Smiling to the state of my lungs,
Smiling
I breathe out.
9.
Aware of the state of my liver,
State of liver
I breathe in.
Smiling to the state of my liver,
Smiling
I breathe out.
10.
Aware of the state of my bowels,
State of bowels
I breathe in.
Smiling to the state of my bowels,
Smiling
I breathe out.
11.
Aware of the state of my kidneys,
State of kidneys
I breathe in.
Smiling to the state of my kidneys,
Smiling
I breathe out.
12.
Caring for my heart, I breathe in.
Caring for heart
Smiling to my heart, I breathe out.
Smiling to heart
13.
Caring for my lungs, I breathe in.
Caring for lungs
Smiling to my lungs, I breathe out.
Smiling to lungs
14.
Caring for my liver, I breathe in.
Caring for liver
Smiling to my liver, I breathe out.
Smiling to liver
15.
Caring for my bowels, I breathe in.
Caring for bowels
Smiling to my bowels, I breathe out.
Smiling to bowels
16.
Caring for my kidneys, I breathe in.
Caring for kidneys
Smiling to my kidneys, I breathe out.
Smiling to kidneys
17.
Caring for my brain, I breathe in.
Caring for brain
Smiling to my brain, I breathe out.
Smiling to brain
This exercise puts us in touch with our bodies and helps us be aware of the condition of each part. It helps us express our concern and our compassion for those parts. This is a form of compassion meditation whose object is the body. It teaches us to live mindfully in order to protect our health and the peace and joy of our bodies. It shows us how to eat, drink, sleep, rest, and work mindfully each day so as not to bring poisons into our bodies. We learn not to work the parts of the body (heart, intestines, kidneys, and so on) to exhaustion and instead learn how to rest, refresh, and restore to each part the capacity to function normally.
Exercise Six
Being in Touch, Looking Deeply
1.
Aware of my body, I breathe in.
Aware of body
Smiling to my body, I breathe out.
Smiling
2.
Aware of the element earth in me,
Aware of earth
I breathe in.
Smiling to the element earth in me,
Smiling
I breathe out.
3.
Aware of the element water in me,
Aware of water
I breathe in.
Smiling to the element water in me,
Smiling
I breathe out.
4.
Aware of the element fire in me,
Aware of fire
I breathe in.
Smiling to the element fire in me,
Smiling
I breathe out.
5.
Aware of the element air in me,
Aware of air
I breathe in.
Smiling to the element air in me,
Smiling
I breathe out.
6.
Aware of the element space in me,
Aware of space
I breathe in.
Smiling to the element space in me,
Smiling
I breathe out.
7.
Aware of the element consciousness
Aware of
in me, I breathe in.
consciousness
Smiling to the element consciousness
Smiling
in me, I breathe out.
8.
Recognizing the element earth
Recognizing earth
everywhere, I breathe in.
Smiling to the element earth
everywhere, I breathe out.
Smiling
9.
Seeing that the element earth
Earth contains
contains water, fire, air,
other elements
space, and consciousness, I breathe in.
Seeing that earth is water, fire, air,
Earth is the
space, and consciousness,
other elements
I breathe out.
10.
Recognizing the element water
Recognizing water
everywhere, I breathe in.
Smiling to the element water
Smiling
everywhere I breathe out.
11.
Seeing that the element water
Water contains
contains earth, fire, air, space, and
other elements
consciousness, I breathe in.
Seeing that water is earth, fire, air,
Water is the
space, and consciousness,
other elements
I breathe out.
12.
Recognizing the element fire
Recognizing fire
everywhere, I breathe in.
Smiling to the element fire
Smiling
everywhere, I breathe out.
13.
Seeing that the element fire
Fire contains
contains earth, water, air, space, and
other elements
consciousness, I breathe in.
Seeing that fire is earth, water, air,
Fire is the
space, and consciousness,
other elements
I breathe out.
14.
Recognizing the element air
Recognizing air
everywhere, I breathe in.
Smiling to the element air
Smiling
everywhere, I breathe out.
15.
Seeing that the element air
Air contains
contains earth, water, fire, space, and
other elements
consciousness, I breathe in.
Seeing that air is earth, water, fire,
Air is the
space, and consciousness,
other elements
I breathe out.
16.
Recognizing the element space
Recognizing space
everywhere, I breathe in.
Smiling to the element space
Smiling
everywhere, I breathe out.
17.
Seeing that the element space
Space contains
contains earth, water, fire,
other elements
air, and consciousness, I breathe in.
Seeing that space is earth, water, fire,
Space is the
air, and consciousness,
other elements
I breathe out.
18.
Recognizing the element
Recognizing
consciousness everywhere,
consciousness
I breathe in.
Smiling to the element consciousness
Smiling
everywhere, I breathe out.
19.
Seeing that the element consciousness
Consciousness
contains earth, water, air,
contains other
fire, and space, I breathe in.
elements
Seeing that consciousness is earth,
Consciousness
water, air, fire, and space,
is the other
I breathe out.
elements
This exercise leads us to the observation of the six elements that comprise both the human organism and the universe. The six elements are earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness. Earth stands for the solid aspect of things, water for the fluid, fire for warmth and heat, air for movement. Space and consciousness are the nature and frame of the four first elements. When we breathe in, we see earth in our bodies. When we breathe out, we recognize and smile to that element earth. Earth is the mother who gives us birth, and our mother is right inside us. We are one with our mother; we are one with the earth. Every moment earth is entering us. The vegetables we eat are also earth. As we meditate, we should see earth by means of concrete images. When we meditate on water in ourselves, we should see water in our blood, in our saliva, bile, and sweat, and we should smile to acknowledge water. Our bodies are approximately 70 percent water. We can also see air and space in our bodies. If we look deeply, we shall see that these elements all depend on each other. The air, for example, is nourished by the forest, and the forest needs the air to nourish itself. The vegetable world, including the vegetables we eat, requires the earth and the heat of the sun to grow. Neither space nor solid matter could exist without the other. The sutra teaches that form is also mind, and we see consciousness has penetrated every cell of our bodies. Consciousness upholds body, and body upholds consciousness.
