The seventh talk from the Winter Retreat of 2010-11, given in the Lovingkindness Meditation Hall of New Hamlet on Sunday, December 19th, 2010. Thay speaks about the practice of upgrading our breathing, sitting, and on the 5th to 7th verses of the Place of Peace and Wonder Sutra.

"When you are truly mindful of your breath, your body and your mind come together. If your in-breath and out-breath are deeper and slower, your mind also is peaceful. This is the practice of harmonizing your in-breath and out-breath, upgrading your practice of breathing."

We have to upgrade our practice of sitting. Your body may have tension and pain, from rigidity in your body.

Breathing in I recognize the feeling of joy in me. Even if you have some negativity inside, you have mindfulness, you have concentration, you have insight. You have to bring them out and make use of them. Try to make use of them and remind others to do so. You have a chance to do this. So if someone asks what we are doing when we practice sitting meditation, we can say we are producing joy and happiness."