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The Clear Well of the Present: Four Mantras for Mindful Presence
Here and now is the only “address” where life, love, Buddha, God and the kingdom of God can be truly encountered. Because the past has gone and the future is not yet here, only the present moment is alive. Through mindful breathing—in: “breathing in, I know I am breathing in,” out: “breathing out, I know I am breathing out”—body and mind reunite, and one step brings you into the kingdom of God, which is now and here.
At eleven, Thay’s search for a remote hermit led him instead to a crystal-clear well, where drinking water so delicious he lost desire, sleep came naturally, and he felt entirely at peace. That well became the hermit who taught him that each of us can meet our own “hermit” in any form—tree, flower, child, rock—and that encounter can inspire us to become wells of healing for others.
Four mantras to practice in mindfulness:
- Presence (“Darling, I am here for you.”)
- Recognition (“Darling, I know you are there, alive, and I am so happy.”)
- Compassion (“Darling, I know you suffer. That is why I am here for you.”)
- Vulnerability (“Darling, I suffer. Please help.”)
Use mindful walking or breathing to generate the energy of presence, embrace life’s wonders, transform suffering, and nourish the seeds of love, understanding and compassion within yourself and your Sangha.
