For many weeks I have been writing about the first three practices of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness”.  The title “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” is the most common translation of the Satipatthana Sutta, which is a core Sutta of the early Buddhist tradition. It is #22 of the “Long Discourses of the Buddha”.

As noted in earlier parts of this series, one need not be a Buddhist to study these Buddhist approaches to meditation. These basic practices can easily be adapted to your current beliefs whether you are one who believes in God, one who does not, or one who is not sure what to believe.

The first practice is mindfulness of sensations.

The second practice is mindfulness of three basic feeling tones: satisfaction, dissatisfaction, or neutrality. These three basci feeling tones of the second practice are considered from two different contexts.

The first context is feelings of satisfaction, dissatisfaction, or neutrality that arise from sensory experiences or thoughts of people, places, and things. The second context is feelings of satisfaction, dissatisfaction, or neutral feelings that arise from experiences and thoughts which arise from activities such as charitable acts, the deep peace of concentration, new insights, or successful efforts to outgrow old bad habits and dependencies.

The third practice of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” is mindfulness of general states of mind. The most basic examples are when the mind is filled with restless aching hunger, irritation, aggression, or misguided ignorance. Other examples of states of mind to be on the look-out for are when the mind is calm, peaceful, and clear.

Still other examples of general states of mind to be noted are: when the mind is restless, easily distracted, sluggish, dull, in a low state of awareness, or generally in bondage. Finally, there are those states of mind when these unwholesome states are supplanted by their opposites when the mind is concentrated, bright, alert, clear, and free.  As there are many degrees of concentration, clarity and freedom, being aware of the specific degree or level of concentration, clarity, and freedom is another good example of practicing the third part of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness”.

As always, it is wise to refer to the actual text (The Long Discourses of the Buddha- Wisdom Publications) for the original language and terms. Much of my writing is a general attempt to recast the language of long ago into language that modern people may more clearly recognize and relate to. But my efforts in this regard are still at an early stage and are not presented as though they were a systematic or comprehensive recasting.

What is important is to observe the various shades and nuances of these sensations, feelings, and general states of mind with as much openness and non-judgement as possible.

These efforts will give you some basic tools to use when sitting in meditation or moving about in the active hours of your day.

Look at your interior experience and begin to identify the component elements.

See how the different streams of sensory input from sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell weave together in different measure in different moments to create the sensory layer of your interior experience.

If you are in meditation with your eyes closed in a quiet chapel or natural setting, the primary experience will probably be the various sensations of breathing or the sensations that arise from sitting cross-legged or in a chair. If you are in the active hours of the day, there will generally be much more in the way of sight and sound in addition to touch. Or if you are eating, the sensations of taste and smell may be the more predominant mix of sense triggered experience arising in your mind.

But look carefully and see how differing mixes of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell arise in your mind as the stream of changing stimulus within and around you trigger one or more of these sensors.

Then look to see if your reaction to sensory input is one of “I like this”, or “I don’t like this”, or “I don’t have a strong reaction to this one way or the other.”

Then look carefully at the feeling layer in your mind whether that feeling is one of satisfaction, dissatisfaction, or neutrality. Maybe the satisfaction is strong or mild. Maybe the feeling of dissatisfaction is very deep or only moderately intense. Maybe the feelings are a mixture of moderate satisfaction and moderate dissatisfaction as different feelings from different triggers arise and cloud, clog, or numb the mind.

Look to see the drives and urges that arise from feelings of satisfaction, dissatisfaction, or neutrality.

Look to see the feelings of satisfaction, dissatisfaction, or neutrality that arise from sensory or self-centered pursuits. See the urges and drives that are triggered by this category of feelings.

Look to see how different are the feelings of satisfaction, dissatisfaction, or neutrality that arise from non-sensory or selfless experiences of charity, concentration, dedicated effort on the path, or breakthrough insight. See if there are any urges of grasping, or aversion, or ignorance that arise from this category of non-sensory or selfless feelings. See the different effects of these two categories of feelings.

Now look at the general state of the mind as you engage the third of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” which is, once again, mindful awareness of your general state of mind or tone of consciousness.

Is the mind filled with restless aching hunger, or calm enjoyment, irritation and anger? Or is the mind calm with a sense of patient awareness and acceptance even if some difficult situation has developed? Is the mind concentrated on the breath or mantra, or is the mind jumpy and prone to one distraction after another?

Is the general state of mind one of ease and lucidity or tension and bondage?

There is another important aspect to any and all of this work. That is to view any and all of these phenomena with “bare attention”. Bare attention is a Theravada term.

As Nyanaponika Thera describes it in “The Heart of Buddhist Meditation”, “bare attention is the clear and single minded awareness of what is actually happening to us and in us, at the successive moments of perception”.  (The Heart of Buddhist Meditation Nyanaponika Thera Samuel Weiser Inc, York Me 1996)

The general idea of how to apply bare attention to the first three practices of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” is to observe and note the bare facts of, and I recap:

                   What sensations are arising in the mind from one or more of the five senses?

                   What basic feeling-tone is arising from the sensations of the body and the thoughts that arise in the mind?

                    Is the experience of satisfaction, dissatisfaction, or neutrality arising from sensory experiences or self-centered thoughts or actions? Or, is the experience of satisfaction, dissatisfaction, or neutrality arising from non-sensory and selfless thoughts and actions?

                   In what ways are the feeling tones of satisfaction, dissatisfaction, and neutrality that arise from sensory and self-centered thoughts or actions different from those that arise from non-sensory and selfless thoughts and actions?

                    What is the general state of mind or tone of consciousness? Is it narrow, hazy, cloudy, tense, numb, or filled with greed, anger, or ignorance? Or is the mind in one of the various stages of calm, tranquility, ease, openness, relaxation, concentration, or freedom?

Beginning to clearly delineate the various layers and streams of input that comprise your consciousness at any given moment is part of the overall effort to continue to strengthen the constancy and penetrating depth of mindfulness.

You will begin to see the mind is not a single ball of wax, but rather a composite of many different stands of phenomena woven from many different streams of sensation, feelings, thoughts, and drives. We can explore the implications and benefits of this in future posts.

For now it is enough to know you will be able to see the wholesome and the unwholesome states without launching into knee-jerk judgments about what should or should not be happening, and without judging whether you are a good or lousy meditator. Rather you will see the various aspects of your experience as they arise, spread, have effect, begin to fade and then, eventually, note that they are gone.

You will be able to note very generally: meditator….experience…arising….passing….creative….not creative…etc.

You will see the arising and passing of all these different mental phenomena in a detached and dispassionate manner. You will be able to resist getting dragged around by desire and anger. There will be no need to start a restless chase after pleasure. Neither will you need to suppress difficult or unwholesome experiences that do arise. You will be able to more patiently observe irritating situations without getting caught in your usual web of defensive or controlling reactions. You will be able to enjoy pleasant experiences without trying to cling to them, and without lamenting their loss, when they fade and pass.

