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July 19 - July 21, 2019
The basic condition for us to be able to hear the call of beauty and respond to it is silence. If we don’t have silence in ourselves—if our mind, our body, are full of noise—then we can’t hear beauty’s call.
We follow our in-breath and our out-breath, making space for silence. We say to ourselves, “Breathing in, I know I’m breathing in.” Breathing in and out mindfully, paying attention only to the breath, we can quiet all the noise within us—the chattering about the past, the future, and the longing for something more.
The first is the Wonderful Sound, the sound of the wonders of life that are calling you. This is the sound of the birds, of the rain, and so on.
The second sound is the Sound of the One Who Observes the World. This is the sound of listening, the sound of silence.
The third sound is the Brahma Sound. This is the transcendental sound, om, which has a long history in Indian spiritual thought. The tradition is that the sound om has the innate power to create the world.
The fourth sound is the Sound of the Rising Tide. This sound symbolizes the voice of the Buddha. The teaching of the Buddha can clear away misunderstanding, remove affliction, and transform everything. It’s penetrating and effective.
The fifth sound is the Sound That Transcends All Sounds of the World. This is the sound of impermanence, a reminder not to get caught up in or too attached to particular words or sounds.
The practice of mindfulness is very simple. You stop, you breathe, and you still your mind. You come home to yourself so that you can enjoy the here and now in every moment.
Silence is essential. We need silence, just as much as we need air, just as much as plants need light. If our minds are crowded with words and thoughts, there is no space for us.
Conscious breathing is a good way to nourish body and mind with mindfulness. After a mindful breath or two, you may have less desire to fill yourself up or distract yourself. Your body and mind come back together and both are nourished by your mindfulness of breathing. Your breath will naturally grow more relaxed and help the tension in your body to be released.
Breathing in, I know I’m breathing in. Breathing out, I know I’m breathing out. (In. Out.) Breathing in, my breath grows deep. Breathing out, my breath grows slow. (Deep. Slow.) Breathing in, I’m aware of my body. Breathing out, I calm my body. (Aware of body. Calming.) Breathing in, I smile. Breathing out, I release. (Smile. Release.) Breathing in, I dwell in the present moment. Breathing out, I enjoy the present moment. (Present moment. Enjoy.)
Breathing and walking in mindfulness puts us in touch with the miracles of life all around us, and our compulsive thinking will dissipate very naturally.
Realize that silence comes from your heart and not from the absence of talk.
You realize the deep meaning of being alone when you are established firmly in the here and now, and you are aware of what is happening in the present moment.
To practice the mantras, it’s crucial to quiet your thinking and to feel calm and spacious inside. Otherwise, you can’t truly be there for the other person.
The first mantra is “Darling, I am here for you.” When you love someone, you want to offer him or her the best you have, and that is your true presence. You can love only when you are here, when you are truly present. Simply saying the mantra doesn’t make it so.
The second mantra is “Darling, I know you are there, and I am very happy.” To love means to acknowledge the presence of the person you love. This can be done only after you have prepared yourself to say the previous mantra: unless you are 100 percent here, you can’t fully recognize another’s presence,
third mantra: “Darling, I know you suffer; that’s why I am here for you.” When people suffer, they want the person they love to be aware of their suffering—that’s very human and natural.
fourth mantra: “Darling, I suffer so much. Please help me.” This can be difficult, but you can do it. It just takes some training. When you suffer, you tend to want to be alone.
With the act of breathing in mindfully, you go inside. Your body is breathing; and your body is your home. In each breath, you can come home to yourself.
Waking up this morning I smile. Twenty-four brand-new hours are before me. I vow to live them deeply and learn to look at everything around me with the eyes of compassion.
Many people cannot allow themselves the time to sit and do nothing but breathe. They consider it to be uneconomical or a luxury. People say “time is money.”
time is much more than money. Time is life. The simple practice of sitting quietly on a regular basis can be profoundly healing.
