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Protecting Body and Mind
Meditation practice is the practice of the body and the mind at the same time. To arrive at the state of oneness of body and mind, the breath is a wonder, a bridge connecting the body to the mind. The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing teaches sixteen exercises of mindful breathing, in which the first four breaths are practiced to return to the body:
- The first breath: Breathing in, we know we are breathing in; breathing out, we know we are breathing out. We invest 100% of our mind into the breath to generate mindfulness and concentration, putting an end to the thinking and talking in our head (mental talk).
- The second breath: Recognizing the breath as short or long naturally, without interfering (mere recognition).
- The third breath: Breathing in and breathing out with awareness of the whole body, using the energy of mindfulness and concentration to embrace the body like a mother embracing her child.
- The fourth breath: Breathing in and breathing out to calm the whole body (calming bodily formations), helping the body to relax and heal.
Practicing to love and take care of ourselves is absolutely necessary before taking care of others. Instead of punishing the body and mind for fame and profit or the stress of daily life, each person needs to practice Sitting Meditation, walking meditation, and Deep Relaxation to give the body a chance to rest and heal itself, just like a wounded animal in the forest.
The Sutra on Mindfulness of the Body teaches the method of contemplating the body with the beam of mindfulness, similar to a medical scanning technique. The practitioner lies down or sits up, directing their attention from the top of the head downwards to recognize and embrace each of the 36 parts of the body—such as the eyes, ears, brain, lungs, heart, liver, and digestive system—with all their compassion and tenderness, helping to calm and heal the pain and tension within.
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Mudita