The goal of this activity is not to render a person as some lifeless, inert, automaton.

The goal is to strengthen mindful awareness to the degree that the more complex work of the fourth practice of The Four Foundations of Mindfulness”, and other advanced practices become possible. All of these preparations, and more, are needed for the final climb to the summit of liberation.

During both formal meditation practice and in the active hours of life the goal is to develop a passive, non-reactive, noting of pleasureable and unpleasureable experiences and states of mind. Learning to observe one’s interior experience, and the actions and states of minds of others in a very open, non-judgmental manner is a very good skill and perspective to learn. It will be like you are an engineer of a run-a-way freight train who does not panic but who finds a way to calmly fix the broken emergency brake long before it would otherwise crash.

This does not mean a person does not make judgements. It means one can learn to suspend judgement until they have had a chance to think clearly. One can then formulate skillful and compassionate judgements when they are needed and to forego them when they are not.

Seeing any original stimulus and seeing the stages of perception and reactions that arise from any initial stimulus will allow you to create alternative reactions that serve your needs and the needs of others far more skillfully.

In short, this work will help you to not react the way you usually react when “someone pushes your buttons”. You will be able to see your buttons. You will be able to see if someone is pushing your buttons. But you will be able to decide what tapes get played after the buttons get pushed.

When it is time to pursue an important goal, or to respond to an irritating or angering situation, you will be able to do so in a far more alert and creative manner.

All of this work will prepare you for deeper experiences of concentration, compassion and insight. Next week I will touch on some other aspects of these first three practices before moving on to the 4th practice of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness”.

For now, all the best with your daily practice.

Send me an email or call. Let me know your impressions of these blog posts.

I would be glad to hear from you.

 Will Raymond

Author of “The Simple Path of Holiness”

Host of MeditationPractice.com

 774-232-0884

As noted in the last post in this series I need to back-track a bit to discuss another aspect of the second of the meditation practices of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” which is mindful awareness of feelings.

As noted in earlier parts of this series, one need not be a Buddhist to study these Buddhist approaches to meditation. These basic practices can easily be adapted to your current beliefs whether you are one who believes in God, one who does not, or one who is not sure what to believe.

Please read the earlier posts of this series, at least the previous one or two posts, to be aware of the principal themes and practices offered so far.

To recap, the second of “The Four Foundation of Mindfulness” is the practice of mindful awareness of feelings. As noted in the earlier posts on this second practice, by feelings the Theravada Buddhist teachers refer to only three basic feelings: satisfied, unsatisfied, or neutral. In the earlier posts of this series, where I discussed these three basic feelings I did so only in the context of feelings that arise from contact with sensory experiences such. The feelings of satisfaction that arise from tasting a hot apple turnover is one such example. The feelings of dissatisfaction of tasting poorly cooked food at an expensive restaurant is another. The neutral, or non-descript, feelings that arise after tasting food that is neither very good nor very bad is a third.

The first key point in this practice of mindfulness is to simply identify the basic feeling tones of satisfaction, unsatisfaction, or neutrality as you encounter sensory phenomena such as sight, sound, touch, taste, or smell.

The second key point is to notice how each of these feeling rise to a very particular mind-state or set of urges.

Does the feeling of satisfaction give rise to a desire to have “more” or to repeat the experience again and again with the hope that each time the experience will be just as satisfying? This sense of grasping, or restless longing, let alone any sense of aching hunger or craving, is the mind state to be on the look-out for. The basic belief of Theravada Buddhist teachers is that feelings of sensory pleasure will give rise to grasping, or restless longing, or fully blown aching hunger and craving, unless a person intervenes to stop the chase.

Does the feeling of dissatisfaction give rise to anger, resentment, irritation, a desire to push the experience away, or to harshly judge other people who may be the source of the irritation? This mind state of anger, irritation, or harsh judgement, let alone any urges to respond aggressively are the mind states to be on the look-out for. The basic belief of Theravada Buddhist teachers is that feelings of dissatisfaction will give rise to anger, resentment, harsh judgement, grasping for comforting pleasure, or aggression unless a person intervenes to calm the mind and consider more skillful modes of acceptance and creative response.

Does the feeling of neutrality give rise to a certain hazy response to a non-descript experience where one is no longer really observing the rising and passing of this non-descript experience? In general the neutral or non-descript reactions to experiences that are neither very pleasureable or very dissatisfying are, by definition, less vivid. Being less vivid it can be harder for a person to really take notice of the arising and passing of neutral mind states. The basic belief of Theravada Buddhist teachers is that neutral feelings tend to give rise to a certain form of ignorance or indifference that causes one’s practice to lapse into lack-of-awareness where they miss whatever is going on in that moment.

To repeat, in all these matters the first key point is to identify whether the reaction to sensory phenomena is satisfying, unsatisfying, or neutral.  The second key point is to notice that each of these feelings tends to give rise to very identifiable mind states of either grasping, aversion, or ignorance, unless one is vigilant enough to forestall these mind states from arising or gathering too much momentum. This practice of noticing the mind states that arise from the three basic feeling tones is the first part of the third of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness.”  The second part of this third practice of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” is the willingness to not judge oneself for having these mind states of grasping, aversion, or ignorance, but simply to receive the experience with compassion without acting on the impulses attendant to these experiences as they arise and pass. There are other steps that are outlined in the fourth of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” that help a person work with unwholesome states that arise from satisfying, unsatisfying, or neutral feelings.  But a discussion of this fourth aspect of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” will have to wait two or three weeks.

Before proceeding to this fourth practice it is important to note that in addition to satisfying, unsatisfying, or neutral experiences that arise from sensory experiences, there are also the satisfying, unsatisfying and neutral experiences that arise from non-sensory experiences. The Theravada Buddhist teachers often refer to these non-sensory experiences as “other-worldly” pleasure, or “other-worldly” dissatisfaction, or “other-worldly” neutrality. For our purposes I feel it makes sense to stick with the designation “non-sensory” as I feel the term “other-worldly” is confusing and inaccurate.

These non-sensory experiences of pleasure may arise from acts of charity and love, or the act of attaining a level of discipline about not chasing after worldly pleasures. In short, diminishing the fires of restless aching hunger gives rise to feelings of joy and freedom. Non-sensory experiences of real contentment also arise from deep states of peace that arise from a very calm and properly concentrated mind. They also arise from satisfying epiphanies of insight into the nature of one’s long-term patterns or the nature-of-reality in general. In short, deep penetrating insight into the truth of one’s life and the truth of this life in general are very satisfying experiences to have. The point is these non-sensory experiences of pleasure do not give rise to feelings of grasping, restless longing, aching hunger, or craving. One is encouraged to seek and extend these non-sensory experiences of joy and delight assuming one does not cling to these experiences when they do pass.

The non-sensory experiences of dissatisfaction which might arise from a sense that one has backslid in their practice and are far from their goal of liberation need not give rise to feelings of anger or irritation or harsh judgement. Rather the sense of sadness of how far one is from their goal of high attainment can be a very useful motivation to re-dedicate one’s self to more sustained efforts.

