The third stage, “mountain, solid,” helps us to stand firmly when we are upset by vehement feelings. Whenever we feel despair, anxiety, fear, or anger, we are carried right into the heart of a whirlwind. We are like a tree standing in the gale. If we look up, we shall see our branches bending as if they are about to break and be carried away by the storm. But if we look down, we shall know that the roots of the tree are held firmly in the earth, and we shall feel more stable and relaxed.
Body and mind are like that. When there is a hurricane of emotions in us, if we know how to withdraw from the storm—that is, if we know how to withdraw from the turmoil of the brain—we shall not be swept away. We must transfer our attention to a place in the abdomen about two fingers’ width below the navel and breathe deeply and slowly according to the formula “mountain, solid.” In doing this, we shall see that we are not just our emotions. Emotions come and go, but we are always here. When we are oppressed by emotions, we feel very insecure and fragile; we may feel that we are in danger of losing life itself. Some people do not know how to deal with their strong emotions. When they are suffering greatly from despair, fear, or anger, they think the only way to put an end to their suffering is to put an end to their life. But those who know how to sit in a meditation position and practice breathing with the exercise “mountain, solid” can weather such times of difficulty and suffering.
This exercise can be practiced lying down, resting easily on the back. Our entire attention should be directed to the rising and falling of the abdomen. This will enable us to leave the storm area and to know that we can choose a more peaceful, stable state of mind whenever a storm occurs. Nevertheless, we should not wait until we find ourselves in difficulty in order to practice. If we do not have the habit of practicing, we shall forget how to do the exercise, and our emotions may once again overwhelm and oppress us. To make a good habit, we should practice every day; in that way, whenever painful feelings arise we shall know quite naturally how to resolve and to transform them. In addition, we can explain the practice to young people to help them ride out their stormy periods.
“Still water, reflecting” is the fourth stage intended to calm the mind and body. In the Anapanasati sutta, the Buddha taught: “Breathing in I make my mind calm. . . .” This exercise essentially does the same; the image of the still lake water simply makes the practice easier. When our mind is not calm, our perceptions are usually clouded; what we see, hear, and think does not reflect the truth of things, just as when the surface of a lake is troubled by waves, it cannot clearly reflect the clouds above. I wrote this gatha based on the words of our ancestral teachers:
Buddha is the cool moon,
Crossing the sky of utter emptiness.
The lake of the mind of beings quietens,
The moon reflects beautifully in it.
Our sorrows, pains, and anger arise from our wrong perceptions. In order to avoid these wrong perceptions, we need to practice making the mind as still as the surface of a still lake. The breathing is what does that work.
“Space, free” is the fifth stage. If we have too many preoccupations and cares, we will not have clarity and peace and joy. Thus the purpose of this exercise is to create space for ourselves, space in our hearts and space around us. We must release the anxieties and projects that burden us. We should deal in the same way with sorrows and anger. We must practice letting go of the things we carry needlessly. This sort of baggage only makes life heavy, even if sometimes it seems we cannot be happy without it—without, for example, a title, high position, fame, business, and people to run around after us. But if we look again, we shall see that this baggage is often nothing but an obstacle to our happiness. If we can just put it down, we shall have happiness. “Buddha is the cool moon,/ Crossing the sky of utter emptiness. . . .’’ Limitless space is the sky of utter emptiness. That is why the happiness of the Buddha is so great. One day the Buddha was sitting in the forest at Vaisali and saw a farmer going past. The farmer asked the Buddha if he had seen his herd of cows, which had broken loose. He also said that earlier that year he had lost two acres of sesame fields when they were attacked by caterpillars and complained that he must be the most wretched person on earth. Perhaps, he said, he should put an end to his own life. The Buddha advised him to look in another direction. After the farmer had gone, the Buddha turned to the bhiksus who were sitting with him and smiled. He said: “Bhiksus, are you aware of your happiness and freedom? You do not have any cows you need be afraid of losing.” Practicing this last exercise helps us to let go of our cows, the cows of our mind and the cows we have gathered around us. It also can be sung:
Exercise Two
Touching, Healing
1.
In touch with the air, I breathe in.
