Reference: Mindfulness Approach
Note: These exercises are derived directly from Buddhist scriptures, specifically, from Satipatthana Sutta: The Foundations of Mindfulness.
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The following exercises help discern various aspects of the body. These aspects shall be common with others as to how they discern their own body.
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EXERCISE # 1: BODY PARTS
PURPOSE: To discern the parts of the body under the discipline of mindfulness.
PREREQUISITE: Review Exercises: Buddha on Body (Set 1)
STEPS:
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You may do this exercise anywhere. Simply discern the parts of the body.
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Keep the discipline of mindfulness throughout this exercise. In other words, be grounded in what you are focusing on, while not interfering with whatever else is going on in the mind, and, furthermore, opening the mind to the widest context possible.
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Reflect on the body being enveloped by skin.
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Reflect on the body from the soles up, and from the top of the head down.
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Reflect on the hair of the head and the body, nails, teeth, and skin.
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Reflect on the body flesh, sinews, bones, marrow.
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Reflect on the kidney heart, liver, midriff, spleen, and lungs.
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Reflect on the stomach, contents of the stomach, intestines, feces and urine.
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Reflect on bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, saliva, and tears.
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Reflect on the body fat, grease, and nasal mucus.
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Just as if there were a double-mouthed provision bag full of various kinds of grain, just so reflect on this very body enveloped by the skin and full of various kinds of organs and fluids from the soles up, and from the top of the head down.
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This exercise is done for 20 minute, which is the normal duration of a session. Several sessions may be given during a day, and over the course of days, until progress is observed.
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This exercise is completed when it becomes effortless.
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When this exercise is completed you may proceed to the next exercise.
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The following exercises help the student discern the fundamental elements of the body and their impermanence.
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EXERCISE # 2: BODY ELEMENTS
PURPOSE: To discern the fundamental elements of the body under the discipline of mindfulness.
PREREQUISITE: Review Exercise # 1 above.
STEPS:
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In this exercise you reflect on the fundamental elements of the body regardless of how it may be placed or disposed.
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Keep the discipline of mindfulness throughout this exercise. In other words, be grounded in what you are focusing on, while not interfering with whatever else is going on in the mind, and, furthermore, opening the mind to the widest context possible.
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Reflect on the fact that there is in this body the element of earth. In other words, this body has the solidity of the material world.
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Reflect on the fact that there is in this body the element of water. In other words, this body has fluidity of fine-tuned machinery.
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Reflect on the fact that there is in this body the element of fire. In other words, this body operates on its own impulses.
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Reflect on the fact that there is in this body the element of wind. In other words, this body has much finer and abstract aspects in terms of the mind.
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This exercise is done for 20 minute, which is the normal duration of a session. Several sessions may be given during a day, and over the course of days, until progress is observed.
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This exercise is completed when it becomes effortless.
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When this exercise is completed you may proceed to the next exercise.
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EXERCISE # 3: BODY IMPERMANENCE
PURPOSE: To discern the impermanence of the body under the discipline of mindfulness.
PREREQUISITE: Review Exercise # 2 above.
STEPS:
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In this exercise you reflect on the ultimate impermanence of the body regardless of how short or a long period it may survive.
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Keep the discipline of mindfulness throughout this exercise. In other words, be grounded in what you are focusing on, while not interfering with whatever else is going on in the mind, and, furthermore, opening the mind to the widest context possible.
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Reflect on the fact that if your body is left dead one, two, or three days; it will become swollen and blue, and it will fester.
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Reflect on the fact that if your body is left dead in the open by itself, it will be eaten by crows, hawks, vultures, dogs, jackals or by different kinds of worms.
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Reflect on the fact that if your body is left dead then, after a while, it will be reduced to a skeleton with some flesh and blood attached to it, held together by the tendons.
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Reflect on the fact that if your body is left dead then, after a while, it will be reduced to a skeleton blood-besmeared and without flesh, held together by the tendons.
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Reflect on the fact that if your body is left dead then, after a while, it will be reduced to a skeleton without flesh and blood, held together by the tendons.
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Reflect on the fact that if your body is left dead then, after a while, it will be reduced to disconnected bones, scattered in all directions here a bone of the hand, there a bone of the foot, a shin bone, a thigh bone, the pelvis, spine and skull.
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Reflect on the fact that if your body is left dead then, after a while, it will be reduced to bleached bones of conch like color.
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Reflect on the fact that if your body is left dead then, after a while, it will be reduced to bones, more than a year-old, lying in a heap.
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Reflect on the fact that if your body is left dead then, after a while, it will be reduced to bones gone rotten and become dust.
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This exercise is done for 20 minute, which is the normal duration of a session. Several sessions may be given during a day, and over the course of days, until progress is observed.
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This exercise is completed when it becomes effortless.
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When this exercise is completed you may proceed to the next exercise.
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