Happiness Tonglen

Do you have a Happiness practice?
Quick! If you don’t,
you can start right away.
The world is so thirsty
for your petals of happiness.

In any moment of contentment,
or every evening
after a fat full day of play,
on your inbreath, smile broad.
Then hummm your happiness out,
breath by breath,
hum your happiness
out to the parched places
where sorrow or violence
have smothered joy with bitterness or fear.
Hum your happiness,
resolutely smiling,
out to corners of crying and despair.

You can do this,
you were born for this,
you who are not
in the crossfire
or in the line of refugees along the road.

You forgot you are made of vibrations?
You forgot that energy is as real
as semi-automatics in a schoolyard?
Quick! Remember.
Practice happiness every day
Dedicate the happiness of your practice
for the merit of all beings.
Hum your happiness out
to the hard, sharp places.
It takes as long as writing a check.
You can do this,
you can make your contribution
to quenching the world’s thirst.

©Susa Silvermarie 2023