By Thich Nhat Hanh 

I don’t carry a credit card, money, or cigarettes in my pocket. Instead, there may be a sheet of paper or a little bell. I usually like to carry a few pebbles. These pebbles help remind me that we humans are born as flowers in the garden of humanity; if we don’t know how to preserve our freshness, then we suffer and we do not have enough beauty to offer to the person we love.

This Pebble Meditation came from a retreat for children that we had over twenty years ago. About 300 children and their parents came and together we invented this way to remind ourselves of the freshness and flower-like elements in everyone.

Make a little bag, and into it put four pebbles that you have collected outside. You can sit in a circle with other children or with members of your family, and one child or person in the family plays the role of bell master. After having invited the bell to sound three times and enjoying breathing in and breathing out, tip the pebbles out of the bag and set them on the ground to your left.

With your right hand, pick up one pebble and look at it. The first pebble represents a flower. It also represents your own freshness and flower nature. Put the pebble on the palm of your left hand, and put the left hand on the right hand to begin your meditation on flower nature:

Breathing in, I see myself as a flower. 

Breathing out, I feel fresh.

That is not imagination, because you are a flower in the garden of humanity. See yourself as a flower. It is very helpful to smile during the practice, because a flower is always smiling. Practice this meditation three times. After that, put the pebble down on the ground to your right.

Then pick up the second pebble and look at it. This pebble represents a mountain. A mountain represents solidity. You are yourself, you are stable, and you are solid. Without solidity, you can’t be truly happy. You will be pulled away by provocations, anger, fear, regret or anxiety. This meditation is best practiced in the sitting position because in the half lotus or lotus position your body feels very stable and solid. Even if someone comes and pushes you, you will not fall. After you place the second pebble in your left hand, begin to meditate on the mountain.

Breathing in, I see myself as a mountain. 

Breathing out, I feel solid.

Repeat this three times. When you are solid, you are no longer shaky in your body and in your mind. 

The third pebble represents still water. From time to time, you see a lake where the water is so still that it reflects exactly what is there. It’s so still it can reflect the blue sky, the white clouds, the mountains, the trees. You can aim your camera at the lake and take a picture of the sky and the mountain reflected there just the same. When your mind is calm, it reflects things as they are. You aren’t a victim of wrong perceptions. When your mind is disturbed by craving, anger, or jealousy, you perceive things wrongly. Wrong perceptions bring us a lot of anger, fear, violence, and push us to do or to say things that will destroy everything. This practice helps you restore your calm and peace, represented by still water.

Breathing in, I see myself as still water. 

Breathing out, I reflect things as they truly are.

Repeat this three times. This is not wishful thinking. With mindful breathing, you can bring peace to your breath, body, and feelings.

The fourth pebble represents space and freedom. If you do not have enough space in your heart, it will be very difficult for you to feel happy. If you are arranging flowers, you understand that flowers need space around to radiate their beauty. Each person needs some space as well. If you love someone, one of the most precious things you can offer him is space. And this you can’t buy in the supermarket. Visualize the moon sailing in the sky. The moon has a lot of space around it, that is part of its beauty. Many of the disciples of the Buddha described him as a full moon sailing in the empty sky.  

Breathing in, I see myself as space.

Breathing out, I feel free.

Repeat this three times. Each person needs freedom and space. Offer space to the loved ones in your family as well. Without imposing your ideas or ways on the other person, you can offer them the gift of this pebble meditation. In this way, it is possible for you to help remove the worries, fears and anger in the heart of each person in your family.

Reprinted from A Pebble for Your Pocket: Mindful Stories for Children and Grown-ups (2006) by Thich Nhat Hanh, with permission of Plum Blossom/Parallax Press, Berkeley, California, parallax.org.