When we begin to meditate on earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness outside our bodies, we recognize that these six elements are everywhere in the universe. We gradually come to see that we and the universe are one. The universe is our basis, and we are the basis of the universe. The composition and the decomposition of a body do not add anything to or take away anything from the universe. The sun is just as necessary for our bodies as our hearts are. The forest is just as necessary for our bodies as are our lungs. Our bodies need the river as much as they need our blood. If we continue to meditate like this, we shall see that we can let go of the boundaries between “I” and “not I,’’ and thus we can overcome the distinction between birth and death, being and nonbeing, and finally we can overcome fear. According to the principle of interdependent origination, the one comes about because of the all, and the all is present in the one. Thus the earth element contains the water, heat, air, space, and consciousness elements. The earth element can be recognized as including the whole universe within itself. The Pali word kasina (in Sanskrit, krtsna) is sometimes translated as “sign,” meaning the sign that we have realized the object of our meditation, but the original meaning of the word is “wholeness,” and when our meditation is deep enough, we see that each element contains all the others. Such a practice is called krtsnāyatanabhāvanā, which means “training in entering the whole.” In krtsnāyatanabhāvanā, we can also meditate on colors: blue, red, white, and yellow. These four colors and the six elements make up ten trainings in entering the whole. Colors are also present in the universe and in us, and every color contains all the other colors and also contains the six elements that are in us and in the whole universe.
Taking Refuge
1.
Breathing in, I go back to myself.
Going back
Breathing out, I take refuge in
My own island
my own island.
2.
Breathing in, Buddha is
Buddha is
my mindfulness.
mindfulness
Breathing out, my mindfulness
Shining near
shines near and far.
and far
3.
Breathing in, Dharma is my
Dharma is
conscious breath.
conscious breath
Breathing out, the conscious breath
Protecting body
protects my body and mind.
and mind
4.
Breathing in, Sangha is my
Sangha is five
five skandhas.
skandhas
Breathing out, my skandhas are
Practicing in
practicing in harmony.
harmony
Although this exercise can be used anywhere and at any time, it is especially useful when we find ourselves in a state of anxiety and agitation and do not know what is best to do. It is a means of finding refuge through the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. When we practice this exercise, it takes us directly to a place of peace and stability, to the most calm and stable place we can go. Buddha taught: “Be an island unto yourself. You should take refuge in yourself and not in anything else.” This island is right mindfulness, the awakened nature, the foundation of stability and calm that resides in each of us. This island is the Dharma, or the teachings of the Awakened Ones that shine light on the path we are treading and help us see what we need to do and what we should not do. Finally, this island is also the Sanghakaya, or our practice community. In each member of the Sanghakaya, the five skandhas, elements of body and mind, need to be in accord with each other. That is, our own skandhas must be in harmony before we can live in harmony with others. When the five skandhas are in harmony then, naturally, there will be the right action that brings peace. We will find that the nervous system and heart rediscover their evenness and their calm. Conscious breathing itself brings about this evenness. If we can become aware that we are doing what is most appropriate in a difficult moment, we shall see that we no longer have any reason to be anxious or agitated. Is there anything better we could possibly do than that? “Being an Island unto Myself” is a song to help us memorize the gatha:
Say you were on an airplane and the pilot announced that the plane was in trouble and might crash, this exercise would enable you to calm yourself and clear your mind. By bringing the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha back to your own island to shine light upon it, you would be able to find peace. If you were indeed to die, you would be able to die beautifully, as you have lived beautifully, in mindfulness. You would have enough calm and clarity in that moment and would know exactly what to do and what not to do.
Chapter II. Images
When we meditate we use our stored consciousness (the deepest levels of our consciousness) more than our mind consciousness (our thinking and rationalization). That is why images are more useful to the meditator than are abstract concepts. These exercises are to help us be aware of and nourished by the contact of the five senses with the sense impressions. They help us appreciate more the wonders of life that our senses make possible. They also help us be aware of any feelings—pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral—that arise when our senses touch sense objects.
Exercise One
Joy of Meditation as Nourishment
1.
Breathing in, I know
In
I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I know
Out
I am breathing out.
2.
Breathing in, I see myself as a flower.
Flower
Breathing out, I feel fresh.
Fresh
3.
Breathing in, I see myself
Mountain
as a mountain.
Breathing out, I feel solid.
Solid
4.
Breathing in, I see myself as still water.
Still water
Breathing out, I reflect all that is.
Reflecting
5.
Breathing in, I see myself as space.
Space
Breathing out, I feel free.
Free
This exercise can be practiced in the first part of any period of sitting meditation, or for the whole of the meditation period, to nourish and calm body and mind, to enable the meditator to let go and attain freedom.
The first stage should be practiced for as long as it takes the body and mind to become one. The second stage encourages a sense of fresh
ness. A human being should be as fresh as a flower, for indeed we are one species of flower in the garden of all phenomena. We need only to look at the beauty of children to see that human beings are flowers. Two round eyes are flowers. The clear complexion of the face with its gentle forehead is a flower. The two hands are a flower. . . . It is only because we worry that our foreheads become wrinkled. It is only because we cry so much and pass so many sleepless nights that our eyes are clouded. We breathe in to restore the flower in us. This in-breath brings the flower in us back to life. The out-breath helps us be aware that we have the capacity to be, and are now, fresh as a flower. This awareness waters our flower. It is the practice of loving-kindness meditation toward ourselves.