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While washing the dishes one should only be washing the dishes, which means that while washing the dishes one should be completely aware of the fact that one is washing the dishes.
The mindfulness of the positions of one’s body is not enough, however. We must be conscious of each breath, each movement, every thought and feeling, everything which has any relation to ourselves.
Anapanasati Sutra.
we are not in control of ourselves but instead let our impatience or anger interfere, then our work is no longer of any value.
Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts.
In a Buddhist monastery, everyone learns to use breath as a tool to stop mental dispersion and to build up concentration power. Concentration power is the strength which comes from practicing mindfulness. It is the concentration which can help one obtain the Great Awakening. When a worker takes hold of his own breath, he has already become awakened.
In order to maintain mindfulness throughout a long period, we must continue to watch our breath.
To master our breath is to be in control of our bodies and minds.
Each time we find ourselves dispersed and find it difficult to gain control of ourselves by different means, the method of watching the breath should always be used.
Taking hold of your breath is itself mindfulness.
Breath is aligned to both body and mind and it alone is the tool which can bring them both together, illuminating both and bringing both peace and calm.
Take the example of the Zen Masters. No matter what task or motion they undertake, they do it slowly and evenly, without reluctance.
Live the actual moment. Only this actual moment is life.
person who looks at the table and can see the universe is a person who can see the way.
Whenever the monk trains himself to breathe in and out while experiencing rapture; or while experiencing happiness; or while experiencing the mental functions; or while calming the mental functions—at those times, monks, he dwells practicing feeling-contemplation on feelings, ardent, clearly comprehending, and mindful, having overcome covetousness and grief concerning the world. For the full attention to breathing in and out, I say, is one of the feelings.
The stability of thought, its one-pointedness, its immobility, its undistraughtness, its one-pointed calm, its nondistraction, that is on the other hand called mindfulness as to thought.
