Nhat Hanh Thich Archives - Mindful Happiness

October 10, 2018 By Admin

Practicing Interoceptive Meditations Anthony R. Quintiliani, Ph.D., LADC

Practicing Interoceptive Meditations

Anthony R. Quintiliani, Ph.D., LADC

The mindfulness-based process and intervention of interoception (also called neuroception) has slowly moved from meditation practice into clinical practice, now being part of the recommended MBSR, ACT, and more current CBT-based therapies. The three brief meditations below are presented to expand the use of interoceptive processes in therapy practice. They are presented in very brief form, so slow down the work when using these in your therapy practice. Rather than repeating the introductory process, I will note it here. Be sure to use it in each meditation.

Begin with the following for all three meditations;

Place your body into a calm and comfortable sitting or lying position.
Breathe slowly and deeply for at least ten breaths. Extend the exhalation for the last three breaths.
Use your imagination energy to recall a time when you were in bright, warm sunlight – feel this warmth on your skin right now. Using imagery of that time and place may be helpful here. Without thinking, just feel it.

Warm Hands Meditation

While sitting comfortably, rub your hands together quite vigorously until you can feel heat in your palms.
Place your warm hands on your cheeks with some pressure, and allow the warmth to penetrate into your face.
Not working too hard at this, slowly and compassionately move the sensation of warmth through your body – face, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, torso, upper legs, lower legs, both feet – all the way to your toes. Do not at all be concerned about if you are doing this correctly. Simply use your personal strong intention.
Rest calmly in the remembered-warmth of your sun-experience and your inner power of warm self-sensation.
Rest in your personal, warm power and allow self-healing to occur. Use your personal power NOT your thoughts.

Warm Heart Meditation

Repeat step #1 from the above meditation.
Place your warm hands crossed over your heart, and notice the sensation of penetrating warmth.
Consciously open up your heart chakra, feeling gentle and warm vibrations. Allow them to spread out.
Allow this inner experience of sensation to kindle self-love for yourself. DO this now.
Just BE you; sit there with this experience and appreciate who/what you are right here now.
Do not worry at all if you are doing this correctly. Just be with your interoceptive sensations and feelings.

Inner Warmth of Self-Healing Meditation

Repeat the meditation above, and spend some time and energy intensifying the warmth if possible.
Now simply and effortlessly move the warmth to any specific place in your body that needs healing.
Do not think about this, just be with the experience and ALLOW it.
Do not concern yourself abut whether or not you are doing this correctly. No thinking, just feeling.

You may wish to practice post-meditation journaling after you complete these three brief meditations.

These meditations were inspired by meditations lead by Thich Nhat Hanh at a Norwich University(VT) retreat and by CBT-mindfulness research at the University of California San Diego Medical School in 2017 and 2018. Refer to W. J. Sieber’s supervisory work.

Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont and the Home of The Monkton Sangha

Author of Mindful Happiness

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

November 1, 2016 By Admin Leave a Comment

The Many Benefits of Solitude In Contemplation

Benefits of Solitude in Contemplation are Many

Socrates noted that our primary mission in life is to understand the complex relationship between self and soul. The Transcendentalist, R. W. Emerson, noted that a primary function of education is to draw out our soul. Zen teacher, J. Tarrant hinted that the soul is the energetic connection to all of life and may be manifested best by love. In 1991 Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh noted that mindfulness is manifested by interbeing and reducing the psychological space between teacher and student. Albert Einstein noted that access to the laws of nature comes about only by intuitive and sympathetic understanding of experience. (Miller,
1996, page 369). In his 1991 Peace in Every Step, Thich Nhat Hanh noted that the teacher aims to improve his students’ social abilities, self-knowledge, awareness via mindfulness, emotional regulations, and mindful reflection in compassion for others. William James in his 1890 texts, Principles of Psychology, noted that complete education was associated with “bringing back a wandering attention over and over again” (page 494). So today with so, so much hyper-individualism, entitlement, “me first” attitudes, and “see my new… narcissism”, how can contemplative practices improve the nature of people in their learning years? With so much talk about expanding contemplative practices in higher education it is timely to discuss the many benefits of solitude, especially in the transmission of knowledge. In her writing about contemplative practices in higher education, Mara Adelman list various benefits gained through the experience of solitude. She combines the ideas of many writers on this subject (Koch, 1994; Long and Averill, 2003; Barbour, 2004; Cobb, 1977; Storr, 1998). Here is short list of the benefits from practicing mindful solitude.

