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Eight Breathing Exercises to Nourish Joy and Happiness
The Anapanasati Sutra presents sixteen methods of breathing; during the first two days of the retreat, we only study the first eight methods, which include
1–4 related to the body,
5–8 related to feelings and emotions, in order to take care of body and mind.
- Recognizing the in-breath and out-breath – breathing in, I know I am breathing in; breathing out, I know I am breathing out (in and out)
- Following the breath – following the breath from beginning to end (long and short)
- Awareness of the whole body – breathing in, I am aware of my whole body; breathing out, I bring body and mind together (bodily formation awareness)
- Releasing tension in the body – breathing in, I release all tension; breathing out, I calm any pain or discomfort (calming the body)
From the fifth to the seventh breath, we cultivate joy and happiness, and then with mental formation awareness we recognize suffering and embrace and transform our pain:
- The method of generating joy and happiness begins with letting go (joy and happiness born from letting go) of notions and obstacles to happiness
- Mindfulness brings joy and happiness – being aware of the conditions of happiness in the present moment, the joy of practice (the joy of meditation as nourishment)
- Recognizing suffering – aware of the painful feeling, embracing and soothing the inner suffering as a mother holds her child (mental formation awareness)
The retreat emphasizes dwelling happily in the present moment: dwelling in mindfulness to generate countless joys and happiness, increasing the strength of the mind—before receiving and transforming suffering.
