Morning Dhamma Options
This morning, as I have most mornings this year, I woke early before the gears of the world started turning. In the morning stillness I dressed, brewed a cup of coffee, and sat down to read a few passages of dhamma.
One of the passages, by chance, included the 16 steps of Anapanasati, or Mindfulness of Breathing. As I read the steps one at a time, “Breathing in, he knows ‘I breathe In’, Breathing out, he knows ‘I breathe out’, I could feel my body’s own breathing rhythm matching the pace of my reading. I slowed down, I listened, and then I put the book down and began meditating.
How we start the day is important. It sets the tone for what follows. While we have the threads and momentum of our ongoing spiritual practice to carry us, morning is the time when we can most easily set new patterns and establish new motivations. Just like a healthy breakfast prepares the body for the day, a helping of stillness and dhamma in the morning prepares the mind for meeting what is to come with wisdom.
If you have the chance this week, try adding a little dhamma to your morning. At 8 am EST at Empty Cloud, Bhante Suddhaso will lead three mornings of Vipassana instruction, while on the MaggaSekha channel, Bhante Jayasāra will continue his six days a week morning puja/chanting. Or, if you’re on the move, just check in here. There will be a new talk linked each morning.