In our Mindfulness Yoga, this means we observe the phenomena of the body—from the breath to the parts and function of the body. We observe its movements and position in space. We deeply investigate the sensations and how they condition our experience of the world. We continue to investigate the mental phenomena—our thoughts, emotions, fantasies, opinions, imaginations, etc. All dharmas—all things or phenomena—are looked into, and what is necessary is to remain open and not look at phenomena prejudicially. We need to honestly keep “don’t know mind,” and allow things to reveal themselves just as they are.
The third factor, energy (Sanskrit: virya; Pali: viriya) implies effort, diligence, or perseverance. Right effort is one of the eight limbs of the Noble Eightfold Path. In our practice, energy is developed through mindfulness and investigation and at least the modicum of faith required for us to take up the practice. Having a sense of purpose or meaning in life is a great source of energy, and this is why the practice of taking vows is so strong in Buddhism. To take a vow is to put forth our voice into the world.
Bo Lozoff has written a wonderful book with the title It’s a Meaningful Life: It Just Takes Practice. The bodhisattva vow to practice in order to awaken for the sake of all beings is a tremendous source of energy, encouraging us to go on in the face of resistance.
The practice of asana cultivates balanced energy. The word hatha itself symbolically implies the unified inner balance of the energy of the sun and moon. Hatha yoga is—ideally—the practice of unifying and balancing the hot and cold, active and receptive energies so that our energy is not dissipated or stagnated through excessive emphasis on one or the other. The right use of our energy is an important element of our practice, and techniques such as the Five Mindfulness Trainings that Thich Nhat Hanh teaches are profound tools to nourish and utilize our energy beneficially for ourselves and for all of society.
The fourth factor or limb of awakening is joy (Sanskrit: priti; Pali: piti). This is explicitly stated as the nonsensual joy of the Dharma. Joy can be cultivated and developed even when there is illness or pain in the body. We do this by touching what is refreshing and beautiful within and outside of ourselves. Often in a yoga class, I see how students seem to only focus on what they think is wrong with their practice. It’s as if they have tunnel vision. They see others whose range of motion or physical strength is greater than theirs and use that to put themselves down. Cultivating joy is the practice of expanding our vision to include all that is “right”(samyak), as in balanced, skillful, and wholesome. This more spacious and inclusive vision is what helps bring joy to our practice.
Ease (Sanskrit: prashrabdhih; Pali: passaddhi), the fifth factor, is also known as calmness or tranquility. Patanjali includes contentment (samtosha) as one of the niyamas because at all times in history people have known stress. Our society seems to have cultivated stress to an inordinate degree. Almost every yoga practitioner will vouch for the stress relief provided by his or her practice. No matter how physically demanding or relaxed our Mindfulness Yoga practice might be, I often recommend to my students a regular practice of deep relaxation or restorative yoga as part of a well-rounded practice. This aspect of awakening is perhaps the central one that develops the lightening-up characteristic of enlightenment.
Concentration (samadhi in both Sanskrit and Pali) is the sixth factor of awakening. It is the recollection of the energy of our mind and the directing of that energy toward an object. The cultivation of concentration leads to single-pointedness of mind. Mindfulness and concentration work synergistically, so that mindfulness lets our vision expand while concentration strengthens our mindfulness and keeps it from dissipating in forgetfulness. Concentration in and of itself is neutral. A safecracker needs strong concentration, too. What makes concentration a factor of awakening is its object. Even many meditators use their meditative concentration to turn away from reality and deny or hide away from their suffering. This is the kind of meditative concentration that the Buddha found did not transform his unwholesome seeds of suffering. It only repressed them for the limited time of his meditation.
Right concentration is the use of meditative concentration in order to shine light upon our suffering and the causes of suffering. This use of concentration allows for an even deeper penetration in our investigation of reality. It is a way to go deeper into life so that we can develop compassion and liberating insight.
The seventh factor is equanimity (Sanskrit: upeksha; Pali: upekkha), the quality of “letting go.” Equanimity is not indifference, for we must also practice metta, or loving-kindness. When I first heard the following lines of the Metta Sutta chanted, I felt chills up and down my arms:Even as a mother protects with her life
Her child, her only child,
So with a boundless heart
Should one cherish all living beings;
Radiating kindness over the entire world:
Spreading upward to the skies,
And downward to the depths:
Outward and unbounded,
Freed from hatred and ill-will.
With true equanimity we are not indifferent to others, but are concerned equally for all. We let go of our attachment, not our love and compassion. As a parent of an only child, when I heard how we should cultivate a love of all beings equal to the love a parent (mother) has for an only child, I felt the poignancy in my bones. Is this even possible? The Buddha certainly seems to be saying that it is, and I find myself shuddering at the very prospect that this kind of love is truly possible. I make no claims for having such a love in my heart presently, but this teaching energizes and nurtures our most noble intention while helping us see and transform the habit energies and formations that keep us from realizing such love. And I can vouch for the truth that practice moves us in this direction. The reverence I feel for life has indeed grown as the result of practice. And for this I am deeply grateful.
