We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track. If this problem persists help us by reporting it so we can investigate it.
Watch this talk
Enter your email to watch this talk and discover other teachings from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
Login or create a free account to watch this talk and discover other teachings from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
Log in or create an account
Yunmen Retreat Dharma talk for Monks
The first twelve exercises of mindful breathing from the Sutra on Mindful Breathing are:
- First exercise: Breathing in, knowing one is breathing in; breathing out, knowing one is breathing out. This stops thoughts of the past and future, bringing mindfulness, concentration, and the oneness of body and mind.
- Second exercise: Knowing when the breath is short or long, simply recognizing the breath without intervention so it naturally becomes deeper, slower, and calmer.
- Third exercise: Being aware of the body to come home and reconcile with it.
- Fourth exercise: Calming and relaxing the body to allow it to rest and heal.
- Fifth exercise: Feeling joy.
- Sixth exercise: Feeling happiness.
- Seventh exercise: Recognizing painful or difficult feelings and emotions.
- Eighth exercise: Tenderly embracing and calming painful feelings.
- Ninth exercise: Becoming aware of whatever mental formation manifests, such as anger, attachment, jealousy, or fear, and calling it by its name.
- Tenth exercise: Gladdening the mind (tâm duyệt) by watering positive seeds in the store consciousness, such as faith.
- Eleventh exercise: Concentrating on the mental formation, focusing entirely on a negative state to discover the root of suffering, practicing the first and second noble truths.
- Twelfth exercise: Liberating the mind from the mental formation, practicing the third and fourth noble truths to achieve the cessation of suffering.
The Buddha and his monastics practiced sitting, walking, and breathing meditation to nourish themselves with the spiritual food of joy and happiness. True practice must focus directly on daily suffering, anger, and difficulties within the community rather than seeking enlightenment elsewhere. By looking deeply into anger and jealousy, the root of suffering is understood, displaying the path to the cessation of suffering and restoring harmony. Mindful breathing is a universal, non-religious healing practice that has been clinically shown in Western medical institutions, such as the Harvard Mind Body Institute, to reduce stress and generate elements favorable for physical and mental recovery.
A delegation of 32 monastics representing 11 countries, including five abbots and Sister Chân Không, continues the tradition of sharing these teachings. Practicing mindful breathing and walking meditation in daily life cultivates the necessary energy of mindfulness to embrace suffering and walk with the peace and dignity of the Buddha.
Part of the following collection
Yunmen Retreat Talk for Nuns