Page 107 - Dhamma Practice

As mentioned before, restraining our body is a good thing. If we want to place our mind tightly with the phenomena, we need to have a clear target. When we contemplate the walking phenomenon, if the impact point is clear, then focus on the impact point—this time it impacts and ceases in this way, how does it impact and cease the next time, and the next time. Focus there because the phenomenon there is clearest. When we step forward and there is only emptiness, do not be worried. The phenomenon is gone. If it becomes clear only at the impact point, then focus on the impact point. But, if the impact point is not clear, and it is clear as we lift our foot—the impact point is too vague—then we focus on lifting, lifting, lifting...we need to be in time for each lifting of the foot and see how they cease. The foot lifts and how does it cease? This is the way to contemplate the emergence-cessation phenomenon while walking.
Within minor bodily movements, there are numerous phenomena. For example, when we wash our face, observe when we use our hands to touch our face—what are we touching? Are we touching the face, or touching the emptiness? The touching phenomenon on our face—is it strand-like or is it sheet-like similar to our palm—or is the touching happen only at certain points? These are the characteristics of the emergence- cessation phenomenon that we can observe. When we brush our teeth then shake our toothbrush, observe how
101