BROWARD LOTUS SANGHA SONGS OF PRACTICE

This is a sampler of some of the Thich Nhat Hanh songs of practice we sing in our
Community of Mindful Living. Please download a copy and bring it to our
Sangha meetings so we can sing them together. For your convenience, CDs
containing the music and lyrics for these songs of practice are available for a
donation at our Sangha events. Enjoy!

1. I Have Arrived 4. Taking Refuge in the Island of Self.

I have arrived, I am home, (The Island Within Myself)
In the here and in the now (2x) Breathing in,
I am solid, I am free (2x) I go back to the island within myself.
In the ultimate I dwell (2x) There are beautiful trees within the island.
There are clear streams of water.
2. Breathing In, Breathing Out There are birds, sunshine, and fresh
Breathing in, breathing out (2x) air.
I am blooming as a flower Breathing out, I feel safe.
I am fresh as the dew I enjoy going back to my island.
I am solid as a mountain
I am firm as the earth 5. The Greatest Wisdom of All
I am free
What is the greatest (2x)
What is the greatest wisdom of all?
Breathing in, Breathing Out (2x)
Kindness, kindness
I am water reflecting
That is the greatest wisdom of all.
What is real, what is true
Kindness, kindness
And I feel there is space
That is the greatest wisdom of all.
Deep inside of me
I am free (3x)
6. Whenever I Wake Up
3. Happiness Is Here And Now Whenever I wake up, I feel happy.
Aware of my eyes, I feel happy.
Happiness is here and now,
Aware of my health, I feel happy,
I have dropped my worries,
Because I have learned to look
Nowhere to go,
deeply.
Nothing to do,
No longer in a hurry
Whenever I walk, I feel happy.
Whenever I sit, I feel happy.
Happiness is here and now,
Whenever I rest, I feel happy,
I have dropped my worries,
Because I have learned to look
Somewhere to go,
deeply.
Something to do,
But I don’t need to hurry.

2008
Broward Lotus Sangha
COME MEDITATE WITH US
www.BrowardLotusSangha.org
Page 1of 4
 BROWARD LOTUS SANGHA SONGS OF PRACTICE

7. Freedom of the Heart (I am a 10. We Are All One

cloud) We are all the leaves of one tree (2x)
I am a cloud, I am the blue sky The time has come for all to live as
I am a bird, spreading out its wings one
I am a flower, I am the sunshine We are all the leaves of one tree
I am the earth, receiving a seed. We are all the waves of one sea
We are all the stars of one sky
And I am free, when my heart is We are all the leaves of one tree
open We are all the waves of one sea
Yes, I am free, when my mind is clear The time has come for all to live as
Oh dear Brother! Oh dear Sister! one
Let’s walk together, mindfully We are all the stars of one sky

And I am free, when my heart is

open 11. And When I Rise
Yes, I am free, when my mind is clear And when I rise,
Oh dear Brother! Oh dear Sister! Let me rise
Let’s walk together, joyfully Like a bird, joyfully

And when I fall,

8. In, Out Let me fall
In, out Like a leaf, gracefully, without regrets
Deep, slow
Calm, ease And when I sit,
Smile, release Let me sit
Present moment, Like a mountain, solidly
Wonderful moment.
And when I walk,
Let me walk
Like my teacher, mindfully
9. Walking Meditation Gatha
The mind can go in a thousand And when I play,
directions, Let me play
But on this lovely path Like the rain and the sun, rejoicingly
I walk in peace.
With each step, a gentle breeze And when I work,
blows. Let me work
With each step, a flower blooms. Like a bee, energetically (lazily)

A when I (create your own verse)

Like a (create your own verse)
2008
Broward Lotus Sangha
COME MEDITATE WITH US
www.BrowardLotusSangha.org
Page 2of 4
 BROWARD LOTUS SANGHA SONGS OF PRACTICE
I Love you so.
12. No Coming, No Going
16. Metta Prayer
No coming, no going,
No after, no before, May I be happy, peaceful, and light,
I hold you close to me, May I be safe from injury,
I release you to be so free, May I be free from anger and fear,
Because I am in you Afflictions and anxiety,
and you are in me. (2x) May I look upon myself
With understanding and love,
May I touch the seeds of joy in me,
13. Waking Up This Morning May I learn to recognize
Waking up this morning, The source of delusion in me.
I see the blue sky,
I join my hands in thankfulness May You be happy, peaceful, and
For the many wonders of life. light…
May They be happy, peaceful, and
light…
14. Here Is The Pure Land May We be happy, peaceful, and
light…
Here Is The Pure Land,
The Pure Land is here,
I smile in mindfulness, 17. This Body Is Not Me
And dwell in the present moment.
This body is not me,
The Buddha is seen in an autumn Is not me, is not me.
leaf, I am not limited by this body,
The Dharma in a floating cloud, I am not limited by this body,
The Sangha body is everywhere, I am life without boundaries.
My true home is right here.
I have never been born,
Breathing in, flowers are blooming, Never born, never born.
Breathing out, I am aware I am not limited by this body,
that bamboos are swaying. I am not limited by this body,
My mind is free, I am life without boundaries.
And I enjoy every moment.
I have never died,
Never died, never died.
15. Dear Friends (Sung as a round) I am not limited by this body,
Dear Friends, I am not limited by this body,
Dear friends, I am life without boundaries.
Let me tell you how I feel:
You have given me such treasures,
I Love you so,
2008
Broward Lotus Sangha
COME MEDITATE WITH US
www.BrowardLotusSangha.org
Page 3of 4
 BROWARD LOTUS SANGHA SONGS OF PRACTICE
May we and all beings be
18. Please Call Me By My True
Companions of the Buddha,
Names
Awaken from forgetfulness
My joy is like Spring so warm, Realizing our true home.
It makes flowers bloom all over the
Earth. In gratitude, we offer this incense to
My pain is like a river of tears, all beings
So vast it fills the four oceans. And all bodhisattvas throughout
space and time.
Please call me by my true names May it also tell of our wholehearted
So that I can hear awareness,
All my cries and laughter at once, And the fruit of understanding, slowly
So I can see ripening.
That my joy and pain are one.
May we and all beings be
Please call me by my true names Companions of the Buddha,
So that I can wake up Awaken from forgetfulness
And the door of my heart, Realizing our true home.
Can be left open.
In gratitude, we offer this incense to
The door of compassion, all beings
The door of compassion And all bodhisattvas throughout
space and time.

19. No Discrimination
21. Take Your Time
The Sun, it shines on everyone. (2x)
No discrimination, No discrimination. Take your time
The Rain, it falls on everyone. (2x) Breathing in, breathing out
No discrimination, No discrimination. Look deeply, as you say “this is me”
My Heart, belongs to everyone. (2x) You and your breath, you and this air
No discrimination, No discrimination. As humming bird and flower
Have always been together
Take gentle steps
20. Incense Offering Song Feel the ground, curl your toes
In gratitude, we offer this incense to Is there a line, between you and this
all beings, path?
And all bodhisattvas throughout You and your steps, you and this
space and time. earth
May it be as fragrant as the Earth As butterfly and blossom
herself is fragrant, Have never been apart
May it be reflecting our careful
efforts here.

2008
Broward Lotus Sangha
COME MEDITATE WITH US
www.BrowardLotusSangha.org
Page 4of 4