We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track. If this problem persists help us by reporting it so we can investigate it.
Watch this talk
Login or create a free account to watch this talk and discover other teachings from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
Log in or create an account
Breathing the Kingdom of Happiness: Bringing the Sutra on Mindful Breathing from Home to Parliament
Happiness is an art and a practice. In walking meditation, improving the quality of steps brings peace and joy; if steps are solid and free, the Kingdom of God is present. Both hell and the Kingdom come from within. Listening to the bell allows for stopping talking and thinking to enjoy deep breathing. Families and communities can invite the bell three times in the morning and evening to offer moments of peace. Even in political settings, such as the Indian Parliament or Capitol Hill, practicing mindful breathing and walking helps calm the mind and improve the quality of work. Mindfulness and concentration cannot be bought but must be generated through practice.
The Sutra on Mindful Breathing provides detailed instructions for healing and transformation. The fifth exercise is to breathe and bring in a feeling of joy, and the sixth exercise is to breathe to bring about a feeling of happiness. These feelings are born from the capacity to release and let go of worries about the future, regrets about the past, and rigid ideas about what is essential for happiness. Happiness also arises from mindfulness of the refreshing conditions already available in the present moment, and through concentration which improves the quality of happiness.
To enable joy, one must address tension. The fourth exercise is releasing tension and pain in the body (Kaya samskara). This follows the third exercise of becoming aware of the whole body, bringing the mind home. The first exercise is simply identifying the in-breath and out-breath, while the second exercise is following the breath all the way through. Regarding pain in the realm of feelings, the seventh exercise is to be mindful of the painful feeling. Instead of covering pain via consumption, one embraces it tenderly like a mother holding a baby. For beginners, the collective energy of the Sangha acts as a boat, keeping the heavy rocks of suffering afloat. The eighth exercise is calming the feeling, or mental formation.
