pebble: flower-fresh

Holding or imagining a pebble in our right hand we can be reminded of our flowerness with this short verse below from Thich Nhat Hanh.  First he suggests taking 3 breaths being conscious of both your inbreath and outbreath.  Then you can do this visualization timed with your breath:

"Breathing in, I see myself as a flower.
Breathing out, I feel fresh.
Flower/Fresh."

After some time you will begin to feel your freshness.

pebble meditation

Thich Nhat Hanh speaks of a simple meditation we can do to gain more peace, relaxation, happiness, clarity. It involves the use of 4 pebbles, and our breathing.  The pebbles represent:

1. flower for freshness
2. mountain for solidity
3. still water for clarity and calmness
4. space for freedom

Some people have made a small bag containing 4 pebbles. He has a poem or short gatha to recite while you are breathing and holding each pebble.  Doing this regularly will help to keep your calm no matter what is happening in your life.

my significant other

So important is one's breath.
Most of the time I am unaware of it.
When I have a cold
and cannot breathe well,
      I remember
          ~ be grateful~
          for ease of breathing

My breath is my significant other.

Evidence
that God's Spirit
is flowing through me.

I give thanks for my breath.
Help me to remember and notice my breath.

Mindfulness of Breath

A spiritual practice you can do anytime, anywhere, is to notice your breath. Thich Nhat Hanh offers these words in many of his books:

"Breathing in, I know I am breathing in.
Breathing out, I know I am breathing out."

He says that being mindful of one's breath is like a bridge that connects body and mind, bringing you into the present moment. The fruits of mindfulness are love, peace, clarity, understanding, compassion.

Welcome

Welcome, everyone!  I am starting this blog to create a space for breathing.  I started a blog about a year ago as one of my homework assignments for COIN 51, but I did not keep it up.  So, this technology is fairly new to me, especially the ability to add sound and record my voice!  I have taken a beginning digital photography class at Foothill, so I have basic skills in using Adobe Photoshop.  My social networking is done on Flickr.