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Buddhism and Psychotherapy: The Art of Mindful Living
Peace is relative and available in the present moment, but the capacity to enjoy it is more important than peace itself. Without this capacity, peace may seem boring, leading to the pursuit of excitement through harmful means. The practice of mindfulness is to recognize elements of happiness already present, such as a non-toothache or the gift of eyesight. By calling things by their names and stopping the habit of thinking too much, we encounter reality directly, much like Mahākāśyapa smiling at the Buddha’s flower. Thinking is often less than being; as seen in the cartoon of Descartes saying “I think, therefore I am,” the horse asks back: “You are what?” The present moment is the only moment available to repair the past or take care of the future; therefore, each activity, from eating a cookie to washing dishes, should be treated as an end in itself rather than a means to a destination.
The Sutra of Conscious Breathing provides exercises to live peacefully. Conscious breathing serves three functions:
- To stop thinking, which is often less than being.
- To allow real touch with life and its refreshing, healing aspects.
- To provide a chance to rest and restore oneself.
In Walking Meditation, each step is for walking itself, not for arriving. This is the realization that there is no way to peace; peace is the way. Similarly, the Bell of Mindfulness is a signal to stop talking and thinking to return to the true self with the thought: Listen, listen, this wonderful sound brings me back to my true self. Greeting others is also a practice of mindfulness, forming a flower with the palms and saying: A lotus for you, a Buddha to be. A specific gāthā is used to deepen the practice:
- In, out: recognizing the in-breath and out-breath to help concentration.
- Deep, slow: improving the quality, depth, and peacefulness of the breath.
- Calm, ease: calming the body and mind to feel light and free.
- Smile, release: relaxing facial muscles and letting go of worries or the tendency to rush.
- Present moment, wonderful moment: dwelling fully in the now to make it the best moment of life.