The First 8 Exercises of Mindful Breathing | Thich Nhat Hanh (short teaching video)

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Buddha's 'Mindfulness of Breathing' text outlines 16 exercises on mindful breathing, emphasizing simplicity and practicality, with a focus on calming the mind and body, generating joy, and transforming negative emotions into positive ones, to benefit both teachers and students in creating harmonious and loving environments for learning. Henry Keekoo, a math teacher, implemented mindfulness practices in his classes, leading to improved learning and joy through activities like mindful breathing and self-care techniques, demonstrating the positive impact of such practices on teachers and students alike.

Insights

  • Buddha's 'Mindfulness of Breathing' text presents a series of exercises focused on mindful breathing, aiming to cultivate concentration, awareness of the present moment, and the transformation of negative emotions into positive ones.
  • Henry Keekoo's implementation of mindfulness practices in his math classes illustrates the positive impact of teachers prioritizing self-care, cultivating joy, and handling painful emotions, leading to improved learning outcomes and creating harmonious, loving environments beneficial for students from challenging backgrounds.

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Recent questions

  • How many exercises are outlined in the 'Mindfulness of Breathing' text?

    There are 16 exercises outlined in the text.

  • How does the first exercise in the 'Mindfulness of Breathing' text involve breathing awareness?

    The first exercise involves being aware of the in-breath and out-breath.

  • What is the purpose of the seventh exercise in the 'Mindfulness of Breathing' text?

    The purpose is to be aware of painful feelings or emotions without fighting them.

  • How does the 'Mindfulness of Breathing' text suggest transforming negative emotions?

    By utilizing mindfulness to handle difficulties and cultivate understanding and compassion.

  • How can teachers benefit from implementing mindfulness practices in their classrooms?

    By handling their own suffering, cultivating joy, and creating harmonious, loving environments for students.

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Summary

00:00

Buddha's Mindful Breathing: 16 Exercises Simplified

  • Buddha's 'Mindfulness of Breathing' text outlines 16 exercises on mindful breathing, emphasizing simplicity and practicality.
  • The first exercise involves being aware of the in-breath and out-breath, focusing solely on the breath to release past and future concerns.
  • The second exercise requires following the entire in-breath and out-breath without interruption, cultivating concentration and mindfulness.
  • The third exercise centers on being aware of the body, bringing the mind back to the present moment and fully experiencing life.
  • The fourth exercise focuses on calming the body and releasing tension through mindful breathing.
  • The fifth exercise involves generating a feeling of joy by recognizing present conditions of happiness.
  • The sixth exercise extends this by generating happiness, emphasizing living happily in the present moment.
  • The seventh exercise entails being aware of painful feelings or emotions without fighting them, but embracing them with mindfulness.
  • The eighth exercise involves calming down pain by recognizing and holding it gently, akin to a mother soothing a crying baby.
  • The practice continues with transforming negative emotions into positive ones, utilizing mindfulness to handle difficulties and cultivate understanding and compassion.

27:55

"Mindfulness in Teaching: Cultivating Joy and Learning"

  • Positive mental formations should be encouraged to manifest frequently in the mind consciousness to beautify the mental landscape, while negative ones like fear and anger should be suppressed to weaken them.
  • School teachers, by handling their own suffering and cultivating joy, can become happier, suffer less, and help students do the same, as exemplified by Henry Keekoo's implementation of mindfulness practices in his math classes.
  • Henry Keekoo, a math teacher, introduced mindfulness practices in his classes, leading to improved learning and joy through activities like mindful breathing and clapping to signal breaks for calming breathing exercises.
  • Teachers should prioritize self-care, generating joy, and handling painful emotions, as this inner work enables them to effectively help students and create harmonious, loving environments that benefit children from troubled backgrounds.
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