The Pebble Meditation

Clip produced by Peace Is The Way Films, in support of their animated film for children, parents and teachers, 'Planting Seeds: The Power of Mindfulness' | Thich Nhat Hanh's beautiful meditation for all ages, reminds us of our flower freshness, mountain solidity, water reflective clarity and spacious freedom. Charmingly offered by Plum Village monk, Thay Phap Luu. www.peaceisthewayfilms.com

For pebble meditation
we try to find a quiet place,

a calm place where be can be at ease.

It could be in a forest like this

or a quiet room in our house.

We may like to sit
with a few other young people

or maybe one adult, two adults,

who can help to share
the practice with us.

We like to have
a little pouch for our pebbles.

This is one

that I have from India.

Inside the pouch we have four pebbles.

We take the pebbles
and we put them down

on our left side.

Then we can just come back to our breath

and enjoy deeply being present.

With our left hand
we can pick the first pebble.

This pebble represents a flower.

We can put it on our right hand

and we practice
breathing in and out.

You may like to say:
Breathing in

I am a flower.

Breathing out,
I feel fresh.

Breathing in

we are like a flower
in the garden of humanity.

When we are truly present,
we are fresh.

We feel joyful inside.

There is no anger, irritation.

We can just

close our right hand
on the flower-pebble

and let the energy of freshness come in.

We close our eyes.

Breathing in,

I feel fresh as a flower.

In,

I am a flower.

Out,

fresh.

Then we can put the flower-pebble
on our right.

Already I feel lighter and happier.

Then I look and I see
the second pebble

in the shape like a mountain.

This is the mountain-pebble.

Like the flower, we can touch
this solidity inside of ourselves.

That is a quality of a mountain.

We have the pebble on our right hand.

We can hold it there.

We can close our eyes and say:
Breathing in,

I am a mountain.

Breathing out,

I feel solid as a mountain.

In, mountain.

Out, solid.

We touch the mountain inside.

We feel like nothing can knock us over.

We feel very stable.

Whatever emotions come

they don't knock us over,
but we only sway

and we come back to our root
as a solid mountain.

Like the earth deep down the rocks,

keeping the mountain

even in the midst of the storm
very stable.

We put the second pebble down,
the mountain-pebble.

We can touch again
the freshness of a flower

and now the solidity of a mountain.

Then we reach down
and take the third pebble

which is water.

When the water is still,

it reflects things just as they are.

It is like when we see

a very still mountain lake.

We can look deep down into the water

and see all the fish and stones
that are down there.

We can also see the reflection
of the mountains and the sky above.

So when our mind is calm,

we can be like the mountain water.

I put the pebble on my right hand

and I say:
Breathing in, I am water.

Breathing out,
I reflect things as they are.

In, mountain (water).

Out, reflecting.

When our mind is calm
we can see our sadness,

our joy, our happiness,

just as we can see deeply
into the clear water.

I put the water-pebble
down on my right.

Again I feel the flowerness
that makes me feel fresh,

the mountain, I feel solid.

And the water

which is my calm mind
reflecting things as they are.

The last pebble,
picked up with my left hand,

is the space.

Space represents freedom.

When I am free,
I am truly happy.

I like to breathe,

to feel space inside of myself,

and not be stopped by anything.

Space does not stop me.
It allows my mind to be open and wide.

Like the sky.

I close my hand on this space-pebble.

Breathing in,
I see myself as space.

Breathing out,

I feel free.

In, space.

Out, free.

Then I can put
the pebble down on my right.

Anytime that I feel
very angry or irritated,

I can pick up the flower-pebble,

just put it in my hand

and then touch the freshness
of the flower inside of myself.

If I feel frightened or uneasy,

I can pick up the mountain-pebble
in my hand, hold it

and touch solidity.

If my mind is not clear,

if I have a lot of emotions coming up,

I can pick up the water-pebble

have it in my hand.

My mind becomes calm

and can reflect all things.

I can see clearly
what is happening in my mind.

My sadness, my joy,

everything.

When I feel

like I can't do
what I want to do,

trapped, bored,

I pick up the space pebble.

I hold it in my hand
and suddenly I touch freedom

and I feel great happiness.

You can bring these in a pouch
everywhere you go

and all the fear, anger, sadness,

can be transformed
into joy, happiness and freedom.

That is pebble meditation.