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Manifestation Only
Practicing Self-Questioning and Self-Answering in Mindfulness
Sister Dieu Nghiem sets up three groups of questions to evaluate her daily mindfulness practice without needing external reminders, including:
- Using guiding gathas (for example, inviting the Buddha to breathe, inviting the Buddha to sit and play) when sitting, walking, driving, and during daily activities (washing hands, brushing teeth, stopping at a red light, etc.) to check what percentage of peace and happiness is being experienced.
- Experiencing peace and joy during walking meditation, walking from the residence to the meditation hall, going to sleep, waking up, skipping a meditation session, the frequency of sitting meditation, practicing the 10 mindful movements, Tai Chi, etc., in order to increase self-awareness of wandering thoughts and return to the breath.
- The ability to independently use the mindfulness bell, gathas from the Zen Monastery Chanting Book, “Lotus Buds Gently Unfolding,” and to compose suitable gathas to guide oneself.
Transforming Shyness in Community Communication
In a large sangha, shyness is not necessarily a weakness and can even be beneficial by evoking the insight that each person is a world to discover. To overcome shyness when meeting a new brother or sister, generate the thought: this person is also a disciple, a continuation of the Teacher. Then join your palms, smile—just that much is enough to immediately establish a brotherhood connection and feel more confident. When working in a group, differences of opinion are not opposition but like a chemical reaction that produces a new result; what is important is to express oneself honestly, to keep the mind from clinging to being completely right, so that together we can arrive at a common insight.