Iddhipāda: The Guidelines for Enhancing Mindfulness for the Way of Life of the Elderly Iddhipāda

Abstract

This academic article aims at presenting the conceptual framework of Iddhipāda or the Four Paths of Accomplishment as the guidelines for enhancing mindfulness for the way of life of the elderly through each bodily movement, namely, standing, walking, sitting, and lying down. The practice of mindfulness must arise from aspiration (chanda), continuous perseverance (viriya), thoughtfulness (citta), and examining the values and importance of the practice (vīmaṃsā). There are three guidelines for practicing mindfulness in the way of life of the elderly: attention in food, exercise, and emotions. 1) Food: the elderly should have mindfulness in choosing healthy food, chew food thoroughly, have perseverance (viriya) without being hasty, be attentive (citta) in cooking and chewing, and examine (vīmaṃsā) the advantages and disadvantages of the chosen food in the long term. 2) Exercise: the elderly should have mindfulness while exercising, have love and satisfaction in exercise, choose an exercise that is appropriate for one by not overdoing (e.g., walking, yoga, ballroom dancing, swimming, etc.), have the perseverance to exercise regularly, examine and consider the right way for exercising. 3) Emotions: the elderly should have the mindfulness to control and manage emotions e.g., when having suffering or dissatisfaction, use mindfulness to be aware and reflect. In addition, they should have patience, be able to talk and interact with friends whom they can trust, chant and send loving-kindness to others. These will make the elderly having good mental health, peacefulness, behave properly, a stable mind, and a lack of stress. They will also be able to consider and reflect on the problems and solutions as well as accepting reality, all of which will result in the elderly having a happy way of life.