Breathing in,
I know I am breathing in.
And breathing out,
I know I am breathing out.
What is the use of doing that?
If I say that, well, I do that because I want peace, I want happiness,
I want healing and transformation.
So the practice is the means,
and healing and transformation is the end.
And the means is not the end.
That is a dualistic way of thinking.
But in Plum Village we have the non-dualistic approach to healing, to practice.
You breathe in, in such a way that the healing
takes place right away during the in-breath.
You breathe in, in such a way that peace can be there
right in the in-breath.
The in-breath is not a means anymore,
it is the end.
So, there is no distinction between the means and the end.
There is no way to happiness,
happiness is the way.
You breathe in such a way that happiness should be in your in-breath.
And when you do walking meditation, you make a step in such a way
that happiness should be in your step.
You have to look for happiness and peace and transformation right in the present moment.
In your in-breath, and in your out-breath.
And with some training, we can do that.
We don't have to suffer when we breathe in.
We don't have to suffer when we make a step.
In fact, we should produce the energy of joy,
healing, happiness, when we breathe in.
And we should be able to produce
the energy of joy and happiness and peace when we make a step.
We can train ourselves to do that.
So breathing in, I know I'm breathing in.
That is the first exercise of mindful breathing proposed by the Buddha.
And we should breathe in, in such a way,
that there is relaxation, peace, happiness, joy in that in-breath.
Because when you breathe in...
you bring your attention to your in-breath.
And your in-breath becomes the only object of your mind.
You focus your mind on your in-breath.
And if you really focus your mind on your in-breath,
you release everything else.
You release the past,
you release the future,
you release your projects,
you release your anger.
Because you are focusing only on one thing, that is your in-breath.
So, one in-breath may take only three or four seconds.
And yet, if you have concentration,
then you can release everything else.
You pick only one thing, the awareness of your in-breath.
You become a free person.
You are light,
you are free,
just in three seconds.
And you do not have to suffer during the time you breathe in.
In fact, you can enjoy it deeply.
My in-breath is some kind of vehicle,
helping me to go home to my body.
And when the mind is with the body, you are there,
fully present in the here and now.
Just in two, three seconds.