The practice of experiencing solitude provides us with:

Freedom from mind, body and social contacts;
Attunement with the inner-most voice of the self;
Attention to personal feelings in privacy;
Understanding one’s own personhood;
Activation of the mysteries of life;
Centering on our spiritual self;
Grounding in the natural world;
Disconnection from the noise and technology of modern life;
Deeper reflection;
Intuitive insights;
Space and time for self-healing;
Regeneration of our inner resiliency;
Restoration of emotional balance;
Simplicity of just being;
Gratitude for what we do have now;
Restoring the personal self from ongoing mindlessness;
More first-person private experience in equanimity;
Observation in first-hand experience of deeper meaning;
Greater intersubjective understanding – only you and solitude, or you and nature;
Feelings of wholeness, unity, wellness;
Non-judgmental discernment of “presencing;”
Respectful engagement with empathy and compassion; and
Greater happiness.

For more information refer to Adelman, M. (2014). Kindred spirits in teaching contemplative practices. In O. Gunnlaugson, et al. (Eds.). Contemplative Learning and Inquiry Across Disciplines. New York: State University of New York, pp. 51-68. See also pages 1-14 in the same source.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont

Author of Mindful Happiness

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

December 31, 2015 By Admin

Ideas about Attitudes of Gratitude – M. J. Ryan

Attitudes of Gratitude Thoughts and Applications

M. J. Ryan presents some interesting practices in the book, Attitudes of Gratitude (1999). Here are some ideas. Hope you will practice some of them soon. As The 14th Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh suggest, we should always appreciate the preciousness and miracle of human life – our own life no matter what the challenges are.

Understand that your emotional mood and the quality of your thoughts depend on where you place your attention and reflection. Do your best to pay more attention to the softness and warmth of your human heart and soul. Pay more attention to positive experiences and less attention to negative experiences.
When you are plagued with GIANT problems or BIG emotional reactions to not-so-giant problems, look into the nature of the problem itself to see if any solutions arise. Life is all about arising and falling experiences – both good and bad. Causes and conditions present and lead to pleasure, pain/suffering, or neutrality.
Pay much more attention to the little joys (“wonderment”) you may be missing by being on autopilot and rushing around trying to be happier trough material gain. Wealth and fame are nice, but they DO NOT bring lasting, inner happiness. Your happiness is an INSIDE JOB!
Do your best to be in the present moment of experiences. The past is gone; you cannot change it. The future is not here yet; you cannot control it. Your real power comes from responding to whatever is now in your present moment experience.
Pay much more attention to what is working for you now rather than what you desire and crave from the past or the future. If you are not present-minded, you cannot appreciate and have gratitude for what exists now.
Reflect upon and honor your close friends, your family, and your ancestors. Use any of their spiritual supports to do well in adversity and to do great in happy experiences.
Practice meditations on appreciation, gratitude, and loving kindness. These practices build your capacity to be happy. These practices also improve compassionate actions and self-compassion. Do you have self-compassion?
Periodically, live a whole day as if it were your last day living on earth. Notice! See what you decide to do.
In the final analysis, Buddhism informs us that life on earth will contain suffering, joy, and neutrality. All three conditions will occur in your experiences. You cannot escape suffering! How you respond will determine your level of satisfaction or your quality of life in the long run. Be happy! Be at peace! Be in the present moment!

For more information refer to Ryan, M. J. (1999). Attitudes of Gratitude: How to Give and Receive Joy Every Day of Your life. New York: MJF Books.

mindfulhappiness

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont

Author of Mindful Happiness

CLICK HERE or any image below to Order

November 1, 2015 By Admin

Enhancing Your Happiness With Mindfulness-

Mindfulness, Movement, and Meditation Practices

Meditation Master Thich Nhat Hanh offers some of the most helpful mindfulness, movement, and meditation instructions available today. His themes here are about reducing your suffering, increasing your satisfactions, and expanding your happiness as a result. Please do not note that “I do not have time to do these things!” You do! Just think of how much time possibly each day you waste obsessing about things you have NO CONTROL over. Use that senseless worry time to practice.

