We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track. If this problem persists help us by reporting it so we can investigate it.
Watch this talk
Login or create a free account to watch this talk and discover other teachings from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
Log in or create an account
Mindfulness Day in Oakland
Pebble meditation invites children to practice with four pebbles, each held and named in silence before three breaths of mindful smiling and affirmation:
- Flower – “Breathing in, I see myself as a flower. Breathing out, I feel fresh.”
- Mountain – “Breathing in, I see myself as a mountain. Breathing out, I feel solid.”
- Still water – “Breathing in, I see myself as still water. Breathing out, I reflect things as they truly are.”
-
Space – “Breathing in, I see myself as space. Breathing out, I feel free.”
After replacing the pebbles and another bell, children may sing a two-verse chant celebrating freshness, solidity, reflection, and freedom before moving on to walking and play.
True peace, Thay teaches, must begin within and can be cultivated even amid social injustice through mindful consumption of edible and sensorial nutriments. Reflecting the Four Noble Truths, we:
• Recognize our ill-being.
• Look deeply to discover its food.
• Confirm that well-being can arise.
• Follow the path of cutting off toxic nutriments and opening nourishing ones.
The energy of mindfulness—the Buddha’s energy—grows in daily practice of mindful breathing and mindful walking, bringing body and mind into the here and now to touch life’s healing elements. Supported by a Sangha, we learn to embrace anger and despair tenderly—like a mother with her child—and transform them into compassion, understanding, and social freedom.
