As usual we began the class with some mindful stretching, followed by a body scan and progressive relaxation. We then settled into breath meditation, as discussed in the Satipatthana Sutta's Mindfulness of the Body section:
- Focus on in-breath and out-breath
- Focus on quality of breath
- Focus on breath and body
- Focus on calming effects of breath
The Buddha highlighted being mindful of feelings as pleasant feelings can condition craving, unpleasant feelings can condition aversion, and neutral feelings can condition delusion. As the Buddha stated in his discourse:
"Whatever feelings arise, whether pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, abide contemplating impermanence in those feelings. Contemplate fading away, the letting go of those feelings. Contemplating thus, we do not cling to anything in this world. When we dont cling, there is no agitation. When we're not agitated, we personally attain Nibbana (freedom)."
We the practiced Mindfulness of Feelings using pleasant/unpleasant sensory experiences (sounds and speech), and visualization.