I have added some of my own flavor to these suggestions as a way to make them even more practical as practices. You may do these either in vivo (live in the world’s real environment) or in your imagination. These practices tend to work better when experienced in the real world we live in.

Here are some instructions.

Begin by sitting quietly. Loosen your muscles; breathe slower, deeper and calmer. Be open to the power of your mind and senses to experience joy here; do your best not to block the experience with rampant thoughts and distractions. When you realize you are somewhere else in your mind or in self-talk, gently bring yourself back to the practice without criticism. Be gentle in returning your attention.
It is time to add your half smile – feel it.
Practice noticing and appreciating the following things in reality or in imagination.
See a deep blue sky with passing, fluffy white clouds.
Focus on the power of a rising or setting sun or a full moon
Do the same with a clear, star-filled evening sky.
See or imagine the ocean, a lake, or a stream. Listen!
Look up into of down from a high hill or even better a high mountain
Reflect on a substance-free happy memory. If “shadows” come with it, allow them in with love.
Reflect on the feelings you have about a lover, loved one, or significant relationship you value.
Get in touch with the sensations/feelings of your calming breath.
Feel and enjoy your inner peace. Find space between thoughts and breaths.
No matter what, be happy you are alive. Everything is impermanent.

For more help refer to Nhat Hanh, Thich (1993). Present Moment, Wonderful Moment. Rider Books.

Some more current and helpful information follows. Here we will deal with the reality of personal suffering and ways to reduce it – thus improving your satisfaction and happiness. Remember the strong, energized pursuit of happiness (pure consumption, greed, self-medication, etc.) tends to leave us dissatisfied. It may simply become just another frantic attachment to chase after and cling to. When we use wise mind skills to find our peace with suffering (self-compassion) and allow the “art of happiness” to occur, the outcomes are stronger and more long lasting. Recall, however, everything is impermanent. Here are some tips on being happier.

Mindfulness is the way – the way to awareness, to the present, to the energies of your now experience.
Begin with breath awareness – pure consciousness of your own happy breathing. Simply breathe in and out at your own rate, then practice slower, deeper, calmer breathing. Notice your body and mind relax; notice your joy. Simply empowering yourself to breathe in healthy and happy ways has its own joy-energy.
Now move to practicing radical acceptance of whatever is in this present moment. Let go of ego-drives. Simply embrace what is happening to you right now, here now. Move into deep self-compassion for any suffering you may be experiencing, and move into strong joy for any happiness you may be experiencing.
Use all your sense if you are experiencing joy right now. Try not to think – just meditate on the joy in your body. Feel it! Nurture yourself.
Practice these five skills often. Learn t let go! Be curious about doing mind-planting of positive seeds of happiness. Feel deeply within yourself when you are mindful joy. Use mindfulness to nurture and improve your ability to concentrate. Use insight – realize that it is within your own power of practice to decide how to respond to whatever happen to you. This is wisdom! Both suffering and happiness are necessary.

For more help refer to Nhat Hanh, Thich (2014). No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering. United Buddhist Church/Parallax Press. Also presented in Shambhala Sun (March, 23015), pp. 40-45.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont

Author of Mindful Happiness

CLICK HERE or any image blow to Order

October 24, 2015 By Admin

Mindful Walking Meditation

Mindful Walking Meditation:

How to Walk by Thich Nhat Hanh – A Powerful Short Book of Wisdom

In my opinion, Thich Nhat Hanh and The 14th Dalai Lama are the two most important and wise teachers of mindfulness, meditation, compassion, and Buddhism in the 21st century. Below I will offer my interpretation of Thich Nhat Hanh’s new book. At the same time, I will attempt to distill his wise instructions about how to walk. The post will end with a short segment on formal walking meditation. My agenda here, is to write my comments so they may be useful to both lay and Buddhist practitioners.

