It has evolved to the following nuancing currently:
1. Renewing Vows - Rebirth Aspiration
2. Reciting Amituofo - One round of 108 chanting beads
3. Illuminating Silence - Staying in presence for a short while, with breath & sounds as anchors
4. Dedications of Merits
5. Reading/Listening to Dharma Talk - For evening practice, I would normally end with reading a short article or listening to a dharma talk on YouTube.
End of formal practice. Steps back into the busy and chaotic Daily Life:
6. Conscious Pause: It is easy to underestimate the extent of our waking sleep. Occasionally, I become aware of my waking sleep, but usually I will just fall back into the waking sleep immediately. So the practice here to make the intention to stay conscious for a while more, one useful technique is the "three breaths practice" where I commit to staying aware for three full breaths, with the breath as anchor.
7. Transforming Negativities - During the day, I try to watch out for the manifestation of negative emotions, recognise, refrain, and feeling the physical discomfort, relax into the present moment
Tendency to slip back into old negative habitual energies remains strong. To motivate my practice I need to now and then remind myself of the preciousness of this human life:
8. Reminding Precious Human Life - The Tibetan Quote is very helpful - "Tomorrow or next life. Which comes first, I don't know."
9. Reflecting on my dual practice of Chan & Pure Land:
Chan practice guides me on the way of life;
Pure land faith provides me with the purpose of this lifetime
May all of us continue to enjoy our practice and be well and happy.
Amituofo. =)