The Buddha did give some advice on how we can cultivate equanimity. We can practice in the face of harsh words, as well as in the face of words of praise. Not to feel dejected when condemned, nor to feel overly elated when praised, is a teaching of both the Buddha and of Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita. We can look deeply into our irritation, annoyance, bitterness, and dejection to see the nonself nature of it all.
In Mindfulness Yoga, we can notice how quickly and harshly we may criticize ourselves for our perceived failures, and we can note when we get carried away in pride in our success. In all our relationships we can remind ourselves that ultimately everyone is the heir of their own karma. We can do all that we can, based upon our situation, and that is all anyone can ever do.
These seven factors are one body of practice—one tree. If right mindfulness of body, feelings, mind, and dharmas is cultivated and maintained with consistency over time, the investigation of phenomena will go to the very depths of reality. Our balanced, energetic right effort will nourish joy in the beauty and mystery of life, and the ease and contentment of a stable, harmonious mind. From such a stable base of support, right concentration gives rise to right understanding. With right understanding, we go beyond all our notions that divide, compare, judge, and give rise to reactivity, including our notions of what “going beyond” might be or entail, and so realize perfect letting go.
APPENDIX B:
TEXT OF SUTRA ON THE FULL AWARENESS OF BREATHING
Section One
I HEARD THESE WORDS of the Buddha one time when he was staying in Savatthi, the capital of the Kosala kingdom, in the Eastern Park, with many well-known and accomplished disciples, including Sariputta, Mahamoggallana, Mahakassapa, Mahakaccayana, Mahakotthita, Mahakappina, Mahacunda, Anuruddha, Rewata, and Ananda. The senior practitioners in the community were instructing beginners new to the practice—some instructing ten students, some twenty, some thirty, and some forty; and in this way the beginner students gradually made great strides in their practice.
On that full moon night, the Pavarana ceremony was held to mark the end of the rainy-season retreat.
Lord Buddha, the Awakened One, was sitting in the open air, and his disciples were gathered around him. After looking over the calm and silent assembly, he began to speak:
“I am pleased to observe the fruit you all have attained in your practice. Yet I know you can summon up even more energy so that what you have not yet attained, you can attain, what you have not yet realized, you can realize perfectly. To encourage you in your efforts, I will stay here, extending the retreat until the next full moon day.”
When they heard that the Buddha was going to stay at Savatthi for another month, practitioners from throughout the country began traveling there to study with him. The senior practitioners continued teaching those new to the practice even more ardently. With this help, the newer practitioners were able, little by little, to continue their progress in insight and understanding.
When the next full moon day arrived, the Buddha, seated under the open sky, looked over the practitioners gathered to hear him speak and he said:
“Our community is good. At its heart, it is without useless and conceited talk, established in the pure essence of Dharma. Therefore it deserves to receive offerings and be considered a field of merit. Such a community is rare, and any pilgrim who seeks it, no matter how far he or she must travel, will find it worthy.
“There are practitioners in this assembly who have realized Arahatship, the highest realization, transformed every root of affliction, laid aside every burden, and attained right understanding and liberation. They have done what is to be done. There are also those who have transcended the first five internal formations of being caught in the wrong view of self, hesitation, superstition, craving, and hatred, and who will realize the coolness of nirvana in this very life realizing the fruit of never returning to the cycle of birth and death.
There are those who have thrown back the first three internal formations and realized the fruit of returning once more. They have transformed the roots of greed, hatred, and ignorance, and will only need to return to the cycle of birth and death one more time. Others in this community have thrown back the three internal formations and attained the fruit of stream-enterer, coursing steadily to the awakened state. There are those who practice the Four Establishments of Mindfulness and others who practice the Four Right Efforts. There are those who practice the Four Bases of Success: diligence, energy, full awareness, and penetrative insight. There are those who practice the Five Faculties or capacities of confidence, energy, meditative stability, concentration, and right understanding, and there are those who practice these same five as the Five Powers or strengths. There are those who practice the Seven Factors of Awakening, and those who practice the Eightfold Path. There are those who practice the Four Immeasurable Meditations of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. There are those who practice the Nine Contemplations of a Corpse, and those who practice the Observation of Impermanence. There are also those who are practicing devotedly the Full Awareness of Breathing.”
Section Two
“The method of being fully aware of breathing, if developed and practiced continuously, will indeed have great rewards and bring great benefit. It will lead to success in practicing the Four Establishments of Mindfulness. If the Four Establishments of Mindfulness are developed and practiced continuously, they will lead to success in the practice of the Seven Factors of Awakening. The Seven Factors of Awakening, if developed and practiced continuously, will give rise to understanding and liberation of the mind.
“How is the practitioner to develop and practice continuously the method of Full Awareness of Breathing so that the practice will be rewarding and offer great benefit?
