Module 2: Foundations of Buddhist Meditation I: Shamatha · The Buddha’s Path
Mindfulness & Introspection and Mindfulness of Breathing (Nostrils)
David Oromith · 79 minutes · recorded February 1, 2024
In the guided practice on mindfulness of breathing at the nostrils we track the change in temperature between the in breath and the out breath. David explains vividness as the third quality of attention, alongside relaxation and stability, and describes mindfulness as a rope holding the breath, introspection as the hook that notices when it slips. Questions cover lights and sensations arising in practice, working with pain, and how this differs from mindfulness in modern Vipassana.
I encourage you to engage in this meditation practice once a day for the next week. The method is Mindfulness of Breathing focussed on the nostrils, beginning with a briefer Settling Body, Speech & Mind practice. The emphasis in our practice this week is cultivating vividness on the basis of relaxation and stability. “The modern Vipassana approach views mindfulness as non-discriminating, moment-to-moment ‘bare awareness’; the Indo-Tibetan tradition however, characterizes mindfulness as bearing in mind the object of attention, the state of not forgetting, not being distracted, and not floating.”
Attachment and craving Distraction and attention Relaxation Mindfulness of breathing Shamatha (calm abiding) Vipashyana (insight)