Although essential for practice, mindfulness is not the only mental factor to be cultivated on the path. In order for the practice to become alive and vital, mindfulness needs to be placed in its wider context.
The seven factors of awakening are mental qualities to be developed and used to counteract mental states that cause suffering. There are three energizing factors: investigation, joy, and energy. And there are three calming factors: calm, concentration, and equanimity. These factors regulate and stabilize mindfulness, and mindfulness, in turn, activates and arouses these qualities. Each of these factors plays a significant role in deepening meditation practice; leaving any of them out of the picture may cause our practice to stall or stagnate. As these seven factors are enhanced and engaged, practice comes alive in a more balanced and wholehearted way.