SIXTH WEEK

Exercises for the Sixth Week:

• Practice walking meditation as much as possible
• Forty minute sitting meditation
• Practice mindful listening
• Practice mindfulness throughout the day
• Use the online public forum to share your comments of your experience

However, if this is too long to practice sitting or walking meditation, do what is comfortable for you and add more time to each practice when you are ready.

Sitting Meditation

• Sit without the audio-guided instructions for 40 minutes each time.
• Try to note your intention before reaching for something or before other activities.
• Whenever practical, try to be aware of what is in your mind. (Ask “what is in my mind now?” or “Am I aware in this moment?”)
• Practice mindful listening from the heart: listening with full attention and compassion without judging, preparing to reply, or interrupting the other person’s speech. You may find it helpful to note: listening to when the other person is speaking. Try also to be mindful and kind when speaking.
• Before speaking ask yourself: are these words truthful and soothing or will they bring conflict and aversion?
• Periodically ask yourself if you are present (knowing what you are experiencing) or you are lost.
• Periodically check your attitude whenever you remember to.

Online Public Forum (Recommended)

• Describe your stress level compared to before the course?
• Are you mindful of your emotions (anger, fear, aversion…) How long do they last when you are mindful compared to when you are not mindful?
• How is your patience? Describe your ability to be patient now than before this course.
• Are you able to pause before reacting? Describe a situation where you were able to pause before reacting.
• Describe a situation where you were able to mindfully listen and respond?
• Describe an occasion where you were able to observe your attitude of mental state during daily activities.

Do not hesitate to ask questions as this course is coming to a close.

Last Words from the Instructor

Congratulations! You have completed six weeks of mindfulness training. I encourage you to make a commitment to continue the mindfulness practice with daily sitting/walking and its application throughout the day. Sitting for even for a minute or two if you cannot sit longer, in order to maintain the momentum of the daily practice, is very beneficial. Soon you will actually sit longer than you thought.
Since this is an introductory course, the end of the sixth week is only the beginning of a lifelong practice. Even if you do not notice any obvious benefits, you have planted good seeds that when watered and nurtured with the practice will grow into a strong tree of mindfulness. This tree will provide shade and comfort through the ups and downs of life. Be patient with seemingly slow progress, and give the practice some time. If you stop practicing, try again in the future when the conditions may be better. Join a sitting group and try a mindfulness (insight or vipassana) meditation retreat when opportunity arises.

Good luck!
May you be well and happy!
Thanh V.Huynh, M.D.

About the Instructor

Dr Huynh has been studying and practicing mindfulness meditation since 1984. His practice includes multiple month-long silent retreats in the West and Asia. He has been conducting regular meditation sessions for prison inmates since 1993 and, in the past few years, has offered introductory mindfulness meditation classes to the public, including children, with rewarding results.

Acknowledgement

I would like to express my gratitude to my parents and teachers for their guidance over the years, Ven. U Tejaniya and Chan Lai Fun for “Right Attitude”, Dr Thynn Thynn for several of the daily life practice instructions, Lynne Bousfield, Grahame White, Kamala Masters, Steve Smith, Ven. Sumana (Jake Davis), Jeremy Hunter, Susan Garrard, William Bennington, my wife Xuan, my daughter Kim and many other friends for their valuable comments and advices regarding this syllabus, finally to Carolyn Gotay for her support and collaboration in this project and Mark Tom for setting up the website.

Optional Reading:

• Dr Thynn Thynn:
  Living Insight, Living Meditation.
  http://www.saigon.com/~anson/ebud/livmed/livmed_0.htm
• Joseph Goldstein:
  The Experience of Insight.
  Insight Meditation.
• Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield:
  Seeking the Heart of Wisdom.
• Sharon Salzberg:
  Loving-kindness.
  A Heart As Wide As the World.
  Voices of Insight.
• Tara Brach:
  Radical Acceptance.
• Arinna Weisman and Jean Smith:
  The Beginner’s Guide to Insight Meditation.
• Jon Kabat-Zinn:
  Full Catastrophe Living.
  Wherever You Go There You Are.
• Sandy Boucher:
  Hidden Spring: A Buddhist Woman Confronts Cancer.

Sources:

• Carlson LE, Speca M, Patel KD, Goodey E. Mindfulness-based stress reduction in relation to quality of life, mood, symptoms of stress, and immune parameters in breast and prostate cancer outpatients. Psychosom Med. 2003 Jul-Aug; 65(4):571-81.
• Davidson RJ, Kabat-Zinn J, Schumacher J, Rosenkranz M, Muller D, Santorelli SF, Urbanowski F, Harrington A, Bonus K, Sheridan JF. Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation. Psychosom Med. 2003 Jul-Aug;65(4):564-70.
• Kabat-Zinn J, Lipworth L, Burney R. The Clinical Use of Mindfulness Meditation for the Self-Regulation of Chronic Pain. J Behav Med 1985; 8: 163-190.

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