Songs of Practice
These songs, composed by practitioners in the Plum Village tradition, offer a joyful way to bring mindfulness into our daily lives. Whether we sing together or on our own, we can use these songs as bells of mindfulness, inviting us to pause, return to the present moment, and cultivate joy, compassion, love, and understanding.
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Breathing in, Breathing outBreathing in, Breathing out
I am blooming as a flower
I am fresh as the dew
I am solid as the mountain
I am firm as the earth
I am free
Breathing in, Breathing out
Breathing in, Breathing out
I am water, reflecting
What is real, what is true
And I feel there is space
Deep inside of me
I am free, I am free, I am free
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Dear friends, dear friends,
Let me tell you how I feel.
You have given me such treasures,
I love you so.
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I have arrived, I am home
In the here and in the now (2x)
I am solid, I am free (2x)
In the ultimate, I dwell (2x)
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I am a cloud, I am the blue sky,
I am a bird spreading out its wings.
I am a flower, I am the sunshine,
I am the earth receiving a seed.
And I am free when my heart is open
Yes, I am free when my mind is clear
Oh dear brothers, oh dear sisters,
Let’s walk together mindfully (joyfully). (2x)
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Happiness is here and now
I have dropped my worries
Nowhere to go, nothing to do
No longer in a hurry.
Happiness is here and now
I have dropped my worries
Somewhere to go, something to do
But I don’t need to hurry.
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No coming, no going
No after, no before
I hold you close to me
I release you to be so free
Because I am in you and you are in me (2x)
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And when I rise, let me rise,
Like a bird, joyfully
And when I fall, let me fall,
Like a leaf, gracefully,
Without regrets
And when I sit, let me sit,
Like a mountain, solidly
And when I lay, let me lay
Like a lake, calm and still,
Reflecting all
And when I work, let me work
Like a bee, lazily
And when I play, let me play
Like the rays, of the sun,
Rejoicingly
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I like the roses
I like the daffodils.
I like the mountains
I like the rolling hills.
I like the twinkling stars,
When the sun goes down.
Doobadee doobadee…..
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Breathing in,
I go back to the island within myself.
There are beautiful trees within the island.
There are clear streams of water.
There are birds, sunshine and fresh air.
Breathing out, I feel safe.
I enjoy going back to my island.
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The sun, the sun it shines
On my face and on my eyes.
The sun, it shines in my heart (2x).
The river, the river, it flows
From the mountain to my toes.
The river, it flows in my heart (2x).
From the mountains, the flowers,
The children, and the deer,
We all love each other.
There’s a space for everyone in my heart.
The trees, the trees, they sway,
And give oxygen every day.
The trees, they sway in my heart (2x).
The birds, the birds, they fly
As a school of fish swim by.
The animals, they’re all in my heart (2s).
From the mountains, the flowers,
The children, and the deer,
We all love each other.
There’s a space for everyone in my heart.
There’s a place for everyone in my heart.
There’s a home for everyone in my heart.
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We are moving on a journey to nowhere.
Taking it easy, taking it slow.
No more worries, no need to hurry.
Nothing to carry, let it all go.
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The mind can go in a thousand directions
But on this lovely path, I walk in peace.
With each step, a gentle wind blows
With each step, a flower blooms.
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The sun, it shines on everyone. (2x)
No discrimination! (2x)
The rain, it falls on everyone (2x)
No discrimination! (2x)
My heart belongs to everyone. (2x)
No discrimination! (2x)
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My joy is like spring, so warm,
It makes flowers bloom all over the Earth.
My pain is like a river of tears,
So vast it fills the four oceans.
Please call me by my true names
So I can hear all my cries and laughter at once,
So I can see that my joy and pain are one.
Please call me by my true names
So that I can wake up
And the door of my heart can be left open.
(The door of Compassion)