Practice at Stream

Smile, and know you’re smiling

I’ve been guiding the “inner smile” practice a lot in the last few months, both in yoga classes and in guided meditations.

It’s an easy practice to turn to many times each day.

How do you do it?

1. Turn up the corners of your mouth

2. Let yourself feel the smile and how it resonates through your body and mind

3. Enjoy

I picked it up from Vietnamese meditation master Thich Nhat Hanh, who taught a lot about smiling.

He said, among other things: “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”

The instruction to “Smile, and know you’re smiling,” is a mash up with Joseph Goldstein’s sublime meditation instruction to “Sit, and know you are sitting.”

KNOWING is the quality that makes anything we do a part of the path.

Breath and know breathing, walk and know walking, eat and know eating and so on.

Yoga and meditation are gateways to living with greater ease and to waking up to living fully.

Find your way to creating peace! Join us for weekly classes and workshops or half-day, full-day or weekend long retreats.

Easy registration

Use this form to reserve a place or ask a question. We’ll take care of the booking and follow up if needed.

What would you like to do?

9 + 5 =

You’re warmly invited to practice with us.

Insight Meditation
Wednesdays at 7:00 pm
A steady, accessible practice rooted in mindfulness and insight.

A Quiet Mind Satsang
Second Sunday of each month at 10:00 am
A gentle gathering for shared silence, reflection, and inquiry.

Dharma Café
Second Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm
Practical conversations for living well and training the mind.

Book now! or email us at hello@gentlydownthestream.org if you’d like more information.

All of our freely offered classes and gatherings are supported by the generosity of our community. If you’ve benefited from a class, event, or recorded session—or feel moved to support our teachers and shared vision—donations are deeply appreciated.

819 Weaver Road
Port Colborne, ON L3K 5V3