Top Five Mindfulness Gathas for Daily Activities
“Each moment of daily life is an opportunity to arrive in the present moment.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh
One of the mindful tools I love using in daily life is Mindfulness Gathas, or short poems and verses that we can recite during daily activities to remind us to be present. This is a tool that anyone can use, “using a gatha doesn’t require any special knowledge or religious practice.”
Mindfulness isn’t just what you do in yoga or the time you spend on a meditation cushion, mindfulness is a way of life. It is a practice of becoming and returning to the present moment both on and off the mat. Where it has truly supported me and been transformative has been in daily life.
Below I’m sharing my top five mindfulness Gathas that I use during my day-to-day life to remind me to be present. Some of them are printed out and posted around my home. You can choose to do the same, or memorize them to say to yourself while you wash the dishes, wake up, drink a glass of water, etc.
Five favourite Gathas for daily activities
Waking Up
Waking up this morning, I smile.
Twenty-four brand-new hours are before me.
I vow to live fully each moment
and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.
I have this placed by my kettle so that when I wake up and head to the kitchen for a morning tea or coffee, I see this first and smile.
Turning on the Water
Water comes from high mountain sources.
Water runs deep in the Earth.
Miraculously, water comes to us and sustains all life.
My gratitude is filled to the brim.
Drinking Tea (or Coffee)
This cup of tea in my two hands,
mindfulness held perfectly.
My mind and body dwell in the here and now.
I love reciting this before I drink my first cup of coffee in the morning.
Throwing Away the Garbage
In the garbage, I see a rose.
In the rose, I see the garbage.
Everything is in transformation.
Even permanence is impermanent.
To Bring Awareness to the Connection between the Body and Mind
Breathing in, I’m aware of my body.
Breathing out, I release all of the tension in my body.
I often cue this in my yoga classes, and when I spend time behind the computer, so I don’t get carried away and forget this connection.
Do any of these resonate with you? If so, write them down or put them around your house to remind you to be in the present moment! You can also make up your own Gathas. Get creative!
To make it easy, I've created digital graphics that you can download, print, use and share online. Find them on Instagram, Facebook and down below.
I’d love to hear your favourite ones. Share them in the comments below.