The non-sensory experiences of neutrality are best described as feelings of equanimity where one takes both good fortune and bad fortune, favorable and unfavorable conditions, in stride and is not tipped upside down by either one. The practitioner is able to be fully mindful during such experiences and indeed such equanimity is one of the seven factors of enlightenment.

What is important is that all of us are warmly encouraged to enjoy the non-sensory pleasures and satisfactions that arise from wholesome states and efforts. In fact it is a basic tenet of Theravada Buddhist teachings that the joy of these non-sensory states exceeds the pleasure of sensory experiences. The teachings assert this greater joy meets the needs of the individual so completely that it is much easier to let go of the restless aching hunger for sensory experiences. Since the experiences of sensory delight are, by their nature, fleeting and since they inevitably turn into experiences of sorrow, pain, lamentation, and grief letting go of any effort to chase after sensory pleasure is very helpful. This does not mean one need forego all sensory pleasures, but rather that one does not cling to them when they pass and one does not chase after them as if they were the cure-all of one’s search for fulfillment in this life.

The joy of non-sensory experiences of charity, concentration, insight, and universal compassion are central to the path that leads out of suffering.

More next week on the non-sensory joys and pleasures of the path.

Peace,

Will Raymond

Author of The Simple Path of Holiness

Host of MeditationPractice.com

774-232-0884

In Part 10 of this series I want to begin discussion of the third of the meditation practices of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” which is mindful awareness of the general state of mind.

As noted in earlier parts of this series, one need not be a Buddhist to study this Buddhist approach to meditation. These basic practices can easily be adapted to your current beliefs whether you are one who believes in God, one who does not, or one who is not sure what to believe.

Please read the earlier posts of this series, at least the previous one or two posts, to be aware of the principal themes and practices offered so far.

To recap: the first of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” is the practice of mindful awareness of the sensations of the body, such as the changing sensations of the act of breathing in and out. The sensations of the body as you sit in meditation, or as you move about the active hours of your life, are other good examples. In general, be aware of the sensations that pour into the mind through the eye, ear, nose, taste, and touch. Begin to see how these different streams of experience are some of the components of your conscious experience. Begin to see how each of them is changing, constantly changing, whether that change is slow or quick.

The second of “The Four Foundation of Mindfulness is the practice of mindful awareness of feelings. As noted in earlier posts, by feelings the Theravada Buddhist teachers refer to only three basic feelings: satisfied, unsatisfied, or neutral. At first seeing the differences between these three choices may be much more clear during the active efforts of eating, or having sex, or going on holiday, or buying new clothes, or working with others, or going to dinner parties etc. During any or all of these activities you can begin to be more aware of whether the experiences you are having are satisfying, unsatisfying, or somewhat neutral. This assessment can continue, although usually on a more subtle level during times of formal sitting practice as well.

The third practice of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” is the practice of mindful awareness of the general state of mind. Please refer to the text of the Satipatthana Sutta for the exact words used. The following is language I am working on to try to convey to 21st century people how to think about this practice. The development of this language is a work in process, but here are a few ideas:

Is there a strong sense of aching hunger and grasping for “more” or is the mind free from aching hunger and the grasping for “more”?

Is there a strong sense of anger, resentment, and frustration, or is the mind free, or relatively free from anger, resentment, and frustration?

Is there a strong sense of “I”, and “me” and “mine”, or is the mind free from gross self-centered preoccupations and sense of entitlement, conceit, vanity, pride, or righteous indignation?

Is the experience of the mind (and body) tense and constricted, or is the mind (and body) calm and loose with a feeling of relaxed ease and spaciousness?

As you try to mediate are you finding you are constantly being distracted into one interior movie after another or is your mind steady and calmly focused on the inhale and exhale of the breath or whatever you are using for a mantra?

Do you feel you have reached the deepest states of peace and insight? Or is it clear you are still in a lower stage of peace, experience, and insight?

Do you feel you are making progress towards your goal of liberation or are you stuck or sliding backwards into old unskillful patterns?

In all of these observations there is one consideration of great importance. Don’t judge yourself as being a “bad meditator” if you are having experiences of aching desire, anger, self-centeredness, or just plain being stuck in a hazy or cloudy mind. Don’t judge yourself as being a “good meditator, if you are having experiences of being free from aching desire, anger, self-centeredness, or having really fulfilling experiences of clarity, calm, and freedom.

The different efforts of these basic practices of mindfulness will give you the tools to see with greater clarity and precision what is happening in the mind, as emotions and thoughts and general states of mind arise and pass away. Learning to distinguish sense impressions such as sights and sounds from general feeling tones is a good beginning. Seeing with greater clarity the three different base feeling tones of satisfaction, unsatisfaction, and neutral reactions is the next basic step. Seeing the relationship between these three base feeling tones and the basic tendencies of grasping or aversion that arise from them is the next level of observation.

All of this will help you see more clearly the intricate triggering that happens between bodily sensations, emotional feeling states, and various thoughts, judgements, and mind states.

The lucidity and suppleness of mindfulness that arises from these calisthenic kinds of exercises will prepare you for the later work of working with unwholesome states and thoughts and the cultivation of wholesome states and thoughts.

You will have the tools you need for sophisticated work.

For now it is enough to observe with a simple, innocent curiosity and to note: mind filled with desire, mind free from desire, mind filled with anger, mind free from anger and so forth. Just make a mental note of what you are observing as the general state of mind you are experiencing. The time to take action to mold, or supplant, or disperse unwholesome states and to cultivate wholesome states will come about in the various efforts of the fourth practice of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness”. For now it is enough to be more aware of the general tone of consciousness, which is to say the general tone of your state of mind with as little judgement and evaluation as possible.

Before proceeding to the fourth practice, I need to back up a little to discuss one important aspect of the feeling states of satisfying, unsatisfying, or neutral. That important aspect is the ability to make a distinction between two categories. The first category is satisfying, unsatisfying, or neutral experiences that arise from sensual experience such as eating or going to a movie.

The second category is satisfying, unsatisfying, or neutral feelings that arise from the non-sensual experiences such as forsaking excessive desire, the act of full and free forgiveness, the freedom of accepting difficulties with grace and dignity, acts of genuinely selfless charity and the like.

This is an important distinction and I will discuss the very important nuances of this distinction next week. After that we can move on to outline the highlights of the fourth practice of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness”. There is no easy way to translate the Pali word that describes the fourth practice, although it is often referred to as mindfulness of mind objects, or mindfulness of dhammas.

But next week we can spend some time on the above mentioned distinctions relevant to the subtler practice of the mindful awareness of the feelings and thoughts that arise from sensual experiences as compared with the feelings that arise from non-sensual experiences.

Please let me know what you think of this blog. I would be grateful for the feedback.

