OCTOBER 2025 - Body & Mind United; Experiencing & Calming our Body

To read for October 2025:
The Path of Emancipation, Parallax, 2000
Chapter 3 - Pages 35 to 50 - Embracing our Body
Chapter 5 - Pages 61 to 67 - Experiencing Our Body

Verse 3:
Breathing in, I am aware of my whole body. (Experiencing my whole body, I breathe in.)
Breathing out, I am aware of my whole body. (Experiencing my whole body, I breathe out.)

Verse 4:
Breathing in, I calm my whole body. (Calming the body formation, I breathe in.)
Breathing out, I calm my whole body. (Calming the body formation, I breathe out.)

Our practice sessions are open to anyone who would like to participate; there is no requirement to have attended prior sessions. 

SAMPLE PRACTICES FOR THIS MONTH 

1. When you go to bed at night, practice doing a Deep Relaxation, progressively bringing into awareness and relaxing every part of your body. Notice how this makes you feel and whether it affects your rest. You may want to use a guided meditation from the Plum Village app, such as Caring for the Body by Sister Dieu Nghiem, or Mindfulness of the Body by Brother Phap Dung.

2. When you wake up in the morning, do a  body scan before you get out of bed and begin your daily routine. Make a conscious effort to maintain awareness of your body as you move through your day.

3. Continue to use a bell of mindfulness (from the Plum Village app or your own timer) throughout the day and when it sounds, notice if there are any areas of your body that you habitually tense or hold. Use your conscious breathing to relax and let go of these patterns of tension.

4. Try engaging in some form of Mindful Movement on a regular basis, such as Yoga, T’ai Chi or Chi Qong. Notice how this changes or affects your awareness of your body. How do these and other practices affect your ability to be mindful?

Optional Recommended Resources

• The Path of Emancipation

  • Appendix One: Discourses on the Full Awareness of Breathing (Pgs. 261-276)

  • Chapter 4, Questions and Answers Session 1 (pgs. 51-59) 

• Videos and Song below