How to Train a Wild Elephant_ And Other Adventures in Mindfulness - Jan Chozen Bays [14]
Below the temporary qualities that garner compliments lies our True Nature. In Buddhism this is called our Buddha nature; in other religions it is called our divine nature. It is our essence. It is not based upon feelings, physical characteristics, or any kind of comparison. It cannot be inflated by compliments or diminished by criticism. There is nothing that you do can add to it, nothing you do can subtract from it. No matter what you have done wrong or right, no matter what has been done to you, it remains untouched. It does not increase when you are born or decrease when you die. It is the Eternal expressing itself as you.
Final Words: Kind words are a gift. They create wealth in the heart.
7
Mindfulness of Posture
The Exercise: Several times a day, become aware of your posture. This has two aspects. First it means to become aware of what posture you are in and how it feels within the body. If you closed your eyes, what would be the clues that you are standing or sitting or lying down? For example, if you are sitting in a chair with your eyes closed, what tells you that you are in a body that is sitting? Where do you feel pressure or movement?
Being aware of posture also means to notice and adjust your posture many times a day. If you are slouching, gently straighten up.
A very good time to work with mindfulness of posture is at meals. Sit on the front edge of the chair with your feet planted on the floor, knees a bit apart. Straighten the spine to maximize room for breathing.
Other interesting times to become aware of posture include while standing in line, driving, lying down in bed, in meetings or classes, and while walking.
REMINDING YOURSELF
Ask for help from your family or friends. Tell them you want reminders if your posture is slumped. Also look at your posture in mirrors and reflective windows. As you go by, stand so you can see your posture from the side. Does it need adjusting?
Place a little piece of colored tape or a small note that says “Posture” on the chair or on the table you use for meals.
DISCOVERIES
People are often surprised to discover that they have poor posture. Their posture looks OK from the front, but when they see their reflections from the side, they are shocked to discover that their shoulders are slumped. We adjust our posture to different situations. At a job interview or an interesting lecture, we sit up straight; watching TV, we slump on the couch. It is easy to pick out those people who have had certain kinds of training, such as military officers, dancers, or royalty. They have a noticeably upright posture. Why is posture important for these people? There is a Spanish saying, “You can tell a priest even in a bathing suit,” meaning that a religious person is distinguishable just by his or her outward demeanor, because this reflects an internal posture or alignment.
In Zen practice we put a lot of emphasis on posture, not only in the meditation hall but also sitting at the table, and even walking about. We walk with the hands held folded together at the waist, maintaining what Catholic nuns call “custody of the hands.” When we pass each other in the walkways, we stop, put palms together, and bow. When we are given our work assignment for the day, we bow, grateful for a body that can work. Four times a day during chanting services we do full prostrations down to the floor, where we take a posture of humility, head to the ground, putting down our self-obsessed minds and guarded hearts, lifting our palms from the floor to signify