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 with Gathas: Anapanasati in Daily Life
When I was sixteen, I became a novice monk and learned a book of poetry—fifty-five four-line poems in classical Chinese, each line five words. These gatha accompany every daily action (sitting, opening a tap, brushing teeth, lighting a lamp, riding a bicycle) so that “my mind and body dwell perfectly in the here and the now.” Later I translated them into Vietnamese, English, French, German… and even composed new gatha for boarding an airplane or riding a bicycle, sharing this monastic culture with lay friends worldwide.
The Anapanasati Sutta offers sixteen exercises for mindful breathing; the first eight are:
- identify in-breath and out-breath
- follow each breath from beginning to end
- become aware of the whole body
- release bodily tension
- generate the energy of joy
- generate happiness
- recognize painful feelings
-
release tension in painful feelings
Mindfulness of breathing bridges body and mind, releasing past and future, bringing freedom, peace, concentration, and insight.
True joy and happiness arise in two ways:
- Ly sinh hỷ lạc—letting go of obstacles (past sorrows, future fears) so joy naturally appears
-
mindfulness—recognizing the countless conditions of happiness already present (eyes that see, a heart that beats, a morning breeze)
Supported by the collective energy of the Sangha, each sitting, walking or cup-of-tea becomes a refuge of solidity and freedom.
