Hatha Yoga and Samma Sati

Hatha Yoga and Samma Sati (Right Mindfulness)

Both Hatha Yoga and Buddhism are ancient mental and physical disciplines and practices that originated in what is now known as the Indian sub continent.

Hatha yoga can be defined and described as being a set of techniques that one engages in in order to purify and balance their mind and body. The scriptural authorities on Hatha Yoga, notably The Hatha Yoga Pradipika also teach us about other moral and ethical ways of thinking, speaking and acting though in the modern Hatha Yoga session, these are seldom if ever referred to and taught.

Hatha Yoga has for many become a purely physical practice that they practice alone, while others practice it in conjunction with Raja/Astanga Yoga (The Royal Path/The Yoga of The Eight Limbs) or The Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism.

This latter kind of practice is a stronger one for people to engage in, as not only are we doing something healthy for our mind and body, but we are also learning and applying a set of teachings that can make both wiser as individuals and more compassionate to others.

If we practice Hatha Yoga on a regular basis, just through the changes that it brings about we also start to naturally practice aspects of the seventh step of The Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism, this being known as Samma Sati or Right Mindfulness.

A few individuals, in their initial exploration of Buddhism and its teachings may be put off by the use of the word right in order to describe the mental and physical disciplines that are involved in it as put forth in The Noble Eightfold Path

The use of the word right can be used in a synonymous way to the use of the word skillful, wholesome, or healthy. It does not necessarily mean that there is a wrong way and has no equivalent to terms that we might be familiar with through our experience with Christianity and Catholicism, such as sinner and non sinner, or believer and saved. It does not imply a moral outlook or judgment.

Of the many teachings that make up the Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism, such as Right Understanding, Right Intention, Right Speech and so on, many teachers, writers and practitioners of Buddhism refer to Right Mindfulness as being the major one to understand and implement, as through it all of the teachings of Buddhism are being understood and practiced.

Right Mindfulness consists of four major states of mindfulness or we could say, aspects of our being that our mindfulness is directed to.

Each one of these four major states of mindfulness consists of a number of sub teachings or ways to direct our mindfulness, so that for one to fully comprehend all that makes up Right Mindfulness may take some time, study, examination and reflection.

Right Mindfulness, known in the Pali language as Samma Sati (Samma Right, Sati Mindfulness), consists of:

1. Mindfulness of the Body (Kayanupassana) 2. Mindfulness of the Feelings (Vedananupassana) 3. Mindfulness of the Thoughts (Cittanupassana) 4. Mindfulness of the Mental States (Dhammanupassana)

Right mindfulness teaches us to direct our attention to these four aspects of our being in meditation practice and in our daily life and the actions, activities and tasks that make it up.

Mindfulness of these teachings and what makes them up and their manifestation is cultivated through an intellectual study and reflection on them through reading, note taking, writing, discussion, lectures and meditation. Such an intellectual foundation and understanding of them is necessary in order to make their practice in both meditation and life a more natural and fruitful one.

In looking at Right Mindfulness, we can learn from many of the great teachers, masters and writers of Buddhism from over the years and what they share with us on this subject and teaching.

The great Buddhist monk and writer from Sri Lanka, Piyadassi Thera informs us that The Buddha exhorts us to cultivate the arousing of mindfulness for our own and others protection. (1)

This means that with a mindfulness that is accessed, maintained and strengthened through understanding and practice, we engage in thoughts, feelings, words and actions that can do no harm to ourselves or others. In fact, not only do we not engage in harmful ways of being to ourselves and others but usually act in ways that promote non violence, loving kindness and wisdom in ourselves and others.

Piyadassi Thera's writings are far more concise then anything that this writer could put forth when he tells us that Right mindfulness guards a man from deviating from the path of righteousness and encourages him to do what is good. Thus, through arousing mindfulness, by repeated practice, by frequent occupation with it, one protects oneself and others. (2)

He adds most importantly that if we are mentally strong and confident, so can we help others. (3)

The understanding and practice of right mindfulness makes us mentally strong and confident.

