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The Treatise on the Stages of Yoga Practice 7
Mother Earth is recognized as a Bodhisattva with great wisdom, great compassion, and beauty—the source from which the Buddha Shakyamuni, the Bodhisattvas, and all beings are born. The Bodhisattva Cooling Great Earth is an object of reverence, not an inanimate material thing, but one who embodies wisdom and compassion, manifesting as clouds turning into rain, as the undercurrent in a cup of tea, or in each mindful step of walking meditation. The Thanksgiving Ceremony during the Winter Retreat is not merely to thank a distant deity, but to offer our gratitude to Mother Earth, who gives us squash, oranges, pomelos, grapes, air, water, and sunlight—gifts that nourish both body and mind.
Healing body and mind begins with deep contact with our breath and our physical form, then extends to our consciousness through the four breathing exercises in the Anapanasati Sutra and the Sutra on Mindful Breathing. Samatha (stopping, calming) has three essential meanings:
- to stop so that the mind does not wander
- to calm and soothe the suffering in body and mind
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to concentrate and sustain mindfulness on the breath or the body
Practicing breathing in—“I am aware that I have a body”—helps us connect with our body, embrace our pain—“Breathing in, I recognize my pain; breathing out, I embrace my pain”—and nourish joy—“Breathing in, I recognize the happiness within me.” From mindful breathing to walking meditation, mindful eating, and bowing to the Great Earth, each present moment is an opportunity for awakening, liberation, and peace.
Part of the following collection
Breath – The Doorway to Healing Body and Mind