All sincere comments, whether approving or critical will be posted. Or call and leave a message at 774-232-0884.

Will Raymond

Author of The Simple Path of Holiness-Host of MeditationPractice.com

 In Part 9 of this series I want to continue with the second of the meditation practices of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness,” which is mindful awareness of feelings.

As noted in earlier parts of this series, one need not be a Buddhist to study this Buddhist approach to meditation. These basic practices can easily be adapted to your current beliefs whether you are one who believes in God, one who does not, or one who is not sure what to believe.

Please read the earlier posts of this series, at least the previous one or two posts, to be aware of the principal themes and practices offered so far.

As noted last week, I want to emphasize the Theravada Buddhists use the word feelings differently than we do in modern times. When these teachers discuss feelings they are referring to three very basic feelings, or emotional states: satisfied, dissatisfied, or neutral.

In the post last week, I mentioned that eating food is a very good way to make the transition from mindful awareness of sensations to the mindful awareness of feelings.  There are the sensations of eating the food. Then there is the arising of one of three basic feelings.

The experience of the sensations of eating or smelling the food is satisfying, unsatisfying, or neutral.

What is important is to notice the tendencies that arise from each of these three basic feelings. If the food is satisfying, does the feeling of satisfaction give rise to a restless aching desire for “more”? As you near the end of the meal or desert, is there a feeling, whether mild or pronounced, of longing or sadness when you realize you have the last bite in your mouth and there is no more?

If the food is poorly cooked or badly seasoned, what does the feeling of dissatisfaction feel like, regardless of whether the feeling of dissatisfaction is mild or pronounced? For example, you have gone out to an expensive restaurant and the food really tastes bad. There can be disappointment, maybe even high levels of frustration. The waiter responds in a snooty way and explains that there must be something wrong with you and your lack of knowledge of fine cuisine. Does the feeling of dissatisfaction with the food and the waiter give rise to irritation or anger that your carefully planned night out has been ruined by this over-priced restaurant and surly wait staff?

If the food is unremarkable but at least there is enough of it that you are no longer hungry, is there a feeling of neither satisfied or dis-satisfied, rather a sort of in-between feeling?

Another good example of watching feelings of satisfaction, dissatisfaction, and neutrality arise can be seen in the experiences of working with others.

Possibly some of the people you work with are bright and positive and very helpful and skillful at what they do. The feeling of completing a project with them is satisfying and you like these people. Does this satisfaction give rise to thoughts of “Well I really want to spend more time working with these people”? Or, if those people leave the company or get transferred is there a feeling of, “I sure wish they were still here. I want the experience of working with them to continue”? (BTW a very natural inclination)

On the other hand perhaps one or two of people you work with in another department are lazy, incompetent and couldn’t care less whether the work is done well or poorly. The feeling that arises from working with them may be one of real dis-satisfaction. Watch carefully, does this dissatisfaction then give rise to frustration, irritation, anger, and even aggressive thoughts of lashing out big time?

For another example, suppose you are on vacation and having a really good time. Does the feeling of satisfaction give rise to thoughts, “I wish I had another week, even a few more days of this good time”? (Who has not had these thoughts?)

Does the thought of going back to a job you really find to be draining give rise to feelings of dissatisfaction? Does this dissatisfaction give rise to thoughts of anger and frustration about having to go back to work for a boss that is constantly belittling you or one who has increased the work but not increased the pay?

Watch carefully as you eat, work, go on vacation, commute to work, buy clothes, spend time with friends, lovers, have sex, make money in the stock market, lose money in the stock market, think about your meditation teacher, look in the mirror at your face or body, look at your house or apartment, see the days weather, and drive around the town you live in.

Notice the sensations of sight, sounds, smell, taste, and the sensations of touch in various points of the body.

See them arise and pass, arise and pass.

Notice whether the experience of these sensations is satisfying, dissatisfying, or neutral.

Notice as these feelings arise and pass, arise and pass. Whether they change slowly or quickly, watch them change, increase in force, decrease in force.

Notice the thoughts and actions that arise from the feelings of satisfaction, dissatisfaction, and neutrality.  This shift from feelings to thoughts is a natural segue to the third practice of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” which is practicing mindful awareness of the general state of mind that is triggered by specific feelings.

There is more to be said about the three basic feelings, satisfying, dissatisfying, and neutral.  But for now it is enough to continue to be mindful of the sensations of the body and the feelings of satisfaction, dissatisfaction and neutrality that arise from the sensations of the body.

There is also much more to be said about the transition from observing these three feelings to observing the thoughts and actions that arise from feelings.

But this blog post is, again, too long. So it makes sense to sign off for now.

All the best with head and heart, work and love.

Will

774-232-004

Will@meditationpractice.com

In Part 8 of this series on “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” I make the transition from practicing mindful awareness of the body, to practicing mindful awareness of feelings. Mindful awareness of the body is the first of the meditation practices of the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness.” Mindful awareness of feelings is the second.

As noted in earlier parts of this series, one need not be a Buddhist to study this Buddhist approach to meditation. The “Four Foundations of Mindfulness” is the English translation of the name of a Buddhist Sutta, the “Satipatthana Sutta.” These basic practices can easily be adapted to your current beliefs whether you are one who believes in God, one who does not, or one who is not sure what to believe.

Please read the earlier posts of this series, at least the previous one or two posts, to be aware of the principal themes and practices offered so far.

Before discussing the practice of mindful awareness of feelings, I need to emphasize the Theravada Buddhists use the word feelings differently than we do in modern times. When these teachers discuss feelings they are referring to three very basic feelings, or emotional states: satisfied, dissatisfied, or neutral.

Practicing the mindful awareness of the sensations of the body while eating food is a very good way to segue to the mindful awareness of whichever of the three basic feelings you are having.

For example: You walk into a friend’s house and they are baking something that gives off a strong, enticing aroma. You notice your sense of smell has been triggered as the aroma makes contact with your nose. The experience of this aroma is a sensation of the body. Usually, without fully realizing what is happening, or how quickly it is happening, your mind makes a basic determination whether the experience of this sensation of aroma is either satisfying, unsatisfying, or neutral. A preliminary practice of being mindful of feelings is to be aware the mind has formed an interpretation of the sensations as either satisfying, unsatisfying, or neutral. The second part is to observe the feeling of satisfaction, unsatisfaction, or neutrality as the operative feeling arises, spreads, begins to fade and then passes away.

OK, let’s keep going with this example.

Your friend tells you they are baking some apple turnovers and they give you one right out of the oven with some vanilla ice cream and a dash of whip cream. You notice the sensation of taste has been triggered when you take the first and then the second bite into the delicious treat. You may quickly decide, “This is great.” You find this taste treat is satisfying.  There is no need to go to extremes in this process. You begin with a simple observation of what is happening to whichever of the sensory impressions you happen to notice. Perhaps it is the taste of the food when you bite into the hot apple pie. Perhaps it is also the sense of smell continuing to be triggered as you smell the cinnamon and other fragrances of the turnover-ice cream treat. Perhaps it is the sensations of sight as you look around the kitchen you are sitting in. Perhaps it is the sense of touch as the teeth, tongue, mouth, and jaw engage to chew the food. Perhaps you focus on one, perhaps on any two, or all of these sensations. Maybe the cook is talking to you as you eat and so you notice the sound of their voice as the sense of hearing is triggered.

