The breath is like a mirror for the mind. When there’s greed, anger, delusion, they’ll show up in the breath. And you find that not only does the breath reflect the mind, but you can use the breath to have a positive effect on the mind as well.
When the breath in the body is full, you find that it’s really resilient and eases your burdens in lots of ways. So experiment to see what a “full breath” is.
The mind is like an animal: that if it hasn’t been trained it’s difficult to live with. Once we train it, though, it stops creating so much suffering for itself. So we begin by staying in one place with something really simple: the breath.
Aging, illness and death have been called treasures for those who understand them. For in facing their issues and learning how to die we are in fact learning how to live.
(PERSONAL CAT) Paying attention to volitional formations and consciousness helps us to understand the selfless nature of this body mind process. Ends with a short guided meditation.
Each of the Buddha's Suttas is about our lives. How do we test these teachings to see if they are beneficial or not? Some examples from the Anapanasati Sutta are given.
(PERSONAL CAT) We name, label and categorize experience through the process of perception. These perceptions are conditioned & therefore can be distorted. Learning to let perception do it's function & not to identify with it.
This talk continues the exploration of how the practice cultivates happiness and joy. Topics include mindfulness as appreciation, wonder, gratitude, bliss of blamelessness, letting go, mudita, friendship and liberation.
