The Fine Art of Living
Presented here is wisdom from the most recent book by Khenpo Phuntsok Tashi, a venerated Bhutanese Monk and Master Meditation Teacher who is the director of the National Museum and co-designer of the Journeys we offer.
Our human life is a precious gift that we can shape into a masterpiece of spiritual merit if we view each day of our lives as an opportunity to transform our ordinary activities and gestures into artful expressions. Mindful practice allows us to do this, to live with such meritorious skill, that we are indeed engaged in an art of living instead of just ordinary living.
But how do we do this? How can we start to turn our lives into an extraordinary experience?
When we think of fine art, we usually think of sophistication, grace and beauty. Fine art can be timeless and can carry a special iconic quality which radiates far beyond the initial object or idea. Through Buddhist practice, we can render our lives as art and shape them through managing our positive intentions with mindfulness. If we want to be master artists of life, then there are skills we can develop to obtain this.
According to Buddhist teaching, there are four arts of living that should be practiced everyday, with mindfulness and focused awareness. These four arts include eating, sleeping, exercising (yoga), and mindfulness (meditation).
- Khenpo Phuntsok Tashi, The Fine Art of Living and Dying
Eating
Nourishment is one of our most basic human needs and to be able to sustain our physical body and force we must eat. Eating can be done in presence or in haste and its effects on our body and mind have a direct relationship with not only the food itself, but also with the way it is consumed. We explore techniques to maximize our benefits from eating so that that we receive not only physical nourishment but also spiritual nourishment.
Sleeping
Sleeping is a vital daily activity which accounts on average for one quarter to one third of our life. The quality of our daily energy depends greatly on the quality of our sleep. If we learn to sleep in beneficial and intentional ways we can learn to wake up refreshed and inspired everyday. The positive benefits of this sort of change are innumerable and allow us to reach more of our full potential as humans in terms of our work, relationships, emotions, and spiritual path.
Yoga
Yoga or any type of regular physical activity is important to maintain a healthy life and support positive brain function. With mindfulness, we can use exercise as a means of liberation from stress, anxiety and worry, and with a concentrated enough practice to understand the ultimate nature of reality. We improve our breath, focus our attention, and clear our minds as we relieve mental and physical stress. Physical activity not only strengthens the body, but also strengthens the mind.
Mindfulness
The true nature of reality can only be revealed to us from our own mind. Mindfulness is the most important skill for the art of living as our happiness, stress levels, and personal growth depend on it. The quality of our life is a direct result of the way that we perceive our own experiences and process them through our emotions. Without mindfulness and presence in all situations, our emotions can take control of our perceptions and cause mental and even physical harm to ourselves or others. Staying present and mindful in all situations will give valuable perspective and allow us to act from the heart and in a way that we know is correct, rather than in a way that we may regret later. A life of presence and mindfulness guarantees a life free from regret.