Breathing Mindfulness - by Sarah Shaw (Paperback)

About the Book

"This book explores the way Buddhist theory and practice employs the term "mindfulness.""--

Book Synopsis

Explore the life-changing practice of ānāpānasati, or breathing mindfulness--one of the most popular and foundational Buddhist meditation practices.

Whether you practice vipassana, samatha, or any type of practice that develops concentration, this book will be a revelation. "Breathing mindfulness" meditation is a cornerstone of Buddhist practice, believed to be key to the Buddha's own enlightenment. This powerful technique fosters a harmonious blend of awareness and tranquility, guiding practitioners toward profound meditative states and deeper wisdom. Yet, even among those who practice one strand or another of this practice, there is a treasure trove of variety and richness to discover.

Oxford University scholar and practitioner Sarah Shaw guides readers through the history and contemporary interpretations of breathing mindfulness, emphasizing the Pali or Southern tradition of Buddhism. In this in-depth study, she examines:

• The Ānāpānasati Sutta, the foundational Buddhist text on breathing mindfulness;
• The systematization of the practice through the commentarial texts like Vimuttimagga (The Path to Freedom) and Visuddhimagga (The Path of Purification);
• Intriguing, lesser-known systems of esoteric Theravada breath meditation nearly lost to history;
• The history and variety of the practice within the Thai Forest tradition, looking at key figures including Ajahn Sao, Ajahn Maha Boowa, Ajahn Lee, Ajahn Chah, and Ajahn Thate;
• Key figures in Myanmar, including Mingun Sayadaw, Sunlun Sayadaw, Webu Sayadaw, Mahasi Sayadaw, and Pa Auk Sayadaw;
• Other influential innovators like U Ba Khin, S.N. Goenka, Ajahn Buddhadasa, and Ayya Khema;
• The importance of breath meditation and its complex relationship to the insight meditation (vipassana) movement;
• And the influence of breathing mindfulness within other Buddhist traditions and beyond, including Indic traditions, Chinese traditions, Zen, Tibetan Buddhism, and more.

Shaw's exploration reveals the enduring legacy of this practice, from its ancient origins to its contemporary resurgence, and how this might be applicable in your own practice.

Review Quotes

"Sarah Shaw brings meditation alive in her well-researched book on Buddhist breath meditation. In describing the depth and breadth of her subject, her writing provides a feel for the wonderous experiences of breathing mindfulness."
--Gil Fronsdal, author of The Buddha before Buddhism and founding teacher at the Insight Meditation Center

"Drawing on Buddhist texts, field research, and interviews, this is a fascinating overview of the numerous interlocking ways in which the practice of mindfulness of breathing (ānāpānasati) has developed and thrived. The image of an ancient, life-rich forest is used to illustrate this richness of ways of working with the breath, from ancient India to Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka of recent centuries and, more recently, in the West. Key ancient texts are explored on the understanding of the 16 stages of ānāpānasati and on how they are used to support both samatha and vipassanā deep calm and incisive insight. The use of ānāpānasati in Southeast Asia is shown to vary from the "dry" insight practices first championed in Myanmar in the nineteenth century--Shaw explores, for example, older traditions drawing on yantras and related chants, as well the Thai forest tradition, where breath meditation is drawn on alongside a strong adherence to Vinaya (Buddhist monastic training). The book helps practitioners of one style of ānāpānasati to locate their practice within a wider tradition, and scholars to see the potent variety of this practice."
--Peter Harvey, author of An Introduction to Buddhism and Professor Emeritus of Buddhist Studies at the University of Sunderland

About the Author

DR. SARAH SHAW is a faculty member and tutor at the University of Oxford and a visiting contemplative mentor at Brown University. She has taught and published numerous works on the history and practices of Buddhism, including The Art of Listening: A Guide to the Early Teachings of Buddhism and Mindfulness: Where It Comes From and What It Means.