Mindful Awareness: Gathas

Choose a Gatha
"Gathas are short verses that we can recite during our daily activities to help us return to the present moment and dwell in mindfulness. As exercises in both meditation and poetry, gathas are an essential part of Zen Buddhist tradition. Using a gatha doesn't require any special knowledge or religious practice. Some people like to memorize a favorite verse that they find they can come back to again and again. Others just like to write the verse down in a place they are likely to see it often. . . .

"Reciting gathas is one way to help us dwell in the present moment. When we focus our mind on a gatha, we return to ourselves and become more aware of each action. When the gatha ends, we continue our activity with heightened awareness. When we drive a car, signs can help us find our way. The sign and the road become one, and we see the sign all along the way until the next sign. When we practice with gathas, the gathas and the rest of our life become one, and we live our entire lives in awareness. This helps us very much, and it helps others as well. We find that we have more peace, calm, and joy, which we can share with others."

— Thich Nhat Hanh in Present Moment Wonderful Moment. Reprinted by permission of Parallax Press.

To Practice This Today:

Here are five gathas from Present Moment Wonderful Moment; commentaries on them appear in the book. Or feel free to make up your own verses. Write them down, reflect on them and repeat them often during the day.

Waking Up
Waking up this morning, I smile.
Twenty-four brand new hours are before me.
I vow to live fully in each moment
and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.

Turning on the Television
The mind is a television with thousands of channels.
I choose a world that is tranquil and calm
so that my joy will always be fresh.

Washing Our Hands
Water flows over these hands.
May I use them skillfully
to preserve our precious planet.

Walking
The mind can go in a thousand directions,
but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace.
With each step, a gentle wind blows.
With each step, a flower blooms.

Brushing Your Teeth
Brushing my teeth and rinsing my mouth,
I vow to speak purely and lovingly.
When my mouth is fragrant with right speech,
a flower blooms in the garden of my heart.