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Stopping with the Breath
*Sitting meditation with a comfortable, stable posture—whether in the full lotus, using a cushion, or a small bench—helps us dwell peacefully in the dignified posture of a human being (walking, standing, lying down, sitting). The most important thing is to “stop” all bodily movements and mental activities; this is shamatha, the foundation for practicing insight meditation (Vipassanā). Through the Anapanasati Sutra, we practice awareness of in-breath and out-breath (the first exercise), then awareness of the whole body (the third exercise), to recognize that the root of the breath is the body—fully contacting body and mind in harmony, bringing about calm and happiness.
*Deep contemplation also leads to the recognition of our continuation with our ancestors and all beings: our body contains the bloodline of our father, mother, grandparents, animals, plants, and minerals, opening up enlightenment about our origins. The three prostrations in the Plum Village practice of Touching the Earth help us to accept the flow of time and space—past and future—liberate our ancestors from the prison of self-grasping, and plant wholesome seeds in the store consciousness (Alaya) to nurture compassion, wisdom, and ethics for all generations.
