The-Tibetan-Book-of-Living-and-Dying

72 THE TIBETAN BOOK OF LIVING AND DYINGpeople in Lyons, France, mostly housewives and therapists. Ihad been teaching all day, but they seemed really to want tomake the most of their time with me and kept on asking mequestions, relentlessly, one after another. By the end of theafternoon I was completely drained, and a dull and heavyatmosphere had descended over the whole room. So I chanteda mantra, this mantra I have taught you here. I was amazedby the effect: In a few moments I felt all my energy wasrestored, the atmosphere around us was transformed, and thewhole audience seemed once again bright and enchanting. Ihave had experiences like this time and time again, so I knowit is not just an occasional "miracle"!3. '"Watching" the BreathThe third method is very ancient and found in all schoolsof Buddhism. It is to rest your attention, lightly and mindfully,on the breath.Breath is life, the basic and most fundamental expression ofour life. In Judaism ruah, "breath," means the spirit of Godthat infuses the creation; in Christianity also there is a profoundlink between the Holy Spirit, without which nothingcould have life, and the breath. In the teaching of Buddha, thebreath, or prana in Sanskrit, is said to be "the vehicle of themind," because it is the prana that makes our mind move. Sowhen you calm the mind by working skillfully with thebreath, you are simultaneously and automatically taming andtraining the mind. Haven't we all experienced how relaxing itcan be, when life becomes stressful, to be alone for a fewminutes and just breathe, in and out, deeply and quietly? Evensuch a simple exercise can help us a great deal.So when you meditate, breathe naturally, just as youalways do. Focus your awareness lightly on the out-breath.When you breathe out, just flow out with the out-breath.Each time you breathe out, you are letting go and releasing allyour grasping. Imagine your breath dissolving into the allpervadingexpanse of truth. Each time you breathe out andbefore you breathe in again, you will find that there will be anatural gap, as the grasping dissolves.Rest in that gap, in that open space. And when, naturally,you breathe in, don't focus especially on the in-breath but goon resting your mind in the gap that has opened up.When you are practicing, it's important not to get involvedin mental commentary, analysis, or internal gossip. Do notmistake the running commentary in your mind ("Now I'm