A novice will not sit if she does not practice a gatha.
Sitting here is like sitting under the bodhi tree
in order to become a Buddha.
While sitting, the novice should be breathing in and out
and visualize like that, according to the gatha.
In the appearance, you see the novice is sitting.
But inside the novice, there is something going on.
Mindfulness of sitting.
Sitting here is like sitting under the bodhi tree like Buddha
and become a Buddha.
And then when you sit upright, your spinal column very upright
but not rigid. Very relaxed.
And you allow your body to be there, without forcing it.
And then you become aware of your breathing, you're breathing in and out in such a way
to bring harmony into your whole body.
And if you smile lightly, that is also for your total relaxation while sitting.
You allow everything to be relaxed, to rest.
This is not struggling. This is not a fight.
This is an opportunity for you to enjoy sitting
because sitting is one of the four positions of the body
that we have to cultivate.
Of course you have to select a kind of cushion
and make your cushion comfortable so that you can sit at least 20 or 30 minutes.
And if you have the right cushion, keep it, don't let others take it away.
(laughter)
Put your name on it,
that is why we have recently put the name tag on the seats
so that people will not exchange cushions like before.
It's very helpful to keep the same cushion.
Although your spinal column is very straight, forming with your head aligned,
you are totally relaxed.
You let go of everything, and you are breathing in and out
is to harmonize, to harmonize your body and your mind.
You bring your mind back to your body.
You bring your body back to your mind.
And your breathing is a kind of mediation, it is kind of link between the two
and breathing in and out like that a few times, you bring yourself to the perfect position
of sitting and you say, "Now, it is time for me to enjoy my sitting."
Because if you don't enjoy your sitting, then other things will not be possible.
At least we have to be able to enjoy our sitting.
And you know that this morning, we learned that the first dhyana
still has the thinking.
So thinking is admitted in the beginning.
But you have to get the joy and the happiness.
If there is no joy and happiness, and there is no concentration,
it's not sitting!
So if you sit properly, you enter the first dhyana.
The first thiền. Đệ nhất thiền, sơ thiền.
And we have learned that joy comes from the fact that you can
release your worries.
You know that this is a time when you should be free.
If you carry your problems, your difficulties with you,
your anger with you, your questions with you,
and then enjoying sitting would not be possible.
And the first thing that you have to do is to enjoy your sitting.
Joy and happiness, born from abandonment
and from concentration.
And your breathing is there to help you concentrate.
Concentrate firstly on your breath.
Breathing in, I feel calm. Breathing out, I smile.
Breathing in, I feel relaxed. Breathing out, I feel happy, I feel free.
Sitting is just sitting. It's like drinking your tea.
You have some time in order to drink your tea.
Drink your tea in such a way that peace, and joy, and stability is possible.
Sitting is the same. Sitting is an occasion for you,
an opportunity for you.
So don't do it as a form, try to profit from sitting because
people in our time, they don't have that luxury of sitting and doing nothing.
So sitting two times a day is a treat.
And therefore, try to enjoy. Learn to enjoy the sitting to be free.
You don't have to do much as you feel that sitting brings you stability,
brings you peace, brings you enjoyment. That is already nourishing.
And then the practice of looking deeply, looking into the nature of impermanence,
of non-self, of nirvana, will be based on that foundation.
Nourishment. So please, always inquire,
so that you become more and more of an artist
how to handle the moments of your daily life.
And if you are nourished, and if you feel better,
you can smile, you can be pleasant.
You already have begun to be a positive element of the sangha.
And your contribution to the sangha will be very precious.