Part 1: The Basics of Walking with Mindfulness

Here we’ll review instructions on how to make any walk a mindful walk. Settle in and take a few calmer, slower, deeper breaths. Use your intention to prepare yourself for walking. As you lift your foot, inhale; as you place your foot (heal first) on the earth, exhale. Remain silent – just breathe and walk. Deeply appreciate the solid mother earth under you. Focus complete attention on the act of walking, thus relieving your mind of the need to think, evaluate, associate,tell stories, etc. Concentrate fully on the present moment of touching the earth. You arrive with each step. Allow mind to follow body with breath – feel your inner peace and joy. Adding a peaceful smile may improve your experience of “just walking.” Reflect on your gratitude for your moving legs, beating heart, working lungs and being on solid ground. Allow your walking body to liberate your mind from the incessant tangles of daily life. Bring your attention back to focused walking each and every time your mind wonders off into something/somewhere else. Notice your inner peace – feel it gently. Value and respect it. Give great appreciation for your bodhisattva ways (helping others). You may want to imagine that you are walking with the Buddha’s fee – being one with the Buddha. Be one with the peace and joy of walking slowly, effortlessly, lovingly. Walk this way more often at work, at home, outdoors, etc. (See pages 1-50 for more details.)

Part 2: More Details and Depth on How to Walk

Notice great ease as you allow your breath to lead your walking body. Continue to concentrate of how the moving body/legs feel; this will reduce distractions in the mind. You may walk alone, with others, or imagining others are with you (ancestors, friends, people you love, the Buddhas, etc.). Feel their wonderful energies. Walk in honor of them and mother earth, and all those who have walked here before you. Since enlightenment and nirvana cannot be understood as mental concepts or perceptions, just allow the body to walk in mutuality with the breath, the mind, the earth. Bring full mindful attention to the feelings of walking; be the awareness – stay present and return your mindful awareness if/when it moves away. No past, and no future – just the present moment “here now.” Notice internally – there may be subtle or strong feelings of deep peace, compassion, and wisdom – even possibly love. As you walk, observe, feel, and appreciate everything that appears in the present moment of movement. Allow yourself to forget the past and the future – the past cannot be changed, and the future gives you little control over it. While walking adopt the Buddha’s view that practice is non-practice and attainment is non-attainment. Be effortless! Just walk – BE the moving body, the quiet mind, the inner peace, the silent joy. (See pages 51-97 for more details.)

Part 3: More Formal Walking Meditation

Building from the earlier parts of this post, prepare your intention for formal walking meditation practice. Complete a few calm, slow, deep breaths. Place hand/arms in front, behind, or by your sides. Hold your head level and allow a gentle gaze 2-3 feet in front of you. Pay close attention to the feelings in the body – lifting the leg inhale then placing the leg on solid earth exhale. Breathe the movement, peace, and joy – all in unison. If/when your mind distracts or goes elsewhere, gently and lovingly bring your focus back to just walking. No self-criticism. Be silent! Smile! Count your breaths if it helps. It will be more relaxing if you extend the exhalations slightly longer than the inhalations. This will activate your vagal nerve network and bring more calmness. You may want to add a brief mantra to your walking: “May I breathe and walk in peace.” Other phrases may help: “in and out,” “deep and silent,” “I smile and let go,” or “my wonderful present moment.” Make up what you want to say if helpful, or say nothing. Just concentrate on feelings of movement and touching the earth. Slow down; speed up. Walk at the pace you desire. Do what work best for you. Bring breath, mind, body, joy and self together – fully integrated in the act of walking meditation. Take personal refuge in your walking. Attend to the outside, but feel the inside. Be the walking; be the peace; be the joy! Hold strong gratitude for your walk, and appreciate all aspects of this meditation practice.

For best experiences, consider walking meditation outside in the natural environment.

Be like the Taoists; be in nature’s beauty. Enjoy! (See pages 99 – 117) for more details.)

Nhat Hanh, Thich (2015). How to Walk. Berkeley,CA: Parallax Press.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont

Author of Mindful Happiness

CLICK HERE or any image blow to Order