“Even though life is hard, even though it is sometimes difficult to smile, we must try.” Those words come from Thich Nhat Hanh in his book Being Peace. He continues: “A human being is like a television set with millions of channels. If we turn the Buddha on, we are the Buddha. If we turn sorrow on, we are sorrow. If we turn a smile on, we really are the smile.”

This is the meditation from Thich Nhat Hanh used in yoga class on 9/11 and 9/12. Each line corresponds to either an inhalation or an exhalation. Play with this meditation and see what blooms in you:

Breathing in, I calm my body.
Breathing out, I smile.
Dwelling in the present moment
I know this is a wonderful moment.

You may shorten this meditation. Simply follow your breath with the words: Calm … Smile … Present Moment … Wonderful Moment.

Enjoy your present moment today … let go of the past and try to not stretch into the future. Let a little smile creep onto the edges of your lips. And, then let your body smile.

Namasté