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Mindfulness of Breath - The Heart Body Connection

Thich Nhat Hanh · May 11, 1995 · Kiyosato, Japan
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When breathing in, the abdomen rises, and when breathing out, it falls. Mindful breathing is a tool to take care of oneself during anger, sadness, or conflict. The sound of the bell is the voice of the Buddha calling us home to the heart. Upon hearing it, thinking and talking cease to enjoy breathing and smiling. To invite the bell, the hand is held like a lotus with the bell as the jewel in its heart. After breathing deeply three times, the bell is woken up, invited to sound, and followed by three more deep breaths.

The practice of living happily in the present moment, dristadharma sukhavihari, uses mindfulness to return the mind to the here and now. Breath acts as a bridge, creating the oneness of body and mind. This practice cultivates the six functions of mindfulness:

  1. True presence of self – Being truly present allows for touching life.
  2. Presence of the other – Acknowledging the presence of the other, whether a flower or a loved one, is the foundation of love.
  3. Nourishing – Touching the wonders of life provides nourishment and healing.
  4. Calm down the suffering – Mindfulness embraces pain and anger like a mother holding a baby, acting on the non-dualistic principle that anger is also oneself.
  5. Looking deeply – Focusing attention to discover the nature of suffering.
  6. Insight – Bringing transformation and healing.

Consciousness consists of store consciousness, where seeds of suffering and happiness reside, and mind consciousness. When negative seeds manifest, the energy of mindfulness is generated to embrace them without violence, requiring time like cooking potatoes. If pain becomes overwhelming, the Sangha, a community of brothers and sisters, provides the necessary support to survive difficult moments and continue the practice.

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