Touching air
Smiling with the air, I breathe out.
Smiling
2.
In touch with pure mountain air,
Pure mountain air
I breathe in.
Smiling with pure mountain air,
Smiling
I breathe out.
3.
In touch with pure countryside air,
Pure countryside
I breathe in.
air
Smiling with the countryside air,
Smiling
I breathe out.
4.
In touch with cool water,
Cool water
I breathe in.
Smiling with the cool water,
Smiling
I breathe out.
5.
In touch with the clear stream,
Clear stream
I breathe in.
Smiling with the clear stream,
Smiling
I breathe out.
6.
In touch with the snow on
Snow on
the mountain, I breathe in.
the mountain
Smiling with the snow on
Smiling
the mountain, I breathe out.
7.
In touch with the vast ocean,
Vast ocean
I breathe in.
Smiling with the vast ocean,
Smiling
I breathe out.
8.
In touch with the Arctic ice fields,
Arctic ice fields
I breathe in.
Smiling with the Arctic ice fields,
Smiling
I breathe out.
9.
In touch with the clouds in
Touching clouds
the blue sky, I breathe in.
Smiling with the clouds in
Smiling
the blue sky, I breathe out.
10.
In touch with the sunshine,
Touching sunshine
I breathe in.
Smiling with the sunshine,
Smiling
I breathe out.
11.
In touch with the trees, I breathe in.
Touching trees
Smiling with the trees, I breathe out.
Smiling
12.
In touch with the children, I breathe in.
Touching children
Smiling with the children, I breathe out.
Smiling
13.
In touch with the people, I breathe in.
Touching people
Smiling with the people, I breathe out.
Smiling
14.
In touch with the singing of birds,
Singing birds
I breathe in.
Smiling with the singing birds,
Smiling
I breathe out.
15.
In touch with the sky, I breathe in.
Touching sky
Smiling with the sky, I breathe out.
Smiling
16.
In touch with the flowers, I breathe in.
Touching flowers
Smiling with the flowers, I breathe out.
Smiling
17.
In touch with the spring, I breathe in.
Touching spring
Smiling with the spring, I breathe out.
Smiling
18.
In touch with the summer, I breathe in.
Touching summer
Smiling with the summer, I breathe out.
Smiling
19.
In touch with the fall, I breathe in.
Touching fall
Smiling with the fall, I breathe out.
Smiling
Exercise Three
Touching, Connecting
1.
Aware of my eyes, I breathe in.
Aware of eyes
Aware of light, I breathe out.
Aware of light
2.
Aware of my ears, I breathe in.
Aware of ears
Aware of sound, I breathe out.
Aware of sound
3.
Aware of my ears, I breathe in.
Aware of ears
Aware of a cry of pain, I breathe out.
Aware of
cry of pain
4.
Aware of my ears, I breathe in.
Aware of ears
Aware of singing, I breathe out.
Aware of singing
5.
Aware of my ears, I breathe in.
Aware of ears
Aware of the sound of rain,
Aware of
I breathe out.
sound of rain
6.
Aware of my ears, I breathe in.
Aware of ears
Aware of laughter, I breathe out.
Aware of laughter
7.
Aware of my ears, I breathe in.
Aware of ears
Aware of silence, I breathe out.
Aware of silence
8.
Aware of my skin, I breathe in.
Aware of skin
Aware of the sense of touch,
Aware of touch
I breathe out.
9.
Aware of my skin, I breathe in.
Aware of skin
Aware of the sun on my skin,
Aware of sun
I breathe out.
10.
Aware of my skin, I breathe in.
Aware of skin
Aware of cool water on my skin,
Aware of cool water
I breathe out.
11.
Aware of my skin, I breathe in.
Aware of skin
Aware of ice on my skin, I breathe out.
Aware of ice
12.
Aware of my skin, I breathe in.
Aware of skin
Aware of touching the bark of a tree,
Touching bark
I breathe out.
13.
Aware of my skin, I breathe in.
Aware of skin
Aware of touching an earthworm,
Touching
I breathe out.
earthworm
14.
Aware of my teeth, I breathe in.
Aware of teeth
Aware of an apple, I breathe out.
Aware of apple
15.
