Mindfulness of Body: skinny dipping (video)

Svetlana Kohlrabi, 8/20/22; Amber Larson and Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

How can one swim wild and alone? Skinny dipping in a mountain lake

(Svetlana Kohlrabi) Would you love to swim wild and alone but don´t know how or where? This video shows how to find the best spot.

Where can I find A Still Forest Pool?

If a wild swim is what you love, don’t let the lack of company deter you from enjoying it to the fullest. There are beautiful lakes, beautiful places in nature, wild and apart, like the Buddha recommended -- the sides of mountains, forest groves, a stack of hay, or a cave, places to be alone and withdrawn exist.

When nobody is around, one can do so much Just taste freedom for one day and get addicted! Thanks for joining me. More: Hiking in Cold Conditions - Swimming naked in river

How to mindfully contemplate a beautiful body

1. Kāyā-anupassanā: The Observation of the Body

Enlightenment in this very body? How?

[In the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Sutra, the Buddha teaches:]

1.1 Section on Breathing

“Meditators, how does a meditator dwell contemplating the body in the body?

“Here [within this Dharma and Discipline], meditators, a meditator, having gone into the forest or to the foot of a tree or to a secluded place, sits down folding legs crosswise, holding body upright, setting mindfulness on the meditation object [the breath under the nose, the in-and-out breathing evident in this general area].

“Mindfully [with bare awareness free of discursive thinking] one breathes in, mindfully one breathes out.

“When breathing in a long breath, one knows it. When breathing out a long breath, one knows it. [One is vigilant, wakeful, aware of this body as it breathes at this spot, this interface with the world, between the air going out and the air coming in, as it goes in and out, not following in or out, but just knowing it the way a lumberjack knows just the point of contact of a two-handled saw and the tree trunk].

“When breathing in a short breath, one knows it. When breathing out a short breath, one knows it.

“‘Conscious of the entire breathing process [length of breath as it passes in and out], I shall breathe in,’ thus one trains oneself. Conscious of the entire breathing process, I shall breathe out,’ thus onee trains oneself.

“‘Calming the entire breathing process, I shall breathe in,’ thus one trains oneself. ‘Calming the entire breathing process, I shall breathe out,’ thus one trains oneself.

“Meditators, it is just as a skilled turner or an apprentice, when making a long turn, understands, ‘I am making a long turn,’ or when making a short turn understands, ‘I am making a short turn.’

“In the same way, meditators, when breathing in a long breath, the meditator knows it. When breathing out a long breath, one knows it. When breathing in a short breath, one knows it. When breathing out a short breath, one knows it.

“In this way one dwells contemplating one’s own body, one dwells contemplating others’ bodies, one dwells contemplating both one’s own and others’ bodies.

“One dwells contemplating the arising of the body, one dwells contemplating the passing away of the body, one dwells contemplating the arising and passing away of the body.

“Mindful that there is a body, one establishes this to the extent necessary for higher knowledge and mindfulness. One dwells independent, free of clinging to anything in the world.

“Meditators, that is how a meditator dwells contemplating the body in the body.

• AUDIO: A Still Forest Pool (Ajahn Chah)

1.2 Section on Postures

Whatever the position, be mindful of it.

“Again, meditators:

• When walking, a meditator understands: ‘I am walking.’
• When standing, one understands: ‘I am standing.’
• When sitting, one understands: ‘I am sitting.’
• When lying down, one understands: ‘I am lying down.’
• One understands accordingly however the body is placed.

“In this way one dwells contemplating one’s own body, dwells contemplating others’ bodies, dwells contemplating both one’s own and others’ bodies.

“One dwells contemplating the arising of the body, dwells contemplating the passing away of the body, dwells contemplating the arising and passing away of the body.

“Mindful that there is a body, one simply establishes this to the extent necessary for higher knowledge and mindfulness. One dwells independent, free of clinging to anything in the world.

“Meditators, that is how a meditator dwells contemplating the body in the body.

1.3 Section on Clear Comprehension (Sampajañña)

“Again, meditators, a meditator is fully alert when going and returning, when looking and looking away, when bending and stretching one’s limbs, when wearing robes, when carrying [outer] robe and bowl.

“One is fully alert when eating, drinking, consuming food, and tasting. One is fully alert when defecating and urinating. One is fully alert when walking, standing, sitting, [lying down] falling asleep, waking up, talking, and keeping silent.

“In this way one dwells contemplating one’s own body, dwells contemplating others’ bodies, dwells contemplating both one’s own and others’ bodies.

“One dwells contemplating the arising of the body, dwells contemplating the passing away of the body, dwells contemplating the arising and passing away of the body.

“Mindful that there is a body, one simply establishes this to the extent necessary for higher knowledge and mindfulness. One dwells independent, free of clinging to anything in the world.

“Meditators, that is how a meditator dwells contemplating the body in the body.

1.4 Section on Repulsiveness [of the body]

Where has all my skin-deep beauty gone?

“Again, meditators, a meditator considers this body upwards from the soles of the feet, downwards from the tips of hair, enclosed in skin, as full of many kinds of impurities:

“‘In this body there are head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, blood vessels, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, brain heart, liver, gall bladder, spleen, lungs, small intestine, large intestine, stomach, feces, brain bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin oil, saliva, mucus, fluid in the joints, and urine.’

“Just as though there were a bag with an opening at both ends full of many sorts of seed -- such as hill rice, red rice, beans, peas, millet, and polished rice, and a person with good eyes were to open it and review it: ‘This is hill rice, this is red rice, these are beans, these are peas, this is millet, and this is polished rice.’

“In the same way, meditators, a meditator considers this body upwards from the soles of the feet, downwards from the tips of hair, enclosed in skin, as full of many kinds of impurities:

“‘There are in this body head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, blood vessels, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, gall bladder, spleen, lungs, small intestine, large intestine, stomach, feces, brain bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin oil, saliva, mucus, fluid in the joints, and urine.’

“In this way one dwells contemplating one’s own body, dwells contemplating others’ bodies, dwells contemplating both one’s own and others’ bodies.

“One dwells contemplating the arising of the body, dwells contemplating the passing away of the body, dwells contemplating the arising and passing away of the body.

“Mindful that there is a body, one simply establishes this to the extent necessary for higher knowledge and mindfulness. One dwells independent, free of clinging to anything in the world.

“Meditators, that is how a meditator dwells contemplating the body in the body. More