Surrender Yourself to the Present Moment

Summary

This talk, delivered during a winter retreat at Deer Park Monastery on January 14, 2004, focuses on the practice of stopping as the foundation of healing, presence, and true freedom. The speaker explains the gatha “I have arrived, I am home” as a practical meditation phrase that can be used in all four postures—sitting, standing, walking, and lying down. Rather than being limited to formal meditation sessions, the phrase is presented as a way to end habitual running, both physically and mentally, and to settle into the present moment with ease. A central theme is the Buddhist practice of shamatha, described first as stopping. The speaker emphasizes that stopping is not only about quieting the mind but also about stopping the body, since body and mind inter-are and mutually contain one another. Because the body also carries restlessness and habit energy, meditation must include the body. The talk repeatedly returns to the idea that one can stop while sitting, walking, running, eating, or lying down. Even jogging can become a form of stopping if one is no longer running after anything and is instead fully at ease in the present. The speaker contrasts shamatha with vipassana, or deep looking, which brings insight. These two practices are described as the two wings of a bird: stopping and insight must work together. Insight reveals that what one seeks is already available in the present moment, and that one is already capable of being what one wants to become, including being a Buddha. This realization removes the need to run and makes true stopping possible. Without insight, stopping remains difficult; without stopping, insight cannot fully mature. Healing is presented as the fruit of stopping. The speaker explains that many people carry wounds in the body, consciousness, and emotions—such as despair, anger, injustice, or illness—and that these wounds cannot heal if one continues to run. Mindful breathing is described as a direct means of healing because it allows the practitioner to arrive, relax, and release tension. The in-breath is not a struggle but an expression of arrival and trust. The practitioner is encouraged to have faith in the healing power of the breath, the body, and nature itself. The talk gives concrete instructions for mindful breathing and body awareness. One exercise is to breathe in while being aware of the whole body and breathe out while smiling to the body, as if returning home to a neglected friend. Another exercise involves scanning the body part by part, similar to an X-ray, but using the “ray of mindfulness.” The speaker refers to the Buddhist teaching on contemplation of the body, including the image of a farmer pouring seeds onto the floor and recognizing each type. In the same way, the practitioner recognizes the eyes, brain, heart, liver, and other parts of the body, offering each one attention, compassion, and time to heal. The heart and liver are used as vivid examples of organs that have been overburdened by unhealthy habits, and the practitioner is urged to stay longer with any suffering part. The talk also broadens the practice into daily life. Breakfast, walking, washing dishes, and other ordinary activities can all become opportunities for healing if done with mindfulness. The speaker encourages listeners to consume less, spend less time chasing money or fame, and instead use time to live, love, and care for themselves and others. Retreat life at Deer Park and Plum Village is presented as a chance to learn these practices deeply so they can continue at home and influence family and community. Another important thread is the recognition of the wonders of life in the present moment. The speaker says that the blue sky, trees, birds, streams, mountains, and even the kingdom of God or the pure land of Buddha are available only here and now. Mindfulness helps one recognize and touch these nourishing elements, while also protecting oneself and one’s children from the poisons of fear, anger, despair, and media-driven negativity. The talk concludes by affirming that every breath and every step can become a moment of healing, and that this teaching comes not from outside but from the Buddha nature within oneself.