Sunday, January 10, 2016

Miracle of Mindfulness (2)

The followings are excerpts from Thay's book titled "The Miracle of Mindfulness".

Quote:
(Quiet breathing)
Your breath should be light, even, and flowing, like a thin stream of water running through the sand. Your breath should be very quiet, so quiet that a person sitting next to you cannot hear it. Your breathing should flow gracefully, like a river, like a watersnake crossing the water, and not like a chain of rugged mountains or the gallop of a horse. To master our breath is to be in control of our bodies and minds. Each time we find ourselves dispersed and find it difficult to gain control of ourselves by different means, the method of watching the breath should always be used. The instant you sit down to meditate, begin watching your breath. At first breathe normally, gradually letting your breathing slow down until it is quiet, even, and the lengths of the breaths are fairly long. From the moment you sit down to the moment your breathing has become deep and silent, be conscious of everything that is happening in yourself. As the Buddhist Sutra of Mindfulness says: "Breathing in a long breath, you know, 'I am breathing in a long breath.' Breathing out a long breath, the practitioner knows, 'I am breathing out a long breath.' Breathing in a short breath, you know, 'I am breathing in a short breath.' Breathing out a short breath, you know, 'I am breathing out a short breath.' Experiencing the whole breath-body, I shall breathe in." Thus you train yourself. "Experiencing the whole breath-body, I shall breathe out." Thus you train yourself. "Calming the activity of the breath-bodyI shall breathe in." Thus you train yourself. "Calming the activity of the breath-body, I shall breathe out." Thus you train yourself.
After about 10 to 20 minutes, your thoughts will have quieted down like a pond on which not even a ripple stirs.
:Unquote

(My commentary)
Ego sits down to meditate. And at the moment your breathing has become deep and silent, awareness is watching your breath. If you are good at practicing mindful breathing, one in-breath is enough to revive awareness and be mindful. Above mindful breathing on the breath-body is based on the first four exercises of The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing (The Sutra on Mindful Breathing, Sixteen exercises on mindful breathing). 
http://compassion5151.blogspot.jp/2015/10/16-exercises-on-mindful-breathing.html

(Cf.) http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/13241/Steps-of-Mindfulness---a-Journey-with-Thich-Nhat-Hanh


Thích Nhất Hạnh