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Everyone has pain and suffering. It is possible to let go
of this pain and smile at our suffering. We can only do this if we know
that the present moment is the only moment in which we can be alive.
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.
...
We often become so busy that we forget what we are doing or even who
we are. I know people who say they even forget to breathe! We forget
to look at the people we love and to appreciate them, until it is too
late. Even when we have some leisure time, we don’t know how to get in
touch with what is going on inside and outside of ourselves. So we
turn on the television or pick up the telephone as if we might be able
to escape from ourselves.
To meditate is to be aware of what is going on—in our bodies, our
feelings, our minds, and in the world. When we settle into the present
moment, we can see beauties and wonders right before our eyes—a
newborn baby, the sun rising in the sky. We can be very happy just by
being aware of what is in front of us.
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.
As exercises in both meditation and poetry, gathas are a key part of
the Zen tradition. When you memorize a gatha, it will come to you
quite naturally when you are doing the related activity, be it turning
on the water or drinking a cup of tea. You don’t need to learn all the
verses at once. You can find one or two that resonate with you and
learn more over time. After some time, you may find that you have
learned all of them and are even creating your own. Composing your own
gathas to fit the specific circumstances of your life is one wonderful
way to practice mindfulness.
We do not need to control our breath. We simply feel the breath as it
actually is, and in this way we unite our body and mind, bringing the
calming energy of mindfulness into each moment of our life.