Practice Basics

Mindfulness Meditation Practice Basics

The following is an incomplete list (not in any significant order) of some of the features of our practice at the Mindfulness Meditation Centre

• Living in the present moment
  As Thich Nhat Hanh says, "Mindfulness is the energy of being aware and awake to the present moment. It is the continuous practice of touching life deeply in every moment of daily life. To be mindful is to be truly alive, present and at one with those around you and with what you are doing. We bring our body and mind into harmony while we wash the dishes, drive the car or take our morning shower." He has also said that our appointment with life is now, in the present moment. By not being present we will miss our appointment with life.

"Taking care of the present moment, you recognize the presence of the sunset, the morning star, the magnolia blossoms, and the person in front of you. When you practice this way, you will not be lost in your worries or anxieties about the future, or caught by the suffering of the past."


• "I have arrived, I am home."
  Thich Nhat Hanh has has described this phrase as the seal of Plum Village, the practice community where he lives. The complete stanza is:
  

  
  I have arrived, I am home,
  In the here and in the now.
  I am solid, I am free,
  In the ultimate I dwell.
  
  

This verse, often sung at Plum Village retreats is rich with meaning. The first two lines talk about being centered in the here and the now. Indeed, TNH has said that we spend a lot of our time going from one place to another; if we are centered in our destination —in the future—we will be missing out on the joys and the happiness of the present moment. We will be living in the future. Similarly, if we do any activity (such as washing the dishes) just so we can get it out of the way, we miss out on "our appointment with life" during this time. And when we are done with the dishes, there will be something else to do. We will be always going, but never arriving. Our practice proposes to reverse this tendency we all have. When we walk, we practice arriving with each step. We realize the oneness of the means and the end, and we cherish our time as we do each activity.

But this is not all, "because there are two dimensions to reality. The first dimension is called the historical dimension. In this dimension, you can see the beginning and the ending, more and less, coming and going, birth and death, and being and non-being. It is the dimension of the waves, because looking at each wave, you have the impression that there is a beginning to every wave, an ending to every wave, the being and the non-being of the wave. Then there is another dimension called the ultimate dimension. In the case of the wave, it is water, because water cannot be separated from the waves; but when you touch water, you don't see a beginning, an ending, high or low, being or non-being. These are notions we use to speak about waves. The fact is that the wave is a wave, but while living the life of a wave, the wave can very well live the life of water at the same time."

• The importance of a practice community (also called a Sangha)
  In a well-functioning group, we learn from each other, and we inspire each other. The teachings are embodied in persons, and in situations. They are not abstract. We can learn the teachings from the way a good practitioner walks, sits, or talks. This is why practicing alone, or learning from a book, though valuable, are not complete. TNH has said, "The greatest gift we can offer another person is our practice of mindfulness. A smile and our conscious breathing communicate that we are trying our best to find peace within ourselves and we hope to contribute to peace where we live."
  
  
• "Don't make yourself into a battlefield." (Non-violent practice)
  Thich Nhat Hanh has said that there are many personalities inside each of us. "To practice is not to transform ourselves into a battlefield, the good fighting the evil. There is no battle. there are only positive and negative elements within us, and both sides are us. We can embrace all of them, and when we do, the negative elements will transform themselves into positive ones, without any fighting or discarding." In this tradition, we learn to recognize, own, and lovingly embrace our different selves.
  
  
• Mindfulness of breathing
  Our breathing is a stable solid ground that we can take refuge in. Regardless of our internal "weather" - our thoughts, emotions and perceptions - our breathing is always with us like a faithful friend. Whenever we feel carried away, by an emotion, or scattered in worries and projects, we can return to our breathing to collect and anchor our mind.
  We feel the flow of air coming in and going out of our nose. We feel our abdomen rise and fall. We feel how light and natural, how calm and peaceful our breathing can be.At any time, while we are walking, gardening, or typing, we can return to this peaceful source of life.
  
  “Breathing in I know that I am breathing in.
  Breathing out I know that I am breathing out.”
  
