Principle 6: acceptance

Acceptance is the sixth principle and, in many ways, the culmination of the previous ones.

It is crucial to understand that, in the context of Mindfulness, acceptance is not the same as resignation or conformity.

Accepting a situation does not mean that we like it or that we will not do anything to change it if possible.

Acceptance refers to the willingness to see and acknowledge things as they are in the present moment. It involves letting go of denying reality or fighting against it.

If we feel sadness, acceptance is recognizing: "At this moment, there is sadness in me." If we have physical pain, it is admitting: "Now, I am experiencing this sensation of pain."

This attitude of clear and non-resistant recognition is deeply healing. It helps us avoid the added suffering that comes from judgment and internal struggle.

When we try to avoid an unpleasant emotion, like fear, it tends to grow.

If, on the other hand, we learn to accept it, to give it space to be there, its energy naturally dissipates.

An interesting experiment to understand this is to try making ourselves nervous on purpose. It is very difficult.

In the same way, if we are able to intentionally accept our nerves, it is much more difficult for them to escalate.

Acceptance allows us to work with our reality rather than against it.

And from that foundation of acceptance, we can make wiser decisions and take the necessary actions to improve our situation, if possible and desirable.

Summary

Acceptance is the sixth prin