Keep it simple. Be aware in the moment as the sensors of the eye, ear, nose, taste, and sense of touch are triggered. A simple, natural curiosity of what is happening moment by moment is all that is needed.

You can then proceed to the second practice of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness” by noticing the arising of the general feeling-state as to whether the experience you are now having is satisfying, unsatisfying, or neutral.

Do not be too discouraged if you begin to notice that most of your experiences are either moderately or significantly unsatisfying. It takes courage to examine one’s inner state in detail. It takes courage to realize how there may be a general undercurrrent of dis-satisfaction in your life to one degree or another. All of this information can be put to very good use.

It also takes courage to realize that satisfying experiences tend to be fleeting and do not last as long as we often want them to.

If you notice that a large portion of your experiences are satisfying that is great. That means you have favorable conditions in your life. Hopefully you will be able to make the best use of these favorable conditions for meditation practice and other forms of study and work, art, play, or charitable activities.

Please remember it is enough to engage these practices with a simple, natural awareness and open observation.

Observe the sensations of the body caused by sensory input as the sensations arise, spread, have impact, begin to fade, and then pass completely from view.

Observe the mind forming a basic evaluation as to whether a specific experience is satisfying, unsatisfying, or neutral. Observe the experience of the new feeling of satisfaction, unsatisfaction, or neutrality as one of these feelings arises, spreads, has impact, begins to fade, and then passes completely from view.

Begin to see how lightning-quick these sensations, evaluations, and feelings arise.

No need to strain to attain some breakthrough of insight or experience. A steady engagement of these practices with natural sincerity is all that is needed.

What I can tell you is the basic stages of progress are something like this:

First you notice the window in your room is not that clear.

Then you clean the window of dirt and smudges.

Then you open the window to see the countryside directly.

More next Sunday,

 Will

774-232-0884

In Part 7 of this series on “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness,” I am continuing my commentary on the meditation practice called mindfulness of the body, which is the first of the practices from the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness.” As noted in earlier parts of this series, one need not be a Buddhist to study this Buddhist approach to meditation. The “Four Foundations of Mindfulness” is the English translation of the name of a Buddhist Sutta, the “Satipatthana Sutta.” These basic practices can easily be adapted to your current beliefs whether you are one who believes in God, one who does not, or one who is not sure what to believe.

Please read the earlier posts of this series, at least the previous one or two posts, to be aware of the principal themes and practices offered so far. To sum things up, for those who may be just coming to this blog series, the practices discussed in this series are, “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness.” There is another way to say this, that may be a bit easier to understand. That is to refer to these practices as “The Four Basic Practices of Mindful Awareness.”

1) You can observe the sensations of the body.

2) You can observe the general mood tone of the moment

3) You can observe thoughts and images of the mind.

4) You can observe the general state of mind in the moment, or as I described above, the general tone of consciousness.

In the past few weeks I have written about various ways to practice mindful awareness of the body. Here is another: to practice mindful awareness of your diet and nutrition and the sensations of eating.

Mindful awareness of diet and nutrition and the sensations of eating.

Being mindful of the food you eat, and the sensations caused in the body by the food you eat, and the beverages you drink is not specifically referenced in the Satipatthana Sutta. But it is a reasonable development of practice that is fully consistent with the teachings of this Sutta.

What are you eating?

Is it healthy food grown by organic methods? Or is the food grown on huge corporate farms with many different kinds of chemical fertilizers and pesticides?

Are you eating foods with lots of sugar, white flour, salt, or grease?

Are you eating foods with excessive amounts of cholesterol or other deleterious fats?

As you engage this practice, you can observe simply and clearly:

There is the experience of moving your arm to move the fork or spoon or knife.

There is the experience of opening our mouth and the sensations of the food impacting the taste buds of the tongue and the sensors of smell in the nose. There is the texture of the food and the sense as to whether it is salty, sweet, bland, or delicately or highly seasoned. There are the sensations of the teeth and mouth and jaw as you chew your food. There are the sensations in your throat as you swallow your food and as it passes down your throat. There are the sensations of whether you have eaten too much or not enough. There are the sensations of being bloated or “stuffed” if you have eaten too much, and those of digestion or indigestion. If you have eaten a lot of sugar or white flour, there is the sensation of the calories being quickly released in the blood stream, causing a mild or pronounced sugar buzz. Similar kinds of sensations are experienced if you have consumed too much salt.

There are the sensations of various beverages you consume, especially if the beverages are caffeinated or alcohol-based.

There are many, many sensations in the body associated with eating and the after effects of eating what you have eaten or drunk.

There is also this discernment. Generally it is suggested people do their meditations in the morning before breakfast and in the evening before dinner. For those who wish to, and have the time, they can also have a meditation session before the noon time meal. This way the digestive tract is as light and clear as good health will allow. Have you snacked in between meals so that the digestive tract is still clogged? Have you eaten foods or consumed beverages that leave your mind hazy and sluggish or light and clear and …smooth?  What is the difference in your meditations when you have waited a suitable time since you last ate as compared with when you have eaten in the past hour or two? What are the differences in your mind state after you have eaten lots of greasy animal protein, and lots of sugar, white flour or salt as compared with the times when you have eaten light vegetarian fare or lean animal protein?

How does what you eat and when you eat affect your meditation experience?

Observing the sensations of the body while eating leads very naturally to the mindful awareness of feelings which is the second of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness.” After all, as we eat, for many of us, certainly for me, I am evaluating if the food is satisfying or unsatisfying.

And again, the mindful awareness of feelings in Theravada Buddhist terms is a bit different from what we may think of in modern times when we speak of feelings. For the Theravada Buddhist authors of the Satipatthana Sutta, mindfulness of feelings is a discernment of the very basic and very general emotional mood tone of the moment. The observation and discernment is this: “Are the current experiences satisfying, unsatisfying, or neutral?”

 As simple as these questions seem, there is a lot more to be gained from this discernment of satisfaction or dissatisfaction of the various moments and experiences of our lives than may be apparent at first glance.

Once again the mindful awareness of feelings is the second of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness.”

If you are wondering whether all these careful and detailed observations of sensations, feelings, thoughts, and consciousness are actually of any benefit, please be patient.

In due course, the benefits will be made clear. In due course, you will find the benefits will be very, very clear.

Peace,

Will

774-232-0884

In Part 6 of this series on “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness,” I am continuing my commentary on the meditation practice called mindfulness of the body, which is the first of the practices from the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness.” As noted in earlier parts of this series, one need not be a Buddhist to study this Buddhist approach to meditation. While the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness” is the English translation of the name of a Buddhist Sutta; the “Satipatthana Sutta,” the basic practice can be adapted to your current beliefs whether you are one who believes in God, one who does not, or one who is not sure what to believe.

