Miracle of Mindfulness

[Guest]

Gassho All,
I am a new contributor to the forum. We have a small but persistent zen practice group here in the QC - Illinois-Iowa but I enjoy checking in at Treeleaf. As with most all of us, I read the zen books for entertainment and try not to let them interfere with my practice. :wink: Has anyone tried any of the exercises in Thich Nhat Hanh's book, The Miracle of Mindfulness? Here in Iowa, we are in the nexus of political campaigns right now and I've been looking at them with the "mindfulness" lens. "Mindfulness is the miracle by which we master and restore ourselves." TNH

[Gregor]

Miracle of Mindfulness is a great book, I think I've tried just about every exercise in it. Although, I don't tend to use them much anymore, I would say that it has been an influential work for my practice and approach to Buddhism.

[Rev R]

Don't have anything to say about the book, but welcome aboard the crazy train Lloyd.

[Eika]

Peace is Every Step was one of the first Buddhist books that I read. A great deal of my early sitting was based around THN's teachings. His sense of being patient with the world and accepting the place where you are have really stuck with me.
About the only direct practice that I still utilize is the "half-smile" suggestion that he makes frequently. Somehow the physiological change resulting from a hint of a smile helps me on the occasions when I notice that I am rejecting the reality of my life.


Gassho,
Bill

[Fuken]

Welcome aboard Lloyd, I think I am the only guy here who has never read any TNH. Hmmm... Maybe that will change one day.

Gassho
Jordan

[agata]

I admire TNH very much and his teachings influence my practice a lot.

[Lynn]

Hello, Lloyd! Hope you enjoy your stay with us.

Well, if Jordan is the only guy who hasn't read TNH I guess I qualify as the only gal who hasn't, so I can't speak to your question regarding his book.

In Gassho~

*Lynn,

[Jun]

Hello and welcome Lloyd.

I too haven't read anything by Thich Nhat Hanh, so Jordan and Lynn you aren't alone there.

gassho

[Shohei]

! What!! A welcome that slipped by??!

Hi and Welcome Lloyd!

I am also another who hasnt read anything by TNH :x

Gassho
Dirk

[Dainin]

Hey Lloyd,

Welcome! In the beginning of my practice, I read a few TNH books. The only one that has "stuck" with me is his brief commentary on the Heart Sutra. That and exactly what Bill said:

About the only direct practice that I still utilize is the "half-smile" suggestion that he makes frequently. Somehow the physiological change resulting from a hint of a smile helps me on the occasions when I notice that I am rejecting the reality of my life.

I pretty much had forgotten where I picked that up. Thanks for reminding me, Bill!

Gassho,
Keith

[TracyF]

Hi Lloyd.

I like the half-smile too. I also get a kick out of TNH speaking to inanimate objects or when he says he literally hugs trees (the original tree-hugger?).

In Miracle of Mindfullness, I think your talking about the excercises toward the end before he gets to the sutras, right? I've done most of them. I think they're very similar to excercises for many contemplation practices. Of course, TNH always has such a sweet way of describing them. I like the suffering due to lack of wisdom practice. One thing I have to note is that since starting Shikantaza, I've decided to do never do his excercises while on my zafu. I keep that for zazen only. I either do them sitting in my office or while doing meditative walking.

The one I pass on is the skeleton meditation. Yeah, I know, it's an aversion excercise but no dice!

[Jundo]

About the only direct practice that I still utilize is the "half-smile" suggestion that he makes frequently. Somehow the physiological change resulting from a hint of a smile helps me on the occasions when I notice that I am rejecting the reality of my life.

There is a true physiological reason why the "half-smile" works. Neuorological research shows that the brain (the mirror cells, I believe) assume that, since you are smiling, there must be grounds to be happy and it becomes a self-fulfilling process.

Zajonc, R. B., Emotion and Facial Efference: A Theory Reclaimed, Scince, 1985, 288, 15-2

He also asserted that elation follows the smile, not the opposite. The blood flow changes caused by contracting the facial muscles in the smile alter cerebral blood flow and cause an emotional change. He extends this reasoning to account for all kinds of other bizarre facial habits associated with emotions -- wrinkled forheads, rubbing one's eyes, hand on forehead, pulling earlobes, licking lips, etc.

That being said, I have reservations about the Practice (gee, I am so critical of every darn thing today!!!) if it means that we associate Buddhist Practice with having to feel happy happy happy. In my mind, Buddhist Practice is much more powerful if about being as we are, which is not always happy. Sometimes, to be human is to be sad, and "suffereing" is to reject and resist that normal sadness (the suffering is not the sadness itself). So, please practice sitting sometime with a half-frown, and embrace that. Or better, just sit with whatever comes.

Gassho, Jundo

[TracyF]

Hey Jundo, I read your post with a "half smile" on my face. :wink:

Actually, I think the half smile is more of a practice of mindfullness as opposed to elation. It's a calming measure to get you back into perspective. I think that's why he stresses half smile.

So its or even 8) but NOT

[Kelly M.]

I must admit, after reading 'Being Peace' and 'Zen Keys', I can't say I'm a fan of TNH's writtings. I find him a great role model, a little like a Zen Dalai Lama (just a bit), but I just don't seem to connect with his written works. :?

[Dainin]

Hey,

While I agree with Jundo that we should sit and live with whatever comes up in whatever state we find ourselves without making more or less of it than it is, I also agree with Tracy here:

Actually, I think the half smile is more of a practice of mindfullness as opposed to elation. It's a calming measure to get you back into perspective. I think that's why he stresses half smile.

This is how I've always took that half-smile teaching - not to be "happy" when I'm not, but more as a reminder of where I am.

Gassho,
Keith