I had a chance to interview Ora Nadrich, a Mindfulness teacher and founder of the Institute for Transformational Thinking, whose new book, Live True: A Mindfulness Guide to Authenticity, leads readers on a journey to realizing their higher purpose.
What made you decide to write Live True?
I wrote Live True after my sister, Esther, passed away. She had struggled with mental illness for most of her life, and was my greatest inspiration for understanding the workings of the mind. Her passing had a huge impact on me, and made me realize even more how precious life is. As a Mindfulness teacher, I wanted to help people understand that not only should we not waste a single moment, but by living each one of them as our most authentic selves, we’re being true to who we really are, and who we’re meant to be.
What role does Mindfulness play in discovering our authentic selves?
Mindfulness plays a major role in discovering our authentic selves because it helps us be present as who we really are at any given moment. When we live each moment in a heightened state of awareness of our true nature, we’re that much more cognizant of when we’re being inauthentic, either to ourselves or to others.
How can we keep our busy minds focused on the present?
The best way to keep our minds focused on the present is to practice Mindfulness. That means we commit to being in present time, and if or when our mind begins to wander — which they invariably will to either the past or the future — we immediately bring our focus and awareness back to the present. Mindfulness is an invaluable tool for keeping our mind present and staying in a more heightened state of awareness.
In what way do the moments of our lives serve as teachers?
Some of our most difficult and painful moments can serve as our greatest teachers. The reason for this is that we must learn how to navigate situations and circumstances that can really test our patience, tolerance, or even faith. And, if we view those moments as valuable, even if they cause us suffering, we’ll gain a much better understanding of who we are and what we’re capable of. Some of the most challenging moments can teach us how to be more selfless, understanding, and more compassionate human beings.
How do we tend to our sadness, insecurity or shame when we face who we really are?
When we face who we really are, we might confront aspects of ourselves we may not want to look at, and it can bring up feelings of sadness, insecurity or shame. We need to tend to those delicate areas with kindness, acceptance and self-love, which will help us be more forgiving and compassionate toward ourselves for all of our characteristics. We must trust that we’re always growing and evolving, and the more loving we are of ourselves, the more we’re likely to reach our full potential.
How does living our lives fully aware and awake impact humanity as a whole?
We’re all part of what’s called a “collective consciousness,” which means we share ideas, beliefs and moral attitudes. This implies that we’re connected, and how I live my life affects others. Therefore, I want to live as consciously as I can. If each person assumes some type of responsibility for how aware and awake he or she is, the ripple effect would be wide and far and have a positive impact on humanity as a whole.
To learn more, visit theiftt.org.
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