Please read the earlier posts of this series, at least the previous one or two posts, to be aware of the principal themes and practices offered so far.

In addition to the comments offered in previous posts, there is another way to improve both the quality of mindfulness and the degree of detailed awareness that arises from sustained application of mindful awareness of the sensations of the body.

This additional effort is to begin, or continue, your diligent study of Yoga, T’ai Chi, or some equally subtle form of exercise. Exercise and the study of the body during exercise is one practice of mindful awareness that is not explicitly mentioned in the original Satipatthana Sutta of the Theravada Buddhists. It is a form of practice that can and needs to be integrated into daily practice whether you are a Buddhist or a Christian or follow some other path that focuses more on the mind than the body.

The form of subtle exercise I am most familiar with is Hatha Yoga. Although I am still at a basic level of competence with Yoga, I know first hand how the study of Yoga affords excellent opportunities to deepen the practice of mindful awareness of the sensations of the body.

The first benefit is that one begins to understand how complex and intricate the human body is. You will see levels of detail of the muscles in the body that you previously were not aware of and this will expand your mindful awareness of the body. You can expand that awareness to learn more about how the respiratory, circulatory, neurological, digestive, and immune systems all work together. A wide range of insights will arise from this clear, detailed awareness of the many systems of the body. It is a basic tenet of Buddhist practice that deeper levels of insight will arise quite naturally, over time, simply as a result of a sincere and consistent practice of mindfulness and related efforts with virtue, compassion, and concentration. It is for this reason this form of meditation practice is also called Insight Meditation, or in Pali, Vipassana. The steady arising of insight into more and more subtle aspects of suffering, freedom, and joy is the primary goal of all this practice.

The second benefit is that as one performs the various Yoga asanas, they can begin to see how stiff certain muscles, joints, and connective tissues have become. In short, one can see how much work they have to do to restore health and lower the stress in their body. Over time, as one becomes more competent with the asanas, one is able to stretch the muscles and other tissues. By opening these muscles and lubricating the joints, you will create the capacity for better circulation of oxygen-rich blood and energy into those gridlocked parts of the body. This irrigation of the cells clears out the gunk in the cells that is the residue of stress. This too, will contribute to overall health and a general sense of ease and well being.

Greater awareness of the intricate lattices of muscles, joints, nerves, connective tissues, and organ systems of the body will allow you to increase the skillful application of your exercise. The conscious rhythmic breathing and more rigorous circulation of oxygen-rich blood throughout the cells of the body, especially in those tight and sore muscles, will have cumulative health benefits.

However much time you have for such efforts, be as consistent as you can be. These efforts will lower the overall level of stress in the body and strengthen the immune system. They will also increase the general level of energy available in the body and enhance the quality of the energy in the body and mind. Many times after work I have felt I was quite tired. But when I have been able to perform 20-30 minutes (or more) of Yoga, I definitely become invigorated with fresh energy. Actually, I have learned I am just utilizing the energy in the body more skillfully.

After you have developed some skill and consistency with these forms of practice, you will also notice your general mood is often lighter and more generally positive and accepting.

One reason for this is that Yoga, like any form of sustained exercise, results in the release of endorphins in the brain, spinal cord, and many other sections of the body. (If you google “endorphins” you will see many articles that explain the details of this phenomena. The article on endorphins listed on WEB MD is a good example of very readable information from a generally well respected source.)

What is important is this. If you are stressed, tired, bored, or generally feeling crappy after a long day at work, you may not feel much like sitting down on the cushion for meditation. As noted, if you have the time and setting where you can do some Yoga or T’ai Chi, these exercises will improve your health, enhance your mindful awareness of the body, and lower stress.  All of these effects will serve as a very useful prelude to your meditation sessions. The body will be quite a bit more relaxed in a very natural way. Good, brisk walking or more traditional forms of calisthenics or dance will have a similar effect.

The more relaxed the body is, the more relaxed the mind can become. All of this will help you progress to whatever is the next deeper state of peace and clarity of mindfulness, insight, and concentration you are capable of. In this way, a more positive engagement of the body, and a more mindful awareness of the body, will serve the over-arching goal of helping you deepen your meditation practice.

As noted while these practices are not specifically referenced in the Satipatthana Sutta, they are a very logical and very needed addition to the practices outlined in this Sutta.

All too often Buddhist practice is focused on the mind, with the body being something to observe, neutralize, or overcome. There is little attention paid by many Buddhist teachers to explore how exercising the body in healthy and subtle ways supports the deepening of peace in meditation. The same can be said about Catholic and Orthodox commentaries on meditation. Integrating the physical exercises of Hindu and Chinese cultures such as Yoga or T’ai Chi will prove to be a very helpful support to people practicing Buddhist, Catholic, or Orthodox meditation.

These kinds of suggestions are just as relevant to those practicing meditation in other traditions such as Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, Native American Indian, and New Age.

The integration of Buddhist practices of mindfulness with Hindu or Chinese forms of exercise is a good example of how the best features of the world’s meditative traditions can be grafted together. The integration of best-in-class practices from different traditions will create a more complete approach to meditation than any one culture has to offer as an individual religion.

It is good to love one’s neighbor. It is also good to be humble enough to learn from your neighbor.

Will Raymond

774-232-0884

In Part 5 of this series on “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness,” I am continuing my commentary on the meditation practice called mindfulness of the body, which is the first of the practices from the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness.” As noted in earlier parts of this series, one need not be a Buddhist to study this Buddhist approach to meditation. While the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness” is the English translation of the name of a Buddhist Sutta; the “Satipatthana Sutta,” the basic practice can be adapted to your current beliefs whether you are one who believes in God, one who does not, or one who is not sure what to believe.

Please read the earlier posts of this series, at least the previous 1-2 posts, if you wish to see the general themes and practices offered so far.

There is another aspect of mindfulness of the body that is outlined in the Satipatthana Sutta. This aspect is described this way: “He abides contemplating arising phenomena in the body, contemplating vanishing phenomena in the body.”

(Quote from: The Long Discourses of the Buddha Translated by Maruice Walshe Wisdom Publications Boston 2012 Page 339)

In other words, the practitioner is aware of the changing sensations of the body as those sensations arise and as they pass away. This is done during formal meditation practice, and to the extent that common sense and circumstances allow, during the active hours of the day as well.

A good example is the arising of the sensations of hunger around the middle of the day when it is time to eat, or at any other time you notice the pangs of hunger arising. Once you sit down to eat the food, the sensation of hunger goes away for a while. Instead, another sensation will arise such as the feeling of “being full,” or being satisfied or dissastisfied with your meal, or the feeling of having “eaten too much.”  After a while these sensations of being full or being bloated will also pass away as the food is digested. At some point the sense of needing to urinate or defecate will arise and new sensations will arise from the sensations that which are triggered from the expelling of fluids or waste from the body, and those feelings will pass away when you are done, and other sensations of relief or lightness will arise. Before too long the feelings of thirst or hunger will again develop and the cycle will repeat itself.

