Four Foundations of Body [Sensations] Feeling [Impressions] Mind [Attitudes] Dhammas [Concepts, Mental Patterns, and Spiritual Frameworks]

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are often referred to as the Four Pastures. By training our attention through mindfulness practice, we can tune-in to these fields of our human experience, developing an intimacy and familiarity with the ways in which our physiological, neurobiological and mental habits interconnect. The Buddha stated that by developing a practice of carefully attending to our sensorial, emotional, and cognitive processes, we could come to understand how we, often unintentionally, self-generate stress and react out-of- balance and inauthentically with life’s various ups and downs. We often spend an inordinate amount of time attempting to fix, manage, and control the conditions of life to our liking. Our nervous system and our brain try to pin down a sense of lasting comfort and security; however, the reality is that we are living in a world that is anything but comfortable and secure. The Buddha encouraged us to practice living a more full and integrated life, a life that is in line with the natural laws of existence. He encouraged us to develop a practice of using our awareness to understand and embrace the discomfort, sadness, grief, and small annoyances in life, rather than habitually trying to avoid, change, or fix the world to our liking. By contemplating these Four Pastures of human experience, the Buddha promised that we could begin to see clearly into the causes and conditions of our stressful reactions to life and begin to practice a wise and appropriate response to life’s 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows. He knew this practice was a difficult one, but acknowledged that, with a steady commitment, balanced effort, kindness, patience and humility, anyone could free themselves from the destructive and stressful habits that keep us from our truest deepest desire for ease and wellbeing.

Anapanasati Sutta – Part II - Mindfulness of In-&-Out Breathing "Now how is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing developed & pursued so as to be of great fruit, of great benefit? "There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness, to the shade of a tree, or to an empty building, sits down folding her legs crosswise, holding her body erect, and setting mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, she breathes in; mindful she breathes out. [Breath & Body] "[1] Breathing in long, she discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out long, she discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' [2] Or breathing in short, she discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, she discerns, 'I am breathing out short.' [3] She trains herself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.'[2] She trains herself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.' [4] She trains herself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.'[3] She trains herself, 'I will breathe out calming bodily fabrication.' [Stabilizing the Mind] "[5] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to piti [aliveness].' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to piti [aliveness].' [6] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to sukha [contentment].' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to sukha [contentment].' [7] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to mental activity.'[4] He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to mental activity.' [8] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming mental activity.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming mental activity.' [Cultivating ] "[9] She trains herself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to citta [heart-mind].' She trains herself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to citta [heart-mind].' [10] She trains herself, 'I will breathe in gladdening citta [heart-mind].' She trains herself, 'I will breathe out gladdening citta [heart-mind].' [11] She trains herself, 'I will breathe in steadying citta [heart-mind].' She trains herself, 'I will breathe out steadying citta [heart- mind].' [12] She trains herself, 'I will breathe in releasing citta [heart-mind].' She trains herself, 'I will breathe out releasing citta [heart-mind].' [Liberation Through Insight] "[13] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on .' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on impermanence.' [14] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on fading away.’ ' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on fading away.' [15] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on cessation.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on cessation.' [16] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in focusing on relinquishment.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out focusing on relinquishment.'

"This is how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is developed & pursued so as to be of great fruit, of great benefit. Body Contemplations [Breath] - We don’t graduate from the breath! Breath awareness is central to the development of mental stability, mental tranquility, and insight. - Why the breath? - 1. It is always available - 2. It is neither overwhelmingly pleasant nor unpleasant. It’s generally a neutral sensation. - 3. There are many subtle processes involved in breathing. This makes for a great object of Samadhi (i.e. concentration/ mental stability, or “collectedness of awareness” practice). [Postures] Walking, Standing, Sitting, or Lying Down Walking Meditation Walking meditation brings a number of benefits in addition to the cultivation of mindfulness. It can be a helpful way of building concentration, perhaps in support of sitting practice. When we are tired or sluggish, walking can be invigorating. The sensations of walking can be more compelling than the more subtle sensations of breathing while sitting. Walking can be quite helpful after a meal, upon waking from sleep, or after a long period of sitting meditation. At times of strong emotions or stress, walking meditation may be more relaxing than sitting. An added benefit is that, when done for extended times, walking meditation can build strength and stamina.

To do formal walking meditation, find a pathway about 30 to 40 feet long, and simply walk back and forth. When you come to the end of your path, come to a full stop, turn around, stop again, and then start again. Keep your eyes cast down without looking at anything in particular.

Once you feel connected to the body, let your attention settle into your feet and lower legs. In walking meditation, the focus is on the alternating stepping of the feet. With your attention in the legs and feet, feel the sensations of each step. Feel the legs and feet tense as you lift the leg. Feel the movement of the leg as it swings through the air. Feel the contact of the foot with the ground. There is no “right” experience. Just see how the experience feels to you. Whenever you notice that the mind has wandered, bring it back to the sensations of the feet walking.

