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Walking Meditation - The Living Tradition of Buddhist Meditation Practices at Plum Village
Perfect enlightenment is made up of moments of incomplete enlightenment. Without those initial moments of mindfulness, there can be no perfect enlightenment. The H point in our mind contains both New York and Boston, just as each present moment already carries within itself perfect enlightenment, nirvana, happiness, and freedom. We only need to turn in the right direction, to sit and drink a cup of tea with mindfulness, and we touch nirvana right in the present moment. Everyday actions such as cooking rice, washing dishes, or walking meditation are all doors to liberation when we live with awareness in each step, each breath, and each gesture.
Within us there are two forces—mindfulness and forgetfulness. Forgetfulness is the deep-rooted ghost that pulls our mind into the past and the future, while mindfulness is the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha embracing and protecting us. The functions of mindfulness include:
- Truly being present in the present moment
- Recognizing the presence of “the other”—people, things, nature
- Nourishing and healing happiness within
- Deep looking leading to insight and liberation
Practicing mindful breathing—in, out, deep, slow, calm, ease, smile—helps us dwell happily in the present moment. Walking meditation on the earth is the supernatural power of the earth; each step that touches the ground of reality is a lotus flower of the Pure Land blooming right beneath our feet, bringing us back to this moment, where past and future are woven together in one continuous stream.