Pencil: The Lead Centre/Present: Is Janthopoyism Against Mindfulness?

Book 6: The Internal Worship | Chapter 6.3 | 30 June 2021

If we haven't nailed this position deep enough yet, let us state it in the clearest, simplistic, most unambiguous manner possible: Janthopoyism is a future-driven philosophy.

This stance pushes a gap between our teachings and other modern-day spiritual lessons. One particularly thought-provoking discord appears in conversations about mindfulness, a practice that discourages thoughts of a future (or a past) and instead pulls the awareness primarily into the present. So does that mean Janthopoyism is against mindfulness?

Let's put this to rest right away: Janthopoyism has no beef with mindfulness. On the contrary, we encourage its integration on your journey for enlightenment as indeed a potent tool. Much of our tutoring brushes shoulders with mindfulness anyway, so explore it! That said, we also believe that you should aspire each present action to better serve the future, specifically in terms of the progression/evolution of every minuscule aspect you may influence.

In the same breath, only a fool wouldn't recognise that the now is the exclusive moment. The present time is the entirety of time, and we must respect it as such. The now is all we have! Designing your future doesn't happen in the future; it happens right at this immediate juncture! Making plans and setting your eyes upon a goal is the ultimate point but equates to nothing unless you're working towards it during this exact second.

As per many topics in our scripture, mindfulness is something Janthopoyism supports via our specific understandings, which we shall illustrate in great detail throughout the subsequent chapters. But mindfulness is not our primary discipline because there are endless other publications on the subject if you wish to pursue the topic further. What's more, we do not fully concur with every mindfulness branch on offer, some of which we'd like to discuss now.

When dating mindfulness meditations back through their Eastern timeline, certain concepts appear intertwined with the profoundly wonderful passages of the Tao Te Ching (although it's worth noting that the classic never explicitly sells itself as so). This indispensable book explains that readers must be satisfied with doing nothing, void of ambition, taking Life as it comes without attempting to influence the flow of existence with desires or dreams. Janthopoyism respectfully takes petty issue with this lifestyle. For starters, the school of Lao Tzu has not followed their own preachings by compiling these very chapters. They had every intention of educating the reader and therefore altering the world—and they did a fine job of it too! You'll note that numerous mindfulness teachers instruct us to stop chasing Earthly rewards, seemingly oblivious to their hypocrisies of not following their own message simply by teaching it—and charging for it too! Contrarily, Janthopoyism promotes this approach. Contribution to evolution is the name of the Jantho game. Progressing as fast as you are comfortable with (or even a little faster than that) is how we believe you play your best role in assisting the Universal Energy. In this fashion, Janthopoyism is an action-based belief system. We implore you to experience as much as possible!

Various modern mindfulness texts advise us to not dwell in the past or fantasise about the illusion of the future. As discussed during our previous chapter, we wholeheartedly agree, but only if these thoughts disrupt your emotional wellbeing. Janthopoyism thrives on daydreaming towards an improved tomorrow, enjoying mental trips forward to build excitement and stimulate manifestation. Similarly, Janthopoyism sees no problem with an occasional memory flashback to something hilarious either! Certain mindfulness masters suggest eliminating these harmless pleasures, which Janthopoyism finds so silly! Why can't we have it all?.

And finally, the mindfulness practice itself originates from the First Buddhist Factor of Enlightenment, i.e. Sati. This religion's fundamental creed essentially views life and our minds as vessels of suffering. Of course, we understand the sentiment and have written extensively about the brain's uninterrupted static of radio stutter as a derailed train of delusion. However, Janthopoyism suggests that one can marvel over this boundless thought vomit with immense fondness, finding joy inside of this deeper perspective. We like to say that the mind can jibber-jabber if it wants to! As long as it's nice jibber-jabber. That is the only rule.

Acknowledging the above, it'd be wildly irresponsible if we didn't spend a reasonable amount of time dealing with the present, and consequently, our brand of mindfulness too. Additionally, the importance of your current now grows even more critical as you gush down the happy river of your True Path. We must forever seek out this thrill! But please accept that the source code of Life will consistently execute conflict designed to bump us into different responses. Said opposition never happens anywhere except for in the present moment, and you can only deal with it in the present moment because no other moment truly exists.

And that is the yummy centre of the Pencil Program, one powerful guidance we are eager to pass on to you over the upcoming chapters.

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