Doing something without doing something

If you have sat with me in a mindfulness session or two then chances are you will have heard the Tchich Nhat Hanh lines below. They strike a chord for me as they are ridiculously simple instructions and yet they hold all of what could be taught.

Breathing in, I know I’m breathing in
Breathing out, I know I’m breathing out

Breathing in, my breath grows deep
Breathing out, my breath grows slow

Breathing in I am aware of my body,
Breathing out I calm my body

Breathing in, I smile
Breathing out, I release

Breathing in I dwell in the present moment
Breathing out I enjoy the present moment

They reveal so much, but what I want to look at here is just how the third couplet gets to the heart of a fundamental problem for anyone meditating. It is so difficult to sort out effort and purpose when you sit. You sit for a reason because you would like things to be better somehow. But as you practice you should always be letting go, or "ungrasping" as heard it called recently. This seems to be an opposing set of resolutions: both try and don't try.

What Thich Nhat Hanh writes here is the knife edge to walk along. "Be aware of the body" - How does it feel? What is its texture/ solidity/ fluidity/ warmth/ coolness? How is it now in this moment? And how is it in this moment? There is no clinging here in his guidance. You just observe. And then the magic happens. Because by not attempting to get calm, by simply paying attention to this body at this time you find the body feels calmer. There's the nub of it. 

Also you may then see that he has written the same method elsewhere. "Know" the breath and is deepens and slows. "Dwell" and then enjoy the present moment. these are fabulously genius lines and I am very grateful to Thich Nhat Hanh for them.