Sakyong Mipham - Running with the Mind of Meditation: Lessons for Training Body and Mind

Copyright 2012 by Mipham J. Mukpo

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Harmony Books,
an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of
Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com

Harmony Books is a registered trademark and the Harmony Books
colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.

Grateful acknowledgment is made to Shambhala Media for permission
to reprint Freedom from Snow Lions Delight: 108 Poems by
Sakyong Mipham. Copyright 2005 by Sakyong Mipham.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, 1962
Running with the mind of meditation : lessons for training body
and mind / Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. 1st ed.
p. cm.

1. MeditationBuddhism. 2. Spiritual lifeBuddhism.
3. RunningReligious aspectsBuddhism. I. Title.
BQ5612.S235 2012
294.34435dc23
2011029751

eISBN: 978-0-307-88818-1

Jacket design by Jennifer OConnor
Jacket photography Philip and Karen Smith/Getty Images

v3.1

To the well-being of my wife, Khandro Tseyang,
and my daughter, Jetsun Drukmo

Victorious Vairotsana,
May your swift feet take us to enlightenment

Throughout my life, I have always enjoyed some sport. In my role as a spiritual leader and a Tibetan lama, I have been trained in horsemanship, archery, and sacred dance, as well as martial arts. I have always felt that some kind of physical activity was essential for well-being, as it gives a sense of confidence and enthusiasm.

It was only later in life that I took up running in a serious way. Running has been a real joy for me, an opportunity to be outdoors and to meet new people. It has benefited my health and well-being and has allowed me to offer something back to the world.

Meditation is something I have done throughout my whole life, and it is part of my cultural and spiritual heritage. Over the years, I have been asked on numerous occasions to put some thoughts down regarding the relationship between mind and body. Eventually I was asked to write a book on the topic of running and meditation. At that time, I felt I needed more experience as a runner, so I ran several marathons, which gave me some insight into the training process.

To me, the relationship between meditation and running is natural, for one is a training of the mind and one is a training of the body. However, I am hardly an expert on running. This book is therefore not a training manual, but a guide to integrating particular elements of meditation into the activity of running. I offer basic meditation instruction and explain those fundamental principles I have found helpful in running. I also give pithy instructions and some themes that might be helpful in integrating running with the mind of meditation. Even though both activities can be complicated, I have kept the themes simple, trying to show where they overlap.

Meditation is an essential and integral part of my life, and combining the principles of meditation with running has been a delightful experience. I certainly hope the reader enjoys both activities, as I have.

Meditate with delight and run with joy. See you on the cushion or on the trails!

1

Running with the Mind of Meditation

W e woke up early to sneak out of the monastery and get our morning run in before the ceremonies began. We drove to a nearby reservoir, got out, and began to stretch. It was only three thirty, and the early morning Indian mist and the coolness of the night still hung in the air. We were all a little nervous and excited, as we were running a new route.

We slid down an embankment, found the trailhead, and began to run, mostly at a slow jogwith the reservoir on one side and open grasslands bordering a teak forest on the other. Even though none of us had slept very much the night before, we felt very awake. As we ran through the grassy countryside, Josh Silberstein, my assistant, said to me, Is there anything we should be watching out for, Rinpoche? I quickly replied, Yeahcobras, leopards, wild elephants, and, oh, the occasional pack of wild dogs. Josh laughed and asked, No, really, what should we be watching out for? Looking at my face, he said, Oh, youre not joking. Not about that, I replied. At that moment, the nature of the run changed for him.

We ran through meterwide sinkholes and large mounds of dirt, which we soon realized were elephant tracks and dung piles. We came across wide-open expanses that reminded me of the African savanna. The trail then headed into the forest, lush and thick, part of what remains of the great teak forest that used to cover most of the subcontinent. Occasionally we would see someone walking along, carrying a basket.

The rhythmic movement of our feet created ease and relaxation in our bodies, revitalized by the fresh air. We remained alert and constantly aware of our environment, which helped us to be present in the moment. Even though we werent saying much, there existed between us the camaraderie of an unspoken language, a deep feeling of appreciation that we were alive and healthy. We felt fortunate to be able to run. This was no ordinary run: we were training for the Boston Marathon, only two months away. Luckily we did not encounter too many wild animals while enjoying the Indian wilderness.

As the sun rose, we returned to Namdroling Monastery, in southern India, where I have spent much time meditating and studying Buddhist philosophy. On this stay, I was visiting my spiritual teacher, His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, to receive teachings and empowerments. Rinpoche, the Tibetan honorific for high lamas, means precious jewel. In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, before engaging on a spiritual path or beginning meditation, one needs to first receive authorization and transmission from a teacher. This keeps the spiritual lineage pure. In this case, I was receiving transmissions of the Mipham lineage. I am considered to be the rebirth of Tibets Mipham the Great (18461912), one of the most revered teachers that Tibet has produced.

I have always found a natural relationship between running and meditation. Running can be a support for meditation, and meditation can be a support for running. Running is a natural form of exercise, for it is simply an extension of walking. When we run, we strengthen our heart, remove stagnant air, revitalize our nervous system, and increase our aerobic capacity. It helps us develop a positive attitude. It creates exertion and stamina and gives us a way to deal with pain. It helps us relax. For many of us, it offers a feeling of freedom. Likewise, meditation is a natural exercise of the mindan opportunity to strengthen, reinvigorate, and cleanse. Through meditation we can connect with that long-forgotten goodness we all have. It is very powerful to feel that sense of goodness: having confidence and bravery in our innermost being.

Just as in running, in meditation we leave behind our daily concernsthe daydreaming, stress, and planning. We become very present. We enter into the now. By doing that, our mind builds strength. Our nervous system begins to relax. We develop appreciation and awareness. Our intelligence and memory become sharper. We are able to see the world from more than one perspective. We are no longer imprisoned by emotional highs and lows. Love, compassion, and other positive qualities become more easily accessible. Just as in running, when we finish meditating, we feel refreshed, and much for the same reason: meditation is a natural, healthy activity.