Calm - Ease (long version) | Meditation Guided by Thich Nhat Hanh

(Half Bell)

(Bell)

Dear friends,

if you are thinking a lot,
then focus your attention on your abdomen,

and if you are not very awake

then focus your attention
on the tip of your nose.

Noticing the air coming in,

and the air coming out.

In,

out.

But if you are thinking a lot, then

move your attention
down to the level of your navel

and notice the movement of the abdomen.

In,

out.

Enjoy!

(Half Bell)

Breathing in, I know I am breathing in.

Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.

In,

out.

(Bell)

(Half Bell)

Breathing in, I notice that
my in-breath has become deep.

Breathing out, I notice that
my out-breath has become slow.

Deep,

slow.

Enjoy.

(Bell)

My in-breath becomes deeper
in a very natural way.

I do not force it to be deeper,
it just becomes deeper

because I have been practising
breathing in and out mindfully

and that is why my in-breath
has become naturally deeper

and my out-breath
has become naturally slower

and my enjoyment
of my breathing has increased.

If you feel that you enjoy
your deep and slow breath

it means you are practising correctly.

Shall we try again?

Deep,

slow

and if you feel pleasant, smile.

(Bell)

(Half Bell)

Breathing in, I calm my body,

breathing out, I ease everything.

Calm, ease.

(Bell)

When you breathe in,

the in-breath is making your body calm

and as you are in a meditation posture

your mind is becoming calm also.

Body here means also mind.

Breathing in, I calm my body and my mind.

Breathing out, I ease everything.

I let everything at ease.

Calm,

ease,

several times.

(Bell)

(Half Bell)

Breathing in, I smile.

Breathing out, I release.

(Bell)

Smiling means relaxation
to all the muscles on your face

every time you smile,

you relax all these muscles in your face

and your nervous system becomes relaxed.

And smiling here, is to smile to yourself.

That is the practice of loving-kindness,
directed to oneself.

Breathing in, I smile.

Breathing out, I release.

Release here means
to let go of everything,

Including our projects, our worries,

our tensions

so that we are able to enjoy

our presence in the here and now.

We become free,

free from our own sorrow and suffering,

from our own projects,
from our own tensions.

Breathing in, I smile.

Nothing is as important
as my peace, my joy.

I smile to everything,

even to my suffering, to my difficulties.

Breathing out, I release, I Iet go.

This is a practice of freedom.

Smile when you breathe in.

Release when you breathe out.

Smile, release, several times.

(Bell)

(Half Bell)

Breathing in,
I go back to the present moment.

Breathing out,
I know this is a wonderful moment.

Present moment,

wonderful moment.

(Bell)

To be alive,
and to know that you are alive

is the greatest of all miracles.

And if you don't go back
to the present moment

you can not perform that miracle.

Breathing in,

I establish myself in the present moment.

Breathing out,

I realise that it is a wonderful moment.

In fact, it is the only moment

available to me, to live.

This is a wonderful exercise.

Present moment, breathing in.

Wonderful moment, breathing out.

And if you have some concentration

that exercise will bring you a lot of joy.

Present moment,

wonderful moment.

(Bell)

(Half Bell)

Dear friends,

these exercises could be practised

everywhere, at any time

when you sit on a bus,

you can practice these exercises

when you are in the kitchen,

preparing breakfast

you can practice these exercises.

You can also practice during walking,

if you are walking from one building
to another building

you can practice these exercises.

When you line up to wait
for your time to do something

you can do that also.

(Bell)