SadhanaOriental Meditation and Christian Prayer
To pray with body (taking a breath)
[25] For further learning (2) – What we gain through posture and breathing training -
We still do not go into worship and prayer based on our Christian faith. Let us learn more about paying attention to on the posture (observation of physical sensation) and breathing.
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As we keep breathing smoothly and deeply, focusing on “exhaling completely,” we start feeling something very precious in our body.
Brisk feeling spreads deep in our chest and stomach. We also have the similar feeling in the back of our nostrils. This brisk feeling finally reaches our forehead, inside the head bone. Somehow, we start feeling that our spirit has acquired a vent to heaven.
If the path from the nostrils to forehead to heaven is the upward path, we also gain the precious feeling downward as well. We have already started acquiring unity of our heart and mind with our body and breathing. By carefully continuing this, we start feeling in our chest, both arms, trunk, and both legs the harmony, lightness, and precious feeling as if the spirit circulates around the body.
We also achieve awakening of our mind.
This awakening is achieved only through the observation of the present. We can maintain distance from matters we are closely related to, and our “true self” emerges. We feel that we have rebuilt the natural and original self now and here.
We are truly relaxed and do not force ourselves anything.
In real life, there are many difficulties. Because we need to face such difficulties, we need to be prepared even when we are relaxed and do not force ourselves anything. This preparedness is different from tension. When we are prepared because of the true awakening of our mind, what we have is the attitude of resolution.
The tightened lower back (to straighten our lower back bone) produces the attitude of resolution in the relaxed feeling. While we are relaxed, we respond to issues with resolution as required.
When we achieve solid posture and way of observation as well as excellent breathing, we can be a highly united being who lives with the body. And we become a person who works on life with a relaxed yet resolute manner.