04 Apr Calm & Ease: A Guided Meditation with Thich Nhat Hanh
Practicing Calm & Ease, whether at work or at home daily or weekly, benefits everyone. Regardless of your profession, you can always find a spot at your workplace to relax for fifteen minutes, and the same applies at home. Once you see results from the practice, you can guide a relaxation meditation session for family members or colleagues. It is recommended to practice relaxation meditation at work every day. If we are sick, we cannot work effectively and may even need to take time off. Therefore, taking fifteen minutes for relaxation meditation after every three to four hours of work is a practical way to reduce costs for the company. You can guide the meditation session yourself and will find it very enjoyable. When you can make others feel comfortable and happy, your happiness will multiply many times over.
Practicing Calm & Ease (Relaxation Meditation) at Plum Village
You can use the following instructions to guide a group relaxation session. You may ring a bell to start and end the session. If practicing alone, you can listen to the guidance from Youtube.
Lie on your back comfortably, with your arms relaxed by your sides. Relax your entire body. Become aware of the floor or mattress beneath your back and feel the contact between your back and the floor or mattress. Allow your body to sink down.
Now, focus on your breath. In and out. Follow your breath and notice the rising and falling of your belly.
In… out… rise… fall… rise… fall.
Breathe in… breathe out… Feel your whole body light… like a water fern floating on the water…
No need to go anywhere… No need to do anything… You are as free as drifting clouds…
Breathe in, focus on your eyes…
Breathe out, relax your eyes… Let your eyes rest… breathe in… relax the muscles around your eyes… breathe out, send love to your eyes, thank your eyes—because of them, you can see so many colors and so much beauty…
Breathe in, focus on your mouth…
Breathe out, relax your mouth… release all tension around your mouth… Lips are like flower petals—let the flower bloom on your lips… Smile so that hundreds of facial muscles relax. The muscles in your cheeks, jaw, and chin no longer feel tense.
Breathe in, focus on your shoulders.
Breathe out, relax your shoulders. Let your shoulders sink into the floor… release all accumulated tension into the earth… Your shoulders, once heavy… now let them relax.
Breathe in, focus on your arms.
Breathe out, relax your arms… Let your arms sink into the floor… Relax your arms… elbows… forearms… wrists… hands… fingers… Gently move your fingers to relax further.
Breathe in, focus on your heart.
Breathe out, relax your heart. For so long, the way we eat, work, worry, and stress has unknowingly strained our heart… Our heart works day and night without rest. Now, we embrace it with all our gentleness, love, and care.
Breathe in, focus on your legs.
Breathe out, relax your legs… Relax your thighs… knees… calves… ankles… feet… toes… Gently wiggle your toes to deepen relaxation. Send love and care all the way to your toes…
Focus on your breath… on the rising and falling of your belly.
Follow your breath… and focus on your hands and legs… Move them gently.
Slowly sit up… and stand…
Practice this for five minutes or longer. You may also adapt the above instructions to suit your circumstances. This practice directs attention to each part of the body—head, hair, ears, neck, lungs, internal organs (e.g., the digestive system), and any area needing care or healing. Embrace each part of your body, sending love, gratitude, and care with each in-breath and out-breath.