  We do not need to control our breath. Feel the breath as it actually is. It may be long or short, deep or shallow. With our awareness it will naturally become slower and deeper. Conscious breathing is the key to uniting body and mind and bringing the energy of mindfulness into each moment of our life.
  
  
• Interbeing
  This word, coined by TNH, refers to the interdependent and interpenetrating nature of all that is. Its meaning is revealed gradually: as one of the Buddhist texts says, "there is no nose, no ear. . ." What this means, of course, is that words can mislead us into thinking that entities exist separately and by themselves. We only need to imagine of a nose or an ear floating by itself somewhere at the edge of the milky way in order to get a glimpse of how absurd this idea of independent and separate existence can be! The nose and the ear inter-are. They inter-are also with water, air, Earth, the whole ecosystem, and the person observing. The most poignant aspect of interbeing is the light it sheds on understanding who we are: we are not separate selves existing independently.
  
  
• Walking
  Wherever we walk, we can practice meditation. This means that we know that we are walking. We walk with freedom and solidity, without hurry. We are present with each step. Look around and see how vast life is, the trees, the white clouds, the limitless sky. Listen to the birds. Feel the fresh breeze. Life is all around and we are alive and healthy and capable of walking in peace.
  
  Let us walk as a free person and feel our steps get lighter. Let us enjoy every step we make. Each step is nourishing and healing. As we walk, we can imprint our gratitude and our love on the earth.
  
  
• Sitting Meditation
  Sitting meditation is like returning home. It is the practice of giving our full attention and care to our self. Like the peaceful image of a Buddha statue, we too can radiate peace and stability. We sit upright and return to our breathing. We bring our full attention to what is within and around us. We let our mind become spacious and our heart soft and kind.
  
  Sitting meditation is very healing. We realize we can just be with whatever is within us - pain, anger, and irritation, or joy, love, and peace. We are with whatever is there without being carried away by it. Let it come, let it stay, then let it go. No need to push, to oppress, or to pretend our thoughts are not there. Observe the thoughts and images of our mind with an accepting and loving eye. We are free to be still and calm despite the storms that might arise in us.
  
  
• Dharma discussion
  Dharma discussion is an opportunity to benefit from each other’s insights and experience of the practice. It is a special time for us to share our experiences, our joys, our difficulties and our questions relating to the practice of mindfulness. By listening deeply while others are speaking, we help create a calm and receptive environment. By speaking out about our happiness and our difficulties in the practice, we contribute to the collective insight and understanding.
  
  Please base your sharing on your own experience of the practice rather than about abstract ideas and theoretical topics. We may realize that many of us share similar difficulties and aspirations. Sitting, listening and sharing together, we recognize our true connections to one another. (Whatever is revealed during Dharma discussion is confidential, and not to be brought up outside this period.)
  
  
• Singing
  We sometimes use songs as an aid to keeping meditation themes in mind. A melody can linger in the mind better than a verse, and it can also be pleasant to remember. Our singing is not a performance! By learning practice songs, we can make our home practice more meaningful. The poem of each song is like a Dharma talk in miniature; you can play a CD of practice songs, or sing a verse from a practice song before practicing sitting or walking meditation as a way to focus your mind. Two CD's and all the music for many practice songs are in the boxed set Basket of Plums published by Parallax Press.
  
  
• Creativity.
  Creativity can be a way of making the meaning of the Dharma personal and direct. A picture you draw, or a poem you write yourself will be more meaningful to you than what you may have read in a book. Keeping a notebook handy will allow you to capture inspiration when it comes: it has a way of coming unexpectedly!
  
  
• Coming to our senses
  There is a tendency to be in our thoughts. Being in our thoughts may prevent us from hearing what is being said, from enjoying what is around us (the blue sky, green leaves. . .) or even being in touch with our own feelings. Attention to breathing is helpful in bringing our focus from the mind to the body. Doing simple tasks such as walking or washing the dishes with mindfulness also helps us not get lost in thought.
  

To find out more , you might also like to read: Taking Refuge, The Five Mindfulness Trainings, and The 14 Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing.