THICH NHAT HAHN’S MIRACLE OF MINDFULNESS - MAIN POINTS

CONTENTS

The Essential Discipline

Every experience is its own end

“Washing the dishes to wash the dishes…” p.3

The essential discipline

“When walking be conscious of the walking, when writing be conscious of writing … and so on. Practicing thus, one lives in direct and constant mindfulness of the body”… p.7

Techniques

Sitting

“Sit upright… think ‘sitting here is like sitting on the Bodhi spot’…”

Practice mindfulness on your work… or Presence

“Mindfulness is the miracle by which we master and restore ourselves” p.14

Breathing

“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness… unites body to thoughts” p.15

“Practice consciousness and control of all aspects and rhythms of the body-breathing”

While sitting, meditate with awareness on breathing

“After 10-20 minutes, your thoughts will have quieted down like a pond on which not even a ripple stirs” p.20

…or substitute counting and following breath p. 17, 20

Why Meditate

Total rest

p.33

Mindfulness of the mind

p.37

Presence

“Meditation reveals and heals” p.60

“The water clearer, the grass greener” p.62

“I am awake”

Buddha

Mindfulness

p.79

The half-smile

The smile of humor, serious but not too serious, non-commitment to a response, open, opening to others to share in the smile… an attitude of humor and openness to others and the universe

Exercises in Mindfulness

p.79

Half-smile when you wake up in the morning

“Hang a … sign … so that you will see it right away when you open your eyes … a reminder to use these seconds before you get out of bed to get hold of your breath… maintain your half-smile … follow your breath”

Half-smile when…

…you get up in the morning

…during your free moments

…while listening to music

…when irritated

Letting go

…in a lying-down position

…in a sitting position

Breathing

“Measure your breath by your foot-steps

Counting your breath

Following your breath while listening to music, carrying on a conversation…

Following your breath

Breathing to quiet mind … body … realize joy

Mindfulness

… of the positions of the body

… while making tea

… while washing dishes, cleaning house, changing cloths

Set aside a day of mindfulness

Be other beings… a pebble, a mountain, a virus, a bear… think it through

Meditation, Contemplation and Identity

p.88

Contemplation

On independence

Yourself … the self

Your skeleton

Your true self, your appearance before you were born

A loved one who has died

Emptiness

Compassion for the person you hate the most

Suffering caused by lack of light

Hahn says “wisdom” and not “light”

Detached action

Detachment

Contemplation on non-abandonment