Christina & Ruthie

Christina Robinson

Ruthie Ritchart

KHP 509:

-Questions

-Interviews

-Summary

8 Book Questions 

1.     What is the definition of mindfulness? Page 1

2.     What is the key of conscious breathing? Page 3

3.     How many mindful movements are there? Page 63

4.     What is telephone meditation? Page 24

5.     What are some of the items needed for tea meditation? Page 50

6.     Give 2 of the five contemplations related to mindful eating. Page 45

7.     Describe one of the fourteen mindfulness trainings. Page 121

8.     How do you spend a lazy day? Page 103

9.     What are gathas and when can they be used?

10. Why are family dinners important?

11.  Sum up the 5 contemplations of mindful eating in about one sentence.

12. What is the Dharma?

Interviews

1.     What makes you happy in life?

2.     How do you concentrate?

3.     Do you practice any breathing techniques?

The first interview came from a 19-year-old male, his answers were very short and to the point because he was a little confused about the topic. His answers were in order; “my patience, concentrate with music, and that he does not practice any type of breathing techniques to become relaxed or at peace with himself. While Ruthie and I talked with him and gave suggestions on practices he could try based on what we learned in our assigned reading. His answer to the first question reminded us of a few things we learned about in our book because having patience is important especially the section about dealing with children.

This interview was done with a girl, and her name was Maria. The same three questions were asked and her not being able to speak a lot of English was a little difficult to explain to her what exactly we mean with each question. Her answers in order with the questions were; “photography, she does not concentrate, and she said that she did not practice breathing techniques”. Her response to the second question “how do you concentrate?”  I don’t think she understood fully because she said that she doesn’t concentrate. We had been talking to earlier before the interview about what she did for fun around Gandia, and where she went to school. She was a high school student and her passion was in photography. She might not have understood the question, but we understood that she does have to concentrate while she photographs things and individuals.

Anna was the next girl we interviewed asking also the same questions she answered the following; “being around people who make me happy (friends, and family) and I am also happy doing things that I love, I concentrate by removing myself from things that distract me, and she does not practice breathing techniques.” After answering all three question we went back and told her about the mindful practices that she could try when she feels like she is being distracted such as sitting meditation, walking, or telephone meditation since she seemed to really love talking about her family and friends who make her so happy in life.

We met Teresa on campus at the university during lunch. She was sitting outside of the cafeteria. We first asked what makes her happy in life. She said that she is really happy when she has time to be outside and enjoy nice weather. She likes to run outside to de-stress and visit the beach on nice days to relax. Then we asked how she concentrates. She told us that it is hard to concentrate for things like schoolwork because there are many distractions like friends and technology. Usually she just tries to have alone time and turn off her phone in order to concentrate. For the last question we asked what she does when she needs to calm down. She told us that if she is feeling nervous or anxious ever, deep breathing really helps to relax. 

Summary

Happiness: Essential Mindfulness Practices

           

Mindfulness is the energy of being aware and awake to the present. It is the realization that someone may have when they are aware and are living deeply in every moment of their lives. Practicing mindfulness does not require one to get up and go somewhere new, it can take place anywhere. The most important thing to realize is that the practices of mindfulness and meditation can be applied in each task that we already do in a normal day. Whether it is eating, talking, walking, sitting, or also working the key is that instead of just doing these simple tasks we want to be present and do them with awareness.

Daily Practices

Everyone can use every mindful meditation techniques in their daily lives, everyday all the time. Sometimes it may be while you are walking, on the phone, eating, exercising, sitting in silence, or even when you are hugging someone.  The first main practice focuses on conscious breathing. Everyone breathes but not everyone realizes that they are breathing and takes notice or interest in the practice of correct breathing. Conscious breathing can be controlled but it won’t be natural and comfortable all the time because you are focusing more on the task of breathing in and breathing out that it can become unnatural. Conscious breathing is the key to uniting body and mind and bringing the energy of mindfulness to uniting.

There are meditation practices for someone who is doing something as simple as sitting, walking, or even waking up in the morning. Sitting meditation is a way for one to relax and return back home to be one with us and give full attention and care to our soul. Sitting meditation is very healing and helpful to an individuals live whether they are experiencing pain, anger, irritation, love, joy, or peace. For example for someone to practice they would need to sit in a way that makes them feel happy and relaxed for the entire length of their sitting period. Keeping their back straight and hands folded in their lap. Once in a comfortable stable position then you would begin to breathe in and breathe out. The key is to recognize your breathing pattern and be aware and present. Sitting mediation can last for up to fifteen minutes or how every long it takes someone to be centered and happy. This can be applied to your everyday life while your taking a break from cleaning, sitting down at your office desk, or even when you are about to take a test for school.

Walking meditation is also good thing to practice because we are walking all the time day to day. Steps can be the blueprint for anxiety, stress, and sorrow on the earth. The best thing to focus on for walking meditation is having no destination; with no destination there is no rush, or hurry being put in someone’s life that is unnecessary. To apply this practice to your everyday life you need to first start off being aware of your breathing and focus on your steps. This technique also can benefit someone with decisions, and tasks that will occur throughout their day. Having a heightened awareness of your actions is a result of successful walking meditation. When decisions need to be made after the meditation you will be more calm and focused having more compassion and attention to the subject at matter.

Waking up and starting your day can bring happiness to your life and bring aspiration to allow yourself to commit to improving yourself and understanding of the path of love. There are 24-hours in one day and waking up and understanding that each day is a new start, 24 new hours to do something great with your life and to be more in touch with peace and happiness.