Another good example is during meditation when many experience the arising of an itch on the cheek or nose that becomes a surprisingly strong sensation. If you are able, simply observe the itch without scratching it until at some point you notice the sensation has gone, either because it just faded away, or the mind got hijacked by some distraction which caused the sensation of the itch, or at least the awareness of the sensation of the itch to fade from the screen of consciousness. In this way you can observe the entire cycle of one set of sensations with a detached mind, without having the need to intervene in the unpleasant sensation. Simple practices of this kind, when reasonably possible, will noticeably increase your discipline and mindfulness. But, if the sensation is truly unbearable, then scratch the itch and return to stillness,noticing the various sensations of the scratching and the sensations of coming back to stillness.

It is a most instructive practice to begin to notice the changes in the sensations of the breath and the other sensations of the body as they arise, expand, have impact, fade in intensity and then disappear completely from awareness. This is a good introduction into noticing the impermanence, or transitory nature of all phenomena. This is a central practice of Buddhist meditation: to notice that the sensations of the body, the feelings of the mind, the thoughts of the mind, and the general tone of consciousness of mind, are all in constant transition. The transition may be very slow, as in the case of an old ache in the shoulder or neck that you have had for years, or it may be very fast such as the changing sensations of drinking or eating or exercising.

But beginning to notice that the sensations of the body, the feelings of the mind, the thoughts of the mind, and the general tone of consciousness or state of mind, are all changing all the time is one of the practices needed to cultivate insight. The practice of observing the changes in body sensations, emotional feelings, thoughts, and the general tone of consciousness is a foundational practice of the Satipatthana Sutta of the Theravada Buddhists.

I may disagree with central conclusions that Theravada Buddhists develop from this study of the impermanence of all phenomena. But I can tell you the basic practice of observing these changes will noticeably strengthen your ability to be in the moment and to develop the most skillful responses to the choices that need to be made moment by moment. This basic practice of noticing the arising and passing of sensations, feelings, thoughts, and general tone of consciousness will greatly strengthen the stamina and the depth of penetrating insight of your mindfulness.

You can engage this practice as a prelude to Insight Practice and/or Concentration practice. You will begin to be able to peer into the foundations of the mind and the self. Perhaps you will agree with the conclusions the Theravada Buddhists have developed from these observations, perhaps not. But I guarantee you will be further along in your efforts to see the causes of suffering and to cultivate ever more creative ways to diminish suffering.

After discussing the basic practices of observing the body, feelings, state of mind, and thoughts in the next several installments of this series, I will return to the role that the study of the impermanence of phenomena plays in Theravada Buddhist meditation.

Peace and All the Best,

Will  Raymond

774-232-0884

In Part 4 of this series on the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness,” I am continuing my commentary on the meditation practice called mindfulness of the body, which is the first of the practices from the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness.” As noted in earlier parts of this series, one need not be a Buddhist to study this Buddhist approach to meditation. While the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness” is the English translation of the name of a Buddhist Sutta; the “Satipatthana Sutta,” the basic practice can be adapted to your current beliefs whether you are one who believes in God, one who does not, or one who is not sure what to believe.

Before proceeding with more standard reflections on Theravada Buddhist teaching with regards to mindfulness of the body, there is an important cautionary note to be offered.

One section of practice from the Satipatthana Sutta which comments about mindfulness of the body is entitled, “The Reflections on the Repulsiveness of the Body.”  This passage reflects one very troubling aspect of Theravadan Buddhism that is also commonly present in teachings on Christian Contemplative Prayer as well.  Regrettably, as many Buddhists and Christians and others seek to tame the sexual drives of the body, they often do this by depicting the body in ways that can be described as very unhealthy.

For example: from an interview with Achaan Jumnien: “If lust is a problem, use the contemplation of the repulsiveness of the body until you can see its true nature more clearly, unhindered by desires.”

(Quote from: Living Dharma Jack Kornfield Shambhala Publications Boston 1996 Page 277)

For another example: from an interview with Taungpulu Sayadaw:

“On contemplation on the thirty-two constituent parts of this…body, it will be realized there is nothing worth protecting, no desire that is satisfying, no lasting self that is to be found in this impersonal collection we call body and mind. Indeed, it will be seen as loathsome personified, absolutely unclean and undesireable.”

(Quote from: Living Dharma Jack Kornfield Shambhala Publications Boston 1996 Page 191)

Buddhist monasteries founded in a celibate lifestyle have endured in one form or another for 2500 years, often under very oppressive social conditions. So, this extremely negative and life-negating view of the human body has at least served to help people establish and maintain their mindfulness and celibacy, but one wonders at what personal and societal costs? To balance the above citations, it is also important to add that some modern Buddhist commentators have presented more moderate and healthier views in their public talks on the subject of the body and the sexual drives. Still, unhealthy and life-negating views such as the ones above are present throughout much of the Theravada Suttas and commentaries. They are also very, very common in the literature of other spiritual cultures as well.

By suggesting these Suttas and related commentaries as being well worth sustained study, I want to also strongly emphasize the importance of keeping an eye out for such negative comments. It is important to read these comments to see what they are revealing about some of the shadow drives and life-negating underbelly of some forms of Buddhist monastic culture. It is important to be aware when one is reading any spiritual literature to see whether the writer has a healthy view of the human body and sexuality or an unhealthy view.

If one wishes to live a celibate lifestyle, then hopefully there are better ways to establish and maintain a healthy celibacy rather than viewing the body as loathsome and repulsive. In fact, as I wrote in the “Simple Path of Holiness” in the Chapter “Freedom and Intimacy Part 2,” I believe there are healthier ways to establish a celibate life-style. And, in that chapter, I presented specific practices regarding my thoughts on how one can do this. I will return again to these considerations later on in the discussions of the “Contemplation of Mental Objects,”  which is the fourth section of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness. For now it is enough to know that the arising of sexual desire, is an example of one of the mental objects considered. So too is the general subject of how to prevent unwanted sexual urges, or any other unwanted desire, from arising.

For those who have chosen to live a sexually active lifestyle, it is important to examine one’s views of their own body and sexual drives and to make choices regarding sexual partners and practices that are healthy and life-affirming.

Being fully aware of what a particular passage of spiritual literature is saying about the body and sexuality is another excellent way to cultivate mindfulness and insight. Such observations will allow you to see and to study some hidden aspects of a spiritual culture that are usually glossed over by their apologists.

