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SÁCH AMAZON


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There is a consistency throughout the Buddha's teachings on meditation skills, from the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (Satipatthàna) to Body Action (Kàyagatàsati), then In-breath and Out-breath Mindfulness (Ànàpànasati), which is breathing: "Breathing in, know breathing in, breathing out, know breathing out. Breathing in long, know breathing in long, breathing out short, know breathing out short..." That's all. And countless. But it cannot be said.

Whether it is called Thien (Vietnamese) or Chan (Chinese), Zen (Japanese)..., they all originate from Dhyana (Sanskrit) or Jhanas (Pali). Etymologically, Jha means to look, to observe, to follow and Ana means to breathe, breath, to breath. So, jhanas or dhyana is to observe the breath, to be aware of the breath. It is so simple but actually not simple at all. It is like a basic key. You have to open this door first before the other doors can be opened. The question is why and how can observing the breath lead to insight, a transformation from “qi” to “wisdom”?

Observing the breath

Actually, observing anything is possible, because everything is dharma – all dharma is Buddha dharma – but observing the breath creates the conditions to see “the five aggregates are empty” more, that is, to see non-self more. Non-self here is no longer an idea, a concept, but a state. To see non-self, it is best to observe from “self”, from the breath for example, an object that is available within ourselves. We must always breathe. We must breathe everywhere. Breath is very sensitive to emotions. Before a beautiful scene, we “hold our breath”. When we are afraid or nervous, we breathe in many different ways, in a myriad of forms. And thanks to that, we see impermanence. Thanks to that, we can observe the mind. Breathing is also associated with muscle activity. When we are tired, we are “out of breath”; when we are healthy, we breathe lightly and comfortably, thanks to which we can observe the body. Not only that, breathing is both conscious and unconscious. As if it does not need us. As if it is outside of us. As if we do not exist. Observing breathing, we see that breathing is associated with the life and death of human life. When a baby is born, it cries out loudly to inhale air into its lungs, and when it dies, an old man exhales, returning to life everything he has borrowed. Between the two inhales and exhales, there are waves of breath… rippling like small waves, and connecting those small waves, we have a journey in this world.

Breathing can change our mood, transform our emotions, and even our behavior. While angry, I suddenly remembered and observed my breathing, saw it fluttering strangely and funny, and forgot about being angry, and my breathing became regulated again without me realizing it: the excitement point on the cerebral cortex had been shifted! Anger, anxiety, and fear consume a lot of energy. That is why at those times we easily feel exhausted and exhausted. Sleep is a way to reduce energy consumption but still have muscle contractions and dreams. Meditation helps reduce energy consumption significantly, even more than sleep, thanks to which the cells can rest, and the whole body feels refreshed.

Our lungs are like a pump, expanding and contracting to bring air in and out thanks to the change in pressure. There is a time when the pressure is balanced, that is the pause. That pause at the end of exhalation - before breathing in again - is often long, leisurely, and gentle because it does not consume any energy. That is the "prana" stage. Pra means before and ana means breathing in (also means breathing out after). Prana has been known since ancient times. In yoga, there is pranayama, breath control. In meditation, the breath is no longer controlled, but the breath is controlled by itself. At some point, the practitioner no longer feels himself breathing. Peaceful. Disappearing.

Letting go with the flow

When talking about meditation, we often immediately think of sitting meditation. Then there are full lotus positions, half lotus positions, extremely complicated and mysterious as if reserved for a certain group. Meditation does not have to be like that. Walking, standing, lying down or sitting can all be used for meditation. The Japanese and Tibetans all have their own way of "sitting" in meditation, and Westerners are even more different, as long as they have a comfortable, pleasant posture, letting go of the whole body is enough. However, sitting cross-legged (full lotus, half lotus) has more advantages, because when we stand, we walk, the front muscles of the legs must contract to support the whole body, while the muscles behind stretch. When sitting cross-legged, we have made the muscles change direction. This is a "therapeutic control" method.

Keeping the back straight is also an extremely important requirement in meditation. We tend to follow the natural curvature of the spine under the weight of the body due to gravity, and especially age, which can easily lead to scoliosis or cervical spine pain, lower back pain. Keeping the back straight combined with abdominal exercises will slow down the aging process. In meditation, another very decisive factor is the relaxation of the whole body, "letting go" of the whole body, which some people compare to drifting with the flow of water. Medicine has proven that energy consumption in meditation is very low, below the basic metabolism, lower than when sleeping, thanks to which energy is better accumulated. When the body has relaxed, the muscles have relaxed, meaning that energy consumption has been significantly reduced, it will also feel less necessary to provide nutrients through food such as glucid, lipid, protein... which are sources of energy. Eating less but still meeting energy needs will make the body less tired, the cells will work less hard, and the spirit will be refreshed.

Can a moderate, contented, patient, mindful, alert life... contribute to solving modern health problems and protecting our living environment today? Don't waste your time looking elsewhere. Come back to rely on yourself. That's true. Because after all, who can breathe for anyone? Who can meditate for anyone?

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