            Everyone talks on the phone making this type of telephone mediation easy to practice. There are two ways to do telephone meditation. The first is when someone calls you. In this situation you will hear the phone ring and be aware of your surroundings. As the phone rings practice breathing and say to yourself “Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out I smile”. Allow the phone to ring twice and answer it on the third ring. The second way to practice telephone meditation is when you are calling someone. Before you call, recite this verse to yourself: “Words can travel thousands of miles. May my words create mutual understanding and love. May they be as beautiful as gems, as lovely as flowers.” Practice the same breathing techniques for each ring while waiting for your friend to answer. The point of telephone mediation is to maintain positivity with yourself and spread it to those you are communicating with.

Gathas are the short verses that you say to yourself while mediating. They may be practiced out loud or silently at anytime you see fit. If you want to practice mindfulness and achieve happiness, they should be practiced multiple times a day. For example this is a gatha for when you turn on the water faucet in order to remember the importance and privilege of water: “Water flows from high mountains. Water runs deep in the earth. Miraculously water comes to us and sustains all life”.

There is a specific gatha that you can practice when feeling vulnerable in dangerous, uncomfortable, or scary situations. The point of reciting it and practicing it in stressful situations is to feel peaceful and compassionate. The verse to use is this:

“Breathing in, I go back to the island within myself. There are beautiful trees within the island. There are cool streams of water; there are birds, sunshine, and fresh air. Breathing out, I feel safe.”

             The five mindfulness trainings are the basic guidelines for how to practice mindfulness. Each one deals with awareness of a specific subject. This is applicable to daily life because at some point or another, you will deal with these issues, probably quite commonly. The first training is about how to be aware of suffering and violence in this world. In the first, one vows not to hurt or destroy life. The second training is about social justice, one vows not to steal or take advantage of others.  The third training has to do with responsible sexual practices. One who practices the third training does not have sexual relations outside of a committed relationship, and vows to protect children and people in general from sexual abuse. The fourth training deals with communication and one would vow to be truthful and open yet kind and caring with their words. The fifth training is about consumption. Someone who practices the fifth training vows to be aware of gluttony and does not let things like alcohol, drugs, television, and material items poison their lives. By taking these vows, one gains awareness and responsibility.

            Deciding what to eat a few seconds before actually eating can truly bring joy and happiness to someone’s life. There are 5 contemplations of mindful eating such as; the first contemplation is being away that food comes from the earth. The second, being worthy about the food we eat. The third, being aware of our negative tendencies ad not allowing them to carry us away. The fourth contemplation, is about the quality of our food, and finally the fifth contemplation is about being aware that we receive food in order to realize something.

            Tea meditation is a time to be with our community in a joyful and serene place. Most of the times at a “tea party” we are not aware of the tea that we are actually drinking, or the friend sitting across the table from you also drinking tea. Practicing this meditation helps us be in touch with the tea that we are drinking and the friends who surround us. Being in the now and present and not dwelling on the sadness, or pain that you may be experiencing. Key is to be present in the now and not focus on the bad.

 Often people overwork themselves. To be mindful of your physical state will prevent physical exhaustion. Every now and then a person must slow down and work on relaxing in order to maintain a balance between work and relaxation. If someone doesn’t practice mindfulness in regard to their physical exhaustion, stress will build up in the body. Deep relaxation can help decrease this stress. There are 10 mindful movements that will be presented during class so everyone can incorporate them into their regular stress management routine.

When a difficulty arises in our relationships one of us will feel resentment or hurt and thus we knew it is time to begin anew. To begin a new is to look deeply and honestly at us, the past with relationships, our actions, our speech, and thoughts to start a fresh beginning. Beginning a new helps us develop our kind speech and our listening skills because it is a practice of recognition and appreciation of all the positive elements. Thus leads us into deep listening and loving speech, when communication is all cut off we all suffer. When you are trying to tell someone or a group of people something and nobody is listening to you we are like a bomb that could explode at any moment. Listening can transform us and bring a smile back to our lips. Key is to learn the compassion for deep listening and use loving speech within our families so there are no bombs (people) that want to explode.

 There are multiple extended practices to use in many types of situations. These practices will help one to become mindful and eventually gain peace and happiness. These practices include solitude, silence, lazy day, listening to and discussing the Dharma (Buddha’s teachings), touching the earth, traveling and returning home, love meditation, unilateral disarmament, talking to your inner child, and practicing mindful trainings.

Often there is a lack of true communication between adults and children. There is more emphasis on seeking advice and life lessons from your elders so we always forget that children can teach us things too. We should be aware of this and remember to listen to younger people and always try to help if they have a problem too. There is an importance placed on family meals because it is a time to become aware of your children’s thoughts and activities throughout that day.  Mediation can also be practiced with children anywhere, but family meals are a good place to start doing it. There are four mantras that deepen communication between people but especially between adults and children. The first mantra is about telling a person you care about that you are there for them and will always provide support. The second mantra has to do with acknowledging a person is there and that their presence and support makes you happy. The third mantra is about acknowledging a person’s pain and providing comfort. The fourth mantra is about asking that person for help when you are hurt.

The point of the book is to teach the reader to be more aware of oneself and one’s surroundings. This is important to be happy because if you are more mindful of everything you are able to observe the good and beautiful moments in life. You can achieve mindfulness with breathing techniques, meditation, mantras, and Gathas. 

SURVEY LINK
http://happiness-survey.com/survey/