These are notes taken from Joseph Goldstein's book "Mindfulness
Chapter 8 mindfulness of postures
Again, monks, when walking, one knows “I am walking”; when standing,
one knows “I am standing”; when sitting, one knows “I am sitting.”; when lying
down, one knows “I am lying down”; or one knows accordingly however one’s body
is disposed.
Simple and grounding
Especially if you are carried away with thoughts and ideas.
It strengthens
continuity of awareness
No need for heightened states of
concentration
We can do this practice outside of
retreats
Anyone, no matter their education
or sophistication, can do this practice
It reveals our state
of mind
Do we notice a rushing mind which
indicates anticipation, wanting, energetically toppling forward rather than
being settled in the moment that is here.
When
walking, just walk.
Settling
back into the simplicity of the moment
Are we restless or impatient?
Working with fear and dread:
Before the buddha’s enlightenment,
when he was still a bodhisattva, this is how he would confront his fear by
going into the forest and sitting:
“And while I dwelt there, a wild animal would come up to me, or a
peacock would knock off a branch, or the wind would rustle the leaves.
I thought: “What now is this fear and dread coming?”
I thought: “Why do I dwell
always expecting fear and dread?
What if I subdue that fear and dread while keeping the same posture
that I am in when it comes upon me?
“While I walked, the fear and dread came upon me; I neither stood nor
sat nor lay down till I had subdued that fear and dread.
While I stood, the fear and dread came upon me; I neither walked nor
sat nor lay down till I had subdued that fear and dread.
While I sat, the fear and dread came upon me; I neither walked nor
stood nor lay down till I had subdued that fear and dread.
While I lay down, the fear and dread came upon me; I neither walked nor
stood nor sat down till I had subdued the fear and dread.
It’s clear from his description
that purification of mind is not limited to sitting practice. We can face and see through these
unwholesome states whenever and wherever they arise.
It supports our
understanding of the three characteristics.
·
Impermanence – anicca
o Notice
how much change of sensation there is, even in a simple movement
o Moving
from one posture to another demonstrates change
·
Dukkha – unsatisfactoriness
o Why
do we move from one posture to another?
We are motivated to alleviate some kind of pain or discomfort.
·
Selflessness – anatta - what we call the "self" is a series of sensations and moments.
Labels: body postures in Buddhism, Buddha on working with fear and dread, Joseph Goldstein"s Mindfulness, mindfulness of the body