..续本文上一页puting, we stop everything. We walk mindfully to that room, and we breathe. Breathing in, we make a step, and breathing out, we make another step, and when we get to that room with mindfulness, we open the door and we come in we close the door very calmly, and then we pay respect to the flower. We sit down on a cushion, and we start practicing inviting the bell. I guarantee you that, after practicing inviting the bell three times, you will have peace, calmness, and tranquility in you. I think that your daddy and mommy will practice the same thing: every time that they are not calm, or they are agitated or angry, they know what to do. They stop everything, and they go to the breathing room, and they stay there with their conscious breathing for ten minutes, to restore peace. It”s a very civilized act, and I hope that you can arrange it in every home.

　　So, I have asked you to do many things: first, to draw a wave, and then water; I know that drawing water is difficult, but many children have succeeded in doing it. Then, you can learn by heart the first and the second poems, so you can practice inviting the bell. I”m going to lend you this bell, and this stick, so when you hear the small sound of the bell, you can stand up, pay respects to the Sangha, and go out to continue with your practice.

　　(Bell)

　　My dear friends, yesterday I spoke about the first exercise proposed by the Buddha concerning mindful breathing: "Breathing in, I am aware that I am breathing in; breathing out, I am aware that I am breathing out." To recognize breathing is the first exercise. There are four exercises about mindful breathing concerning the body. We should always start with our physical bodies, because our physical bodies also needs peace, harmony and rest. In order for our mind to be concentrated, and also for our minds to be in peace and harmony, walking meditation, sitting meditation, and deep relaxation are exercises that concern our physical bodies. We should realize a true rest. We have lost our capacity to really rest our bodies. That is why we all need vacations to rest, but to rest is an art. Many among us know how to rest, but some others don”t know how to rest. Our bodies need rest in order to heal. There are wounds in our bodies, as in our minds, and rest is necessary. The practice of mindful breathing allows us to realize this rest.

　　Animals in the forest, every time they are wounded, know how to rest. They look for a very quiet place, and they just stay there, without moving, for many days. They know it”s the best way for their bodies to heal. During this time they don”t even think to eat or to run after prey. This wisdom is still alive in animals, but we human beings have lost the capacity to rest. We know we need vacations, we need rest, but we don”t know how to use the time that is given to us. Sometimes, after a vacation, we are more tired than if we didn”t have the vacation. So we have to learn how to rest. Deep relaxation here is one of the methods of resting. Walking meditation is also a method. Sitting meditation is another means to rest. In order to rest, you have to know how to use your breathing. The first exercise the first exercise that the Buddha proposed is "While I am breathing in, I am aware that this is breathing in; and I breathe out, and I am aware that I am breathing out." Recognizing breathing in as breathing in, and breathing out as breathing out.

　　The second exercise: "I breathe in, and I am aware of the length of my in-breath; breathing out, I am aware of the length of my out-breath." During the second exercise, we are aware of the length of the in-breath and the out-breath. That means that we are aware only of breathing in and breathing out. If your in-breath is long like this…you are aware of the in-breath a…

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