtdorf is a mastermind that nearly stole Air Force One.
"And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it wasn't for that meddling Monson!" #heneversaidthat Photo from ksl.com
Two: it gives us a good allegory for how mindfulness can prevent us from sinning and giving into addictions. In this case Uchtdorf represents our natural urges through his natural urge to use a giant machine to spit in gravity's eye. President Monson then represents the Mindful state we should strive for. He was aware of the situation. He knew that he was in one of the coolest airplanes in the world and he knew he was with a huge airplane geek. He saw the potential for issues. So he monitored the situation and when he saw temptation arise he addressed it, not judgmentally but as an honest appraisal of the situation. He knew that Uchtoft meant no harm, but he also knew that taking the President of the United States's ride out for a spin was unwise.
"Probably also illegal, now that I think about it." #heneversaidthat Photo from wikimedia
Mindfulness brings with it a clarity of thought not obscured by love for airplanes or natural desires. With the mindful view point we are in a better position to identify and redirect the desires of the natural man with in us. It helps us see and admit when we have addictions, be they a pornography addiction, an addiction to a certain really good television show or just a deep love of flying. Mindfulness lets us break free of ding things without thinking and lets us act, rather than be acted upon.
So try and be mindful, think about what you are doing. God put three pounds of brain meat in your head for a reason.
Namaste, y'all,
Michael
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