When Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh discovered the Buddha’s Anapanasati Sutra as a young monk, he described it as finding a precious treasure and it became the foundation of his meditation practice. With his mastery of many languages, he was able to translate this sutra for modern meditation practitioners into what he called “The 16 Exercises of Mindful Breathing.”
We have been studying these exercises for several weeks in our Thursday evening Sangha meetings by listening to the Plum Village podcast, “The Way Out Is In.” You can listen to these two podcast episodes on your favorite podcast app or on YouTube and below you can incorporate the short versions of the exercises into your practice.
Listen to Part 1 & 2 on YouTube
The 16 Exercises of Mindful Breathing
1 & 2
Breathing in, I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.
3 & 4
Breathing in, I am aware of my body.
Breathing out, I calm my body.
5 & 6
Breathing in, I generate joy.
Breathing out, I generate happiness.
7 & 8
Breathing in, I am aware of a painful feeling.
Breathing out, I calm my painful feeling.
9 & 10
Aware of my mind, I breathe in.
Smiling to my mind, I breathe out.
11 & 12
Breathing in, I concentrate my thoughts.
Breathing out, I am free from my thoughts.
13 & 14
Breathing in, I let go of what I think I know.
Breathing out, I let go of my desires.
15 & 16
Breathing in, I empty my mind.
Breathing out, my mind is free.