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Kiyosato Retreat Day 2

Thich Nhat Hanh · May 11, 1995 · Japan
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Mindful breathing begins by observing the abdomen rise and fall, using a bell (or an “inner bell” when no physical one is available) to anchor each in-breath and out-breath. The bell’s sound is the Buddha’s call to return home to the heart: raise the bell, breathe in and out three times, ring the bell, and allow everyone to pause and take three deep mindful breaths in silence before proceeding.

The practice of living happily in the present moment (現法樂住, dṛṣṭadharmasukhavihāra) reminds us that mindful breathing reunites body and mind. Mindfulness yields:

  1. true presence in the present moment
  2. capacity to acknowledge and love the other
  3. nourishment of joy and the wonders of life

Mindfulness also:
• third function: nourishing positive seeds in our store consciousness
• fourth function: calming and embracing suffering like a caring mother
• 4. 止
• 5. 観
• 6. 慧

Cultivating these energies daily and sharing practice within a Sangha enables the transformation of pain into healing.

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