The Mindfulness Sampler

The Mindfulness Sampler Shambhala Authors on the Power of Awareness in Daily Life Mindfulness Sampler fourth pass 2-3-14.indd 1 2/3/14 11:54 AM This page intentionally left blank. THE MINDFULNESS SAMPLER f Shambhala Authors on the Power of Awareness in Daily Life shambhala Boston & London 2014 Mindfulness Sampler fourth pass 2-3-14.indd 1 2/3/14 11:54 AM Shambhala Publications, Inc. Horticultural Hall 300 Massachusetts Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02115 www.shambhala.com © 2014 by Shambhala Publications, Inc. Cover photograph: Apples in Bushel © Kevin Thomas and Andrea Pluhar All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. eisbn 978-0-8348-2961-9 eisbn 978-0-8348-2981-7 (Shambhala.com edition) Mindfulness Sampler 2-4-14.indd 2 2/4/14 2:53 PM CONTENTS f Introduction v Happiness and Peace Are Possible 1 Thich Nhat Hanh The Liberating Practice of Mindfulness 19 Jack Kornfield Not Causing Harm 33 Pema Chödrön The Practice of Ordinary Life 41 Jan Chozen Bays, MD The Four Foundations of Mindfulness 61 Chögyam Trungpa Mindfulness in Relationships 101 David Richo Work’s Invitation to Wake Up 119 Michael Carroll Mindfulness Sampler fourth pass 2-3-14.indd 3 2/3/14 11:54 AM iv C Contents Raising Mindful Kids 133 Eline Snel Mindfulness and Addiction 145 Lawrence A. Peltz, MD Mindful Communication 171 Susan Gillis Chapman Further Readings 197 Mindfulness Sampler fourth pass 2-3-14.indd 4 2/3/14 11:54 AM INTRODUCTION f “Life is accessible only in the present moment.” This revo- lutionary teaching of the Buddha, as emphasized by the great Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, is the hallmark of the mindfulness movement—and it is taking the world by storm. Mind- fulness, or the simple practice of becoming aware of what is happening in our lives, has long been at the heart of the Buddhist tradition as the quintessence of spirituality. But it isn’t just for Buddhists! Over the past few decades, clinical research in the West has also demonstrated that mindfulness practice can impart numerous practical benefits to truly any- one, including improved immune health, better focus, and reduced stress and anxiety, just to name a few. And through these pioneering efforts, today mindfulness teachings have reached out beyond the confines of the meditation hall and have begun to permeate every aspect of our culture—from medicine to business, parenting, eating, and so much more. As a way of introducing readers to its contemporary practice, Shambhala Publications is delighted to offer this short eBook of selections from mindfulness books by some of the most prominent figures in the field. If you’re looking to learn v Mindfulness Sampler fourth pass 2-3-14.indd 5 2/3/14 11:54 AM vi C Introduction more about what mindfulness is and how it might benefit you, this is the perfect place to start. And if you’re already familiar with mindfulness teachings and versed in the practice, here you will find some of the newest contributions to the litera- ture alongside beloved classics. The first five chapters offer an explanation of all the fun- damentals of mindfulness—what it is and how it can be nur- tured in our own lives—especially as it has been classically taught in the Buddhist traditions. In “Happiness and Peace Are Possible,” Thich Nhat Hanh describes mindfulness as a healing miracle—one with the power to liberate us from struggle and unearth in us a happiness that we never before thought possible. Jack Kornfield focuses on this same liberating aspect in the chapter from Bringing Home the Dharma that follows, and he outlines four key principles for trans- forming the difficulties in our lives into opportunities for tenderness and joy. In “Not Causing Harm,” Pema Chödrön identifies mindfulness as the foundation for nonviolence and the means to creating a peaceful, enlightened society. Zen teacher and pediatrician Jan Chozen Bays clears up many misunderstandings about mindfulness practice and intro- duces useful exercises for instilling mindfulness in the activ- ities of ordinary, everyday life. Finally, Chögyam Trungpa offers a thorough explanation of what are called “the four foundations of mindfulness,” most especially in the way that mindfulness is cultivated through meditation practice. The chapters that follow discuss the application of mindfulness to some of life’s most difficult challenges. David Richo presents ways in which we can bring mindfulness into our relationships by becoming attentive to the emotional states of others and truly present in