The M.A.N.A.S.A. Code of Practice

The M.A.N.A.S.A. Code of Practice

M: Mindfulness. The practice of being continuously aware of events happening outside as well as bodily and mental responses inside.

A: Attention. The practice of attending on a chosen practice. Say, if your practice intention for the day is compassion, then really being attentive to your thoughts, words, actions and expressions to see how you can allow this capacity to blossom. Or, if it is about developing concentration, then attending to breath as continually as possible through the day.

N: Naming. The practice of mentally naming whatever is arising in the mind, whether anger, dislike, contentment, delight, or whatever the emotion is. By naming, a space develops between you and the experience, thereby rendering you free rather than getting caught up with emotions.

A: Accommodating. A practice of not reacting to the emotion, such as trying to push it away in aversion.. (‘why am I sad’.. ‘this stupid anger’,.etc), nor liking it so much that you cling to it.. let it just be..

S: Svadhyaya. An investigation, or an applying of the ‘what is this?’ question to whatever is dominating in our awareness. Say, anger is dominating, but what is anger? Anger is a word..but what is this in terms of experience? How is body experiencing? What is breath experiencing?

A: Anatma (Not-I). The practice of ‘non-selfing’ with thoughts, feelings, ideas etc. For eg, anger is felt. But instead of identifying with it as ‘I am angry’, acknowledging the feeling as just a feeling, and that it is a process of mind and ego, that it’s not who I am.. I am the witness.. I am free.. I am consciousness.