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Camile will facilitate on April 18
Our teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) has said:
“Mindfulness is a kind of energy that we generate when we bring our mind back to our body and get in touch with what is going on in the present moment, within us and around us. We become aware of our breathing and come home to our body, fully present for ourselves and whatever we are doing.”
This is really not hard work - we don’t need to study hard to enjoy simple mindfulness practices - we merely need to notice throughout our day that whatever we are doing we can do it with awareness and concentration. With that concentration we can find clarity in whatever we are doing to help relieve our own suffering and that of others. Thay calls this “insight”.
In the book Happiness, Thay writes, “The insight we gain from mindfulness meditation can liberate us from fear, anxiety, and anger, allowing us to be truly happy.”
The mindfulness practices that I most regularly enjoy are conscious breathing (particularly as a yoga instructor,) sitting meditation, and walking meditation. I am pretty good at following my breath during yoga, noticing how the breath enters and leaves the body, conscious of how it brings my body and mind together, and noticing the peace and calm that ensue.
During sitting meditation, I really like to take time to enjoy doing nothing, while I sit tall and comfortably, taking care of myself. I try to be aware of whatever arises and work on staying with whatever needs to stay, and let go of whatever needs to be let go of, trying my best to be really present and find stillness and calm.
My favorite practice is walking meditation which I love to do in nature, enjoying Mother Earth and the sky and all that exists in nature. When I walk mindfully in nature I feel truly at home and that nothing can harm me or disturb me. I feel safe – my mind and breath are calm and I feel supported by Mother Earth below me.
When walking in nature, I feel like this Blue Heron (video here) walking mindfully in the canal (she may have been walking quietly looking for food.) My friend and I stopped and just watched the heron silently for about 20 minutes as she majestically strolled through the water - it was such a delight.
Thay wrote a poem which I think of sometimes when I walk, "The mind can go in a thousand directions. But on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, a gentle wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms."
Sometimes when I come off the cushion or mat, or come home from walking in nature, I return home to my work and daily life obligations with my body in one place and my mind in another. It’s like I’m starting my work with my body, while my mind is still walking in the creek or watching birds singing in the canal. I have to remind myself often of whatever I am doing. I concentrate on my activity and bring the energy of mindfulness to it. Whether it is washing dishes, riding my bike, or cooking, I can access the energy of mindfulness and touch life deeply. And when I am able to do that I can find more clarity, begin to find insight, and know what to do next.
A very simple example of this insight came to me recently when I was taking a shower. For years I have prided myself on how short of a shower I could take (about 5 minutes) - saving time and energy in order to have more time to get "things done".
With four kids I never allowed myself the luxury of a long shower, always thinking I was needed elsewhere. However, the other day as I was feeling a bit anxious and achy, I stepped into the shower. I felt the warm water massaging my body and I started to realize how much peace and calm I could feel amidst all the chaos I had been feeling just minutes before.
I didn't feel the need to rush and I proceeded to take a 20 minute shower coming back to my breath and enjoying the pressure on my body and my relaxed mind. I was very present and felt like healing was taking place. It may seem silly, but that simple experience really made me feel like I could inspire others to feel more peace and calm.
"Mindfulness is not hard work," as Thay says. There’s an art to finding creative ways, even a long shower, to generate the energy of mindfulness, peace, and happiness in everyday life. And when we practice together in a community we can generate a collective energy to bring healing and transformation to all.
I invite you to join us on Monday night and I also invite you to explore what simple mindfulness practices might bring you joy and healing.
In love and light,
Camille