As an aid to staying present, you can use a quiet mental label for your steps as you walk. When walking more slowly, you might try breaking each step into phases and using the traditional labels “lifting, placing.” For very slow walking, you can use the labels “lifting, moving, placing.”

Try to dedicate your attention to the sensations of walking and let go of everything else. If powerful emotions or thoughts arise and call your attention away from the sensations of walking, it is often helpful to stop walking and attend to them. When they are no longer compelling, you can return to the walking meditation.

Some people find that their minds are more active or distractible during walking than during sitting meditation. This may be because walking is more active and the eyes are open. If so, don’t be discouraged and don’t think that walking is thus less useful. It may in fact be more useful to learn to practice with your more everyday mind. – Gil Fronsdal, December 1st, 2003 (Insight Meditation Society)

[Activities] - [See Discourse for Detailed Description of Activities] "Some people think that the longer you can sit, the wiser you must be. I have seen chickens sit on their nests for days on end! Wisdom comes from being mindful in all postures. Your practice should begin as you awaken in the morning. It should continue until you fall asleep. Don't be concerned about how long you can sit. What is important is only that you keep watchful whether you are working or sitting or going to the bathroom. Each person has his/her own natural pace. Some of you will die at age fifty, some at age sixty-five, and some at age ninety. So, too, your practice will not be all identical. Don't think or worry about this. Try to be mindful and let things take their natural course. Then your mind will become quieter and quieter in any surroundings. It will become still like a clear forest pool. Then all kinds of wonderful and rare animals will come to drink at the pool. You will see clearly the nature of all things in the world. You will see many wonderful and strange things come and go. [But if you don't react,] problems will arise and you will see through them immediately. This is the happiness of the Buddha." – Chah

[Anatomical Parts] - [For a comprehensive outline of the Anatomical Parts, visit: www.32parts.com]

Anatomical Parts: Head hair, Body hair, Nails, Teeth, Skin Flesh, Sinews, Bones, Bone Marrow, Kidneys Heart, Liver, Diaphragm, Spleen, Lungs Large Intestines, Small Intestines, Stomach, Feces, Brain Bile, Phlegm, Pus, Blood, Sweat, Fat Tears, Grease, Saliva, Mucus, Oil of the Joints, Urine

To practice the 32 Parts of the Body Meditation, begin by reciting each part in each grouping verbally and then silently. The verbal recitation conditions the mental recitation. Then go into each part one by one, knowing the color, shape, location, direction, and delimitation (what it is bordered by). It is also helpful to know each parts definition and function [for more info, view the descriptions on 32.parts.com].

Be mindful and acknowledge what may be evoked or arise within you physically, mentally and emotionally when you are present to each part. As your practice deepens, you may discover that the parts of the body begin to break down into the primary elements of solidity, liquidity, motion, and temperature revealing the impermanent, unreliable/dissatisfying and ultimately impersonal nature of the body/mind.

[Elements]

Solidity, Liquidity, Motion, and Temperature [Earth, Water, Fire, Air]

[Corpse in Decay] A. Awareness of the Inevitability of death 1. Reflecting that everyone must die. 2. Reflecting that our life span is decreasing continuously. 3. Reflecting that the time for developing our minds is small. B. Awareness of the time of Death 4. Reflecting that human life expectancy is uncertain. 5. Reflecting that there are many causes of death. 6. Reflecting that the human body is so fragile. C. Awareness that only Insight into can help us at the time of death 7. Reflecting that our possessions and enjoyments cannot help. 8. Reflecting that our loved ones cannot help. 9. Reflecting that our own body cannot help.

Larry Rosenberg recommends practicing these reflections for about 20 minutes a day after first calming the mind through breath meditation, for example. Each day one focuses on one of the reflections. Sometimes the practice can simply entail repeating one of the contemplations and then exploring the feeling, thoughts and body sensations that arise. For example, one could say to oneself, “Everyone must die.” In addition one can actively think or contemplate each phrase and its meanings, implications and value. The various mindfulness practices around death are not meant to be morbid or distressing contemplations. In fact, if that is the result one should probably not bother with the practices or should talk to a teacher about one’s experience. While these practices have been Buddhist meditations since ancient times, they are perhaps particularly important in our modern times where death and dying usually happen 4 privately, beyond the view of regular daily life. encourages us to see death as a natural occurrence.

Five Reflections:

"'I am subject to aging, have not gone beyond aging.'

"'I am subject to illness, have not gone beyond illness.' ...

"'I am subject to death, have not gone beyond death.' ...

"'I will grow different, separate from all that is dear and appealing to me.' ...

"'I am the owner of my actions,[1] heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and have my actions as my arbitrator. Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.' ...

These reflections create a sense of spiritual urgency, or Samvega (in ). Samvega: the oppressive sense of shock, dismay, and alienation that come with realizing the futility and meaninglessness of life as it's normally lived; a humble sense of our own complacency and foolishness in having let ourselves live so blindly; and an anxious sense of urgency in trying to find a way out of the meaningless cycle.

Copyright 2016 – Andrew Chapman

Anapanasati Sutta translation from AccesstoInsight.com