Being fully aware of one’s own views of the sexual attractiveness of their body and their confidence or lack thereof as to whether they are a skillful satisfying sexual partner is another excellent way to cultivate mindfulness and self-awareness. Examining the nature and origin of all one’s sexual desires, fantasies, and practices, those one acts upon, and those one does not wish to let others know they have, this practice of mindfulness of the body and mind is also more than a little instructive. But, further discussions of these ways to practice mindful awareness of the feelings that arise regarding the sensations of the body can also be deferred to later posts in this series.

For now it is enough to note that Freud was wrong about many of his comments on human sexuality. But he was right about how uniquely instructive it is to examine carefully and to speak openly with a trusted mentor about the feelings and perspectives one has about their body, their sexual drives, and their level of sexual confidence. No other single introspection will tell you more about the base structures of your psyche and self-esteem than this one. As you learn more about how you view your body and your sexuality this will help you learn how to make healthy choices with regards to a celibate or sexually active lifestyle.

However, as noted, for now I think it makes sense to keep going with a presentation of the basics of observing the sensations of the body which is, again, the first of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness.”

Peace,

Will Raymond

774-232-0884

In Part three of this series on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, I am continuing my commentary on mindfulness of the body, which is the first of the practices from the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness.” As noted in earlier parts of this series, one need not be or become a Buddhist to study this approach to meditation. While the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness” is the english translation of the name of a Buddhist Sutta; the “Satipatthana Sutta,” the basic practice can be adapted to your current beliefs whether you are one who believes in God, one who does not, or one who is not sure what to believe.

Mindfulness, or being “in the moment” are such widely used terms in both popular and educated progressivist culture, they have become almost cliche. What is important is how little time most of us spend actually being grounded in the present moment. Many people who are beginners, and even those with fairly significant familiarity with meditation, often allow their mind to drift into the future with anxiety and uncertainty, or to the past with resentments or regrets. I am not saying a person should not think of the future or the past when it is enjoyable, beneficial, or necessary to do so. What I am saying is that when one decides to think of the future or the past that they make a conscious choice to do so, and not because their mind has wandered or “jumped” into the future or the past. What I am also saying is that when a person decides they want to stay in the present moment, moment-by-moment, for extended periods of time that they have the skill, focus, and discipine to do so.

Developing the skill, focus,and discipline, to stay in the present moment for extended periods of time is a key point of “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness.” Learning to observe the breath and body, as well as the emotions, thoughts, and general state of consciousness in greater and greater detail are like calisthenics for the mind. It will become easier to stay in the moment without wandering off. This works the same way for the mind as it does when after steady running exercise you can run two miles a day fairly easily when before you used to only be able to manage a few hundred yards. Another key part of this process is to engage this work of observation and “gazing” at the moment with more compassion, and with a gentler tone to your compassionate gaze.

In fact if one were to chart the progression from one stage of mindfulness to progressively deeper stages of mindfulness, peace and insight these advances in practice would correspond directly to progressively more tender tones of compassion and acceptance.

So it is not just the intentness of mindful watching, but the lightness and tenderness of the tone of the watching and the compassionate element of the watching that is important.

Learning to do this with less impatience and less harsh judgement of one’s self and others are equally important parts of this work.

You will begin to see there is much more happening in each moment than you were aware of. Having a wider circle of awareness is the simplest way to define the expression “expanding consciousness.” You are simply noticing a wider range of sensations, emotions, and thoughts in any particular moment than you did before. You are broadening the circle of phenomena that you are consiously noticing. You are becoming more awake.

If the focus of your meditation is on the breath as it passes in and out of the nostrils you will begin to see there are many more micromoments of sensation throughout the cycle of each breath at the tip or entry to the nostrils. This is especially noticeable as your breath slows and becomes refined. The inbreath is long and slow, the point at the top of the inbreath, before you begin to exhale, also has many fine micro-sensations as does the long slope of the outbreath. At the bottom of the outbreath, the pause before the next in- breath may become, over time, longer were there is very little in the way of sensation. In these moments, with so little going on, it can be harder to maintain one’s awareness without some thought or desire jumping in and “hijacking” the mind. But if you can hang in there and maintain your awareness during this pause, your mindfulness will become that much more established.

This is just as true if you are observing the rising and falling of a single point in the abdomen if the abdomen is your focus of awareness of the breath.

If you are having a hard time staying with the breath in just one of these places, then allow your awareness to monitor the different sensations in both the nostrils, and the abdomen, and the chest until you are able to stay with the breath. Having multiple points of awareness of sensations caused by the breath will allow the mind to calm and center on the breath and the moment. As this happens you can proceed to narrow your range of awareness to just two points of the breath, and then to one.

If you favor the body scan, as compared with just observing the breath, then you can move your awareness randomly from hand to knee, to breath, to buttocks. to legs, to chin, to ear etc. Or you can do a more systematic study of every joint of every finger on each hand and other micro-studies of various parts of the body. The first key is do this mindfully without the mind drifting into recollections of what happened last week at work, or what you need to do next month etc. The second key is to begint to notice how many sensations of the body there are that you did not previously notice.

The beauty of practicing mindful awareness of the breath and the body is that you can do these exercises in both formal sitting meditation and, just as naturally, in the active moments of your life. It is the seamless way this practice can carry over from the meditation session to the active hours of one’s life that is a primary benefit of this overall approach.

Another way to practice awareness of the body is to notice if your posture is upright or perhaps a bit slouched, or maybe even quite slouched. You can dedicate 5-10 minutes of sitting practice just to improving the quality of your posture, or you can make the entire session about maintaining a posture that is upright but not rigid.

When you get up from the cushion you can monitor the sensations of the body and your posture as you stand up and move on to whatever is the next task you have.

As you go through the day, what is important is not to strain to try to observe every sensation as you move your body or breath. Rather the goal is to develop a level of awareness of the breath and the body in the present moment. You can observe the sensations of the body and the breath while at work, while taking a shower, while cooking food, while having intimate relations, while grocery shopping or in the midst of any other activity. There is no need to try to have some profound meditation experience during the times of formal sitting practice or during the active moments of your life, unless some profound experience naturally arises. Rather the goal is to have an innocent curiosity about what is happening now and to develop the abiliy to stay in the “now” for longer and longer periods of time without the mind being hijacked by some thought or desire.

Like the young boy in the movie the Karate Kid, you may be wondering, “Is there any point at all to this tedious ‘painting of the fence?’ ”

Yes, there is great and profound benefit to doing this most basic of exercises with more and more clear awareness and attention to detail and with more compassion and less judgement. Steady consistent practice will strenghten the stamina and quality of alert focus of the mind. Over time you will see more and more subtle ways to care for your body and to preserve health or respond to sickness. Over time you will learn more ways to clear your mind so you can see and respond to whatever is happening more skillfully.

You will become ready for more subtle and important ways to practice both Insight meditation and deeper concentration exercises.

In the next installment I will present other aspects of practice from the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness with regards to observing tne mindfulness of breathing and awareness of the body. The first of which is to begin to notice the impermanence of the sensations of the breath and the body and what lessons can be learned from seeing the arising and passing of all sensations.

Peace,

Will