“It is like this: the practitioner goes into the forest or to the base of a tree, or to any secluded place, maintains asana with stability and ease, body in alignment, and practices ever mindfully: ‘Aware of an in-breath as an in-breath, I breathe in. Aware of an out-breath as an out-breath, I breathe out.’
[First Group: The Body]1. “‘Breathing in a long breath, I am aware of breathing in a long breath. Breathing out a long breath, I am aware of breathing out a long breath.’
2. “‘Breathing in a short breath, I am aware of breathing in a short breath. Breathing out a short breath, I am aware of breathing out a short breath.’
3. “‘Breathing in, I am aware of my whole body. Breathing out, I am aware of my whole body.’ He or she practices like this.
4. “‘Breathing in, I calm my whole body. Breathing out, I calm my whole body.’ He or she practices like this.
[Second Group: The Feelings]5. “‘Breathing in, I am aware of feeling joy. Breathing out, I am aware of feeling joy.’ He or she practices like this.
6. “‘Breathing in, I am aware of feeling happiness. Breathing out, I am aware of feeling happiness. ’ He or she practices like this.
7. “‘Breathing in, I am aware of my mental formations. Breathing out, I am aware of my mental formations.’ He or she practices like this.
8. “‘Breathing in, I calm my mental formations. Breathing out, I calm my mental formations. ’ He or she practices like this.
[Third Group: The Mind]9. “‘Breathing in, I am aware of my mind. Breathing out, I am aware of my mind.’ He or she practices like this.
10. “‘Breathing in, gladdening the mind. Breathing out, gladdening the mind.’ He or she practices like this.
11. “‘Breathing in, concentrating the mind. Breathing out, concentrating the mind.’ He or she practices like this.
12. “‘Breathing in, liberating the mind. Breathing out, liberating the mind.’ He or she practices like this.
[Fourth Group: The Dharmas]13. “‘Breathing in, aware of the impermanent nature of all dharmas. Breathing out, aware of the impermanent nature of all dharmas.’ He or she practices like this.
14. “‘Breathing in, aware of the disappearance of clinging. Breathing out, aware of the disappearance of clinging.’ He or she practices like this.
15. “‘Breathing in, observing cessation. Breathing out, observing cessation.’ He or she practices like this.
16. “‘Breathing in, observing letting go. Breathing out, observing letting go.’ He or she practices like this.
“The Full Awareness of Breathing, if developed and practiced continuously according to these instructions, will be fruitful and of great benefit.”
Section Three
“In what way does one develop and continuously practice the Full Awareness of Breathing, in order to perfect the practice of the Four Establishments of Mindfulness?
“When the practitioner breathes in or out a long or a short breath, aware of his breath or his whole body, or aware that he is making his whole body calm and at peace, he abides peacefully observing the body in the body, diligent, fully awake, clearly understanding his state, gone beyond all attachment and aversion to this life. These exercises of breathing with Full Awareness belong to the first Establishment of Mindfulness, the body.
“When the practitioner breathes in or out aware of the presence of joy or happiness, of the mental formations, or to make the mental formations peaceful, she abides peacefully observing the feelings in the feelings, diligent, fully awake, clearly understanding her state, gone beyond all attachment and aversion to this life. These exercises of breathing with Full Awareness belong to the second Establishment of Mindfulness, the feelings.
“When the practitioner breathes in or out aware of the mind, or to make the mind happy, to concentrate the mind, or to free and liberate the mind, he abides peacefully observing the mind in the mind, diligent, fully awake, clearly understanding his state, gone beyond all attachment and aversion to this life. These exercises of breathing with Full Awareness belong to the third Establishment of Mindfulness, the mind. Without Full Awareness of Breathing, there can be no development of meditative stability and understanding.
“When the practitioner breathes in or breathes out contemplating the essential impermanence or the essential disappearance of craving or cessation or letting go, she abide
s peacefully observing the dharmas in the dharmas, diligent, fully awake, clearly understanding her state, gone beyond all attachment and aversion to this life. These exercises of breathing with Full Awareness belong to the fourth Establishment of Mindfulness, the dharmas.
“The practice of Full Awareness of Breathing, if developed and practiced continuously, will lead to the perfect realization of the Four Establishments of Mindfulness.”
Section Four
“If they are developed and continuously practiced, the Four Establishments of Mindfulness will lead to perfect abiding in the Seven Factors of Awakening. How is this so?
“When the practitioner can constantly maintain the practice of observing the body in the body, the feelings in the feelings, the mind in the mind, and the dharmas in the dharmas, with diligence, fully awake, clearly understanding his or her state, gone beyond all attachment and aversion to this life, with unwavering, steadfast, imperturbable meditative stability, he or she will attain the first Factor of Awakening, namely mindfulness. When this factor is developed, it will come to perfection.
“When the practitioner can abide in meditative stability without being distracted and can investigate every dharma, every object of mind that arises, then the second Factor of Awakening will be engaged and developed in him or her, the factor of investigating dharmas. When this factor is developed, it will come to perfection.
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