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Every Step Home: Breathing and Walking to Release Tension and Touch the Pure Land

Thich Nhat Hanh · March 28, 2010 · Naples, Italy · Audio Only
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Peace is possible in our body and in our mind. The mind goes back to the body to help release tension and pain through the practice of mindful breathing and mindful walking. The first exercise offered by the Buddha in the Sutra on Mindful Breathing is to become aware of the existence of the body. The third exercise is to allow the tension in the body to be released for total relaxation. This can be practiced in the sitting or lying position, becoming aware of the rising and falling of the abdomen. In daily life, red lights, computer bells, and telephone rings serve as reminders to stop, breathe, and release tension.

Mindful walking helps release tension by touching the ground mindfully, as if kissing the earth with the feet. Bringing the mind down to the soles of the feet establishes one in the present moment, making the Pure Land of the Buddha or the Kingdom of God manifest. Every step brings you home, making solidity and freedom possible. When a painful feeling arises, the energy of mindfulness and concentration is generated to recognize and embrace the feeling tenderly, like a mother holding a baby. This practice of non-violence calms the pain, allowing one to look deeply into its nature and find the root cause. Insight and understanding act as a sword to cut off major afflictions like fear, anger, and despair.

Sister Chan Khong shares that Thich Nhat Hanh’s calligraphy supports children in poor areas of Vietnam. The teaching “human beings are not our enemies” emphasizes that only wrong perceptions are enemies. Questions are answered regarding feelings of powerlessness, breathing techniques, and the nature of spirit. The Holy Spirit is described as mindfulness, a feeling of completeness when body and thoughts come together.

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