Aware of my teeth, I breathe in.
Aware of teeth
Aware of a toothache, I breathe out.
Aware of toothache
16.
Aware of my teeth, I breathe in.
Aware of teeth
Aware of lemon juice, I breathe out.
Aware of
lemon juice
17.
Aware of my teeth, I breathe in.
Aware of teeth
Aware of the dentist’s drill,
Aware of
I breathe out.
dentist’s drill
18.
Aware of my tongue, I breathe in.
Aware of tongue
Aware of the taste of orange juice,
Tasting orange juice
I breathe out.
19.
Aware of my tongue, I breathe in.
Aware of tongue
Aware of the taste of lemon,
Tasting lemon
I breathe out.
20.
Aware of my tongue, I breathe in.
Aware of tongue
Aware of the taste of salt water,
Tasting salt water
I breathe out.
21.
Aware of my tongue, I breathe in.
Aware of tongue
Aware of the taste of hot pepper,
Tasting hot pepper
I breathe out.
22.
Aware of my lungs, I breathe in.
Aware of lungs
Aware of smell, I breathe out.
Aware of smell
23.
Aware of my lungs, I breathe in.
Aware of lungs
Aware of the scent of fresh grass,
Smelling
I breathe out.
fresh grass
24.
Aware of my lungs, I breathe in.
Aware of lungs
Aware of the scent of roses,
Smelling roses
I breathe out.
25.
Aware of my lungs, I breathe in.
Aware of lungs
Aware of the smell of dung,
Smelling dung
I breathe out.
26.
Aware of my lungs, I breathe in.
Aware of lungs
Aware of tobacco smoke, I breathe out.
Tobacco smoke
27.
Aware of my lungs, I breathe in.
Aware of lungs
Aware of the smell of the sea,
Smelling the sea
I breathe out.
28.
Aware of my liver, I breathe in.
Aware of liver
Aware of the taste of wine,
Tasting wine
I breathe out.
29.
Aware of my liver, I breathe in.
Aware of liver
Aware of greasy food, I breathe out.
Aware of
greasy food
30.
Aware of my liver, I breathe in.
Aware of liver
Aware of yellow skin caused
Aware of
by a sick liver,
yellow skin
I breathe out.
31.
Aware of my feet, I breathe in.
Aware of feet
Aware of shoes, I breathe out.
Aware of shoes
32.
Aware of my feet, I breathe in.
Aware of feet
Aware of a thorn, I breathe out.
Aware of thorn
33.
Aware of my feet, I breathe in.
Aware of feet
Aware of young grass, I breathe out.
Young grass
34.
Aware of my feet, I breathe in.
Aware of feet
Aware of an ant’s hill, I breathe out.
Aware of ant’s hill
35.
Aware of my feet, I breathe in.
Aware of feet
Aware of sand on the beach,
Sand on the beach
I breathe out.
These two exercises help us to be in contact with wholesome and fresh things, which have the capacity to heal.
In exercise three there are examples of sense contacts that give rise to painful feelings. This practice helps us to be mindful when we encounter painful feelings in our daily life and to be less afraid of them. When we visualize the arctic ice fields, we may recognize that this is a wonder of nature that is disappearing as global warming increases. This will help us be in touch with impermanence and also str
engthen our deep aspiration to do all we can to reverse global warming.
Our minds are often thrown into a state of confusion by our anxieties and hurts, and we have lost the ability to connect with the wonderful things in life. It is as if there is a wall between us and the richness of the world outside us, and we have become numb toward the healing elements in the world because we cannot touch them.
As you practice these two exercises, although you may not be in direct contact with the things you are asked to concentrate upon, you can find them by means of the images stored in your consciousness by your five senses. You can call up these images when you want them to present themselves. With conscious breathing and the power of concentration, contact with these images will help you to discover that your ability to feel is still intact. After practicing these two exercises, you can go outside and with your six senses—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind (that is, perception, not just the meditating mind)—continue making connections with all the good things around you. You will see that the outside world is brighter and more beautiful than before, because you have put an end to forgetfulness and have lit the lamp of mindfulness. You have begun again to be nourished by what is wonderful in life.