For many years, I recited several poems immediately upon waking:
- Thich Nhat Hanh’s “Waking Up” gatha
- The Dalai Lama’s “Today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life…”
- Haim Ginott’s “It’s my personal approach that creates the climate, it’s my daily mood that makes the weather…”
I tried to combine the essence of these three into a single practice poem.
Gatha
Waking up this morning,
I smile.
I am alive,
I have a precious human life,
and I am not going to waste it.
I will use my energies
to heal myself,
deepen my connection with others,
and build a beautiful continuation.
I will offer peace to others.
I will not lash out or attack others.
I will benefit other life as much as I can.