Smell the Flowers, a Test, and How to Pacify the Mind

4 THOUGHTS

1. There, I Have Pacified Your Mind

This passage comes from Advice Not Given by Mark Epstein, MD. It’s a Zen story about Bodhidharma, a famous Buddhist monk, and Huike, who was intent on learning from him:

“Huike says to Bodhidharma, when finally given a chance to speak to him directly, ‘My mind is anxious. Please pacify it.’
To which Bodhidharma replies, ‘Bring me your mind, and I will pacify it.’
Huike says, ‘Although I've sought it, I cannot find it.’
Bodhidharma then says, ‘There, I have pacified your mind.’”

2. Wherever You Find Yourself

“The breath accompanies you the full length of life’s road: you learn about the body, feelings, mental formations, the mind itself, and, finally, the lawfulness of impermanence and emptiness of a substantial self.”
– Larry Rosenberg, Three Steps to Awakening

This is a wonderful reminder of the far-reaching utility of the breath. No matter what you’re currently interested in—the body, emotions, the mind, the self—the breath can be a metaphor or direct tool for studying it. As Rosenberg reminds us: “Wherever you find yourself, the breath is present.” 🙏

3. Smell the Flowers; Blow Out the Candles

“Just as emotions like worry and fear can trigger the body’s stress response, what we experience physically in the body can affect our emotions. Because of this, we can often begin to quiet our worries and calm the symptoms of anxiety simply by controlling one critical body function: breathing.”
– Jennifer Tucker, Breath as Prayer

Tucker provides a simple way to apply this: “Smell the flowers; blow out the candles.” Breathe in through your nose, into your abdomen, as if smelling flowers. Then, exhale slowly through pursed lips as if blowing out candles. Use it as needed today 🙏

4. A Test for You

“Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you’re alive, it isn’t.”
– Richard Bach

1 Quote

"The breath is not only a source of support for the physical body; it is also a support for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being."
— — Anyen Rinpoche &Allison Choying Zangmo

1 Answer