Piyadassi Thera also lets us know the importance of right mindfulness when he states that it avoids misdirected attention and prevents the mind from paying attention to things in a false way. Mindfulness guides its possessor on the right path to purity and freedom. (4)

Another great teacher and writer of the Dhamma is Bhikkhu Bodhi. In his writings he defines right mindfulness as being a presence of mind, attentiveness and awareness. (5)

He further informs us that when engaging in right mindfulness, judgments and interpretations have to be suspended or if they occur, just registered and dropped. (6)

One of Bhikkhu Bodhis most profound explanations of mindfulness states that to practice mindfulness is thus not so much a matter of doing but of undoing: not thinking, not judging, not associating, not planning, not imagining, not wishing. All of these doings of ours are modes of interference, ways the mind manipulates experience and tries to establish its dominance (7).

In taking a closer look at what teachings and practices make up the four things that we direct our mindfulness to, referred to by teachers and writers as The Four Foundations of Mindfulness and known in Pali as Satipatthana (sati mindfulness, patthana four foundations), we can that there can be a relationship between them and the practice of Hatha Yoga, especially in practicing mindfulness of the body (kayanupassana).

Mindfulness of the body, known in Pali as Kayunupassana (kayu body, passana contemplation) consists of:

Mindfulness of the breath

Mindfulness of bodily postures

Clear comprehension

The parts of the body

The four elements

The cemetery contemplations

It is mindfulness of the body that is most noticeably cultivated when we practice Hatha Yoga on a regular basis.

It is impossible to not become more mindful of our breathing and our bodily postures if we practice Hatha Yoga as it is these two things which the practice of Hatha Yoga are primarily built on and around.

The second one is mindfulness of the feelings, known in Pali as Vedananupassana (vedana feelings, passana contemplation). It consists of:

; Mindfulness of pleasant feelings ; Mindfulness of unpleasant feelings ; Mindfulness of neutral feelings

Buddhism teaches us that each one of these feelings is rooted in the defilements of the mind and consciousness and when we see these feelings as they arise, we are dealing with the defilements of the consciousness in a manner that weakens their influence and power over us.

The third one is mindfulness of the state of the mind, known in Pali as Cittanupassana (citta thoughts, passana contemplation). It consists of:

; Mindfulness of the mind that is lustful or not lustful ; Mindfulness of the mind that is hateful or not hateful ; Mindfulness of the mind that is deluded or not deluded ; Mindfulness of the mind that is contracted or distracted ; Mindfulness of the mind that is developed or not developed ; Mindfulness of the mind that is surpassed or unsurpassed; Mindfulness of the mind that is concentrated or unconcentrated ; Mindfulness of the mind that is liberated or unliberated ; Mindfulness of the mind that is ; Mindfulness of the mind that is

The fourth one is mindfulness of the mental states, known in Pali as Dhammanupassana (dhamma mental states and contents, passana contemplation). It consists of:

; Mindfulness of the five hindrances ; Mindfulness of the seven factors of enlightenment ; Mindfulness of the five aggregates of clinging ; Mindfulness of the six internal and six external sense bases ; Mindfulness of the four noble truths

To spend some time studying these teachings is worthwhile as they teach us in an intellectual way about Buddhism and can be applied to bring greater peace, joy and wisdom into our lives.

Cultivating mindfulness of the feelings through the practice of Hatha Yoga comes about in a less direct manner then mindfulness of the breath and bodily postures come about.

In order to truly cultivate vedanupassana we need to take some time to familiarize ourselves with the teachings of Buddhism. The same holds true in practicing cittanupassana and dhammanupassana.

The energy and mindfulness that is released and cultivated through practicing Hatha Yoga makes one more easily gravitate to, understand and practice what Right Mindfulness teaches us, that being that it gives us the insight that brings us wisdom and compassion.

(1) Piyadassi, Thera The Buddha's Ancient Path Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society 1964, Page 179

(2) ibed, Page 179

(3) ibed, Page 179

(4) ibed, Page 183

(5) Bodhi, Bhikkhu The Noble Eightfold Path: Way to the End of Suffering Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society 1984, Page 73

(6) ibed, Page 74

(7) ibed, Page 75