On Monday night after our sitting and walking meditation (we will not do the 2nd sitting meditation), we will read the Five Mindfulness Trainings together, and after the reading we will explore the Second Mindfulness Training, True Happiness.
Last Monday night at sangha Mick talked about "the art of stopping" and coming back to our breath and taking care of ourselves during challenges, and the week before Annie talked about cultivating "compassion, freshness, and understanding", all of which are mindfulness practices that give us the opportunity to be more present and move closer to joy and happiness. True happiness is not possible without these qualities.
In exploring "True Happiness", the training is to practice social justice, generosity, not stealing and not exploiting other living beings. And the "happiness and suffering of others are not separate from my own happiness and suffering". For me this is the most important part of this training. To try and remember that my own peace is really dependent on the peace of others and creating this mutual need or interdependence is something that can sometimes be difficult to grasp. I often fall short of being kind to myself - and can be my own worst critic. I can also easily fall into the trap of blaming others for my unease or unhappiness. And then I have a difficult time of spreading happiness to others.
When it sometimes seems as though all is lost, and I feel confused and unbalanced, I go back to my breath, relax into my body, try to feel, and try to smile. There is a wonderful poem that Thay offers that I have sometimes turned to for relief. It can be found in his book "Happiness":
Breathing in, I know I am breathing in,
Breathing out, I know I am breathing out,
As my in-breath grows deep,
My out breath grows slow.
Breathing in, I calm my body,
Breathing out, I feel at ease.
Breathing in, I smile,
Breathing out, I release.
Dwelling in the present moment,
I know this is a wonderful moment.
As I am writing these words of Thay I am already enjoying the present moment.
In practicing social justice and generosity and not exploiting other living beings (and I would add those beings not living as well) - I had a wonderful opportunity this past week to share with a group of others in a day of remembering our veterans from The Civil War that fought at the battle of New Market Heights - particularly the USCT (the United States Colored Troups) some of who were awarded the Medal of Honor. These "colored" troops were not originally given their rightful recognition of their courage and bravery in their pivotal and important role in the war. With the help and guidance of Ben King, one of our sangha members, he has brought the memory of these soldiers and many others veterans to the forefront of our communities. With Ben's direction and guidance we had the opportunity to give back and make meditation cushions for veterans. I truly felt in those moments of making cushions with our little group that we were collectively healing and transforming our thinking, speaking and acting with mindfulness. And I really felt the happiness spread across the room.
I look forward to seeing you on Monday evening where we have the opportunity to share in the practice of the 2nd Mindfulness Training, True Happiness.
Some questions to consider might be:
-How can I practice generosity in my thinking, speaking and acting?
-How is my happiness and suffering intertwined with the happiness and suffering of others?
-What helps me to live happily in the present moment?
I will enjoy being with you on Monday.
In love and light,
Camille