their lives. He also offers insights into how mindfulness can help us cultivate personal integrity Mindfulness Sampler fourth pass 2-3-14.indd 6 2/3/14 11:54 AM Introduction C vii and more holistic well-being throughout adulthood. In a chapter from his book Awake at Work, Michael Carroll teaches how to engage work with attentiveness and openness, ulti- mately leading to newfound contentment in our professional lives—no small thing when most spend a third or more of each day on the job. In a passage from her book Sitting Still Like a Frog, Eline Snel shows how mindfulness practice can benefit children just as much as adults, and teaches parents a variety of techniques for raising peaceful, respectful, and happy kids. Lawrence Peltz, MD, discusses ways to overcome addiction by deepening our awareness of the addictive process and treating suffering at its fundamental root—including a useful introduction to MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction) training. And Susan Gillis Chapman shows how mindfulness can help us become better communicators and the extraordinary boon this confers to our emotional lives. At the end, you will find a list of further readings for you to explore, comprised of many of the books on mindful living available from Shambhala Publications. But it is by no means exhaustive. For details on our full collection of mindfulness books and much, much more, visit Shambhala.com and dis- cover for yourself what might suit your interests most. From the origins of our company more than forty years ago, it has been our deepest wish that the books we bring to you might nurture greater happiness, freedom, and well-being— and perhaps contribute in some small way to a more sane and peaceful world. We hope that you enjoy these readings and that the teachings offered here might prove beneficial to you in your own life. john golebiewski Editor Shambhala Publications Mindfulness Sampler fourth pass 2-3-14.indd 7 2/3/14 11:54 AM This page intentionally left blank. THE MINDFULNESS SAMPLER f Mindfulness Sampler fourth pass 2-3-14.indd 9 2/3/14 11:54 AM This page intentionally left blank. Thich Nhat Hanh f HAPPINESS AND PEACE ARE POSSIBLE very twenty-four-hour day is a tremendous gift to us. ESo we all should learn to live in a way that makes joy and happiness possible. We can do this. I begin my day by making an offering of incense while following my breath. I think to myself that this day is a day to live fully, and I make the vow to live each moment of it in a way that is beautiful, solid, and free. This only takes me three or four minutes, but it gives me a great deal of pleasure. You can do the same thing when you wake up. Breathe in and tell yourself that a new day has been offered to you, and you have to be here to live it. The way to maintain your presence in the here and now is through mindfulness of the breath. There is no need to ma- nipulate the breath. Breath is a natural thing, like air, like light; we should leave it as it is and not interfere with it. What we are doing is simply lighting up the lamp of awareness to illuminate our breathing. We generate the energy of mindfulness to illuminate everything that is happening in the present moment. 1 Mindfulness Sampler fourth pass 2-3-14.indd 1 2/3/14 11:54 AM 2 C thich nhat hanh As you breathe in, you say can to yourself, “Breathing in, I know that I am breathing in.” When you do this, the energy of mindfulness embraces your in-breath, just like sun light touching the leaves and branches of a tree. The light of mindfulness is content just to be there and embrace the breath, without doing it any violence, without intervening directly. As you breathe out, you can gently say, “Breathing out, I know that I am breathing out.” Buddhist practice is based on nonviolence and nondualism. You don’t have to struggle with your breath. You don’t have to struggle with your body, or with your hate, or with your anger. Treat your in-breath and out-breath tenderly, nonvio- lently, as you would treat a flower. Later you will be able to do the same thing with your physical body, treating it with gentleness, respect, nonviolence, and tenderness. When you are dealing with pain, with a moment of irritation, or with a bout of anger, you can learn to treat them in the same way. Do not fight against pain; do not fight against irritation or jealousy. Embrace them with great tenderness, as though you were embracing a little baby. Your anger is yourself, and you should not be violent toward it.

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