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Miracle of Mindfulness
Anger, Wisdom for Cooling the Flames
Living Buddha, Living Christ -
(read by BEN KINGSLEY)
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Thich Nhat Hanh is known for developing new techniques for learning mindfulness and became known as “The Father Of Mindfulness” because of the great ease of the new exercises.
Born in 1926, He became a Buddhist novice monk at 16 at Tu Hieu Temple, and took his vows in 1951.
Thich Nhat Hanh founded the “Engaged Buddhism” movement, coining the term in his book Vietnam:Lotus in a Sea of Fire. He was one of many nuns and monks confronted with the question of whether to adhere to the contemplative life of Buddhism or to help those around them suffering from the war. He was exiled from his home country of Vietnam for collaborating with the enemy after he was nominated for The Nobel Peace Prize in 1966.
France became his new home and he founded Plume Village soon after. Plume Village Monastery is still active today, thriving, and has expanded to include 3 monasteries in the United States and several more around the globe.
Thay (teacher) passed away, “thru the door”, in January of 2022 at the age of 95.
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Thich Nhat Hanh created new techniques to simplify Mindfulness that become profoundly influentlal ,starting in the 1970’s, across the globe. He outlines meditation exercise in steps to help simplify for everyone. Here are the first 4 Mindful Breathing exercises.
1. Be aware of in-breath and out-breath.
2. Follow your breathing
3. Be aware of your body.
4. Release tension in your body. -
Zen is a branch of Buddhism with its main technique being meditation. Art, Mantras, and Koans also play an important part of the teaching to reach self-realization and enlightenment. Koans are stories designed to help us by temporarily tricking our mind away from our current thinking patterns so that we may see a more clearly. Although Zen originated in India it got it’s name in Japan and has become very popular in the United Stated also including some Christians since it is compatible with other faiths.-Thich Nhat Hanh
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theartofzen.org is great resource for Zen Art.
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Tie said this about happiness “Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything – anger, anxiety, or possessions – we cannot be free.” – Thich Nhat Hanh.
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"Two hands clap and there is a sound, what is the sound of one hand?" (about duality)
A Buddhist saying that compares holding onto anger to grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else. The saying suggests that the one who gets burned is the person holding onto the anger.
(Holding onto anger)
He said “You Don’t Blame the Lettuce”
“When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and argument. That is my experience. No blame, no
reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you
understand, and you show that you understand,
you can love, and the situation will change”
― Thich Nhat Hanh
ANGER WISDOM FOR COOLING THE FLAMES, book by Thich Nhat Hanh
download provided at acadia.edu
“t is also important to help, rather than punish those who are angry: “When someone is angry, he suffers, she suffers. Because she doesn’t know how to handle the energy of anger, she makes people around her suffer, including her beloved ones. And that is someone to be helped, and not to punish.”
“Anger work is peace work. It is important that we engage in this mud because we should give ourselves permission to be fully human"
Listen to BEN KINGSLEY read "Living Buddha, Living Christ" by Thich Nhat Hanh
Listen to BEN KINGSLEY read "Living Buddha, Living Christ" by Thich Nhat Hanh
“‘When you are a truly happy Christian, you are also a Buddhist. And vice versa.’ — ”
Academy Award Winner BEN KINGSLEY reads Nobel Peace Prize Nominee THICH NHAT HANH’S inspiring masterpiece.. Enjoy!
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The Miracle of Mindfulness by bestselling author Thich Nhat Hanh
The cup in your hands
“In the United States, I have a close friend named Jim Forest (Forest was a Christian peace activist whom Thay met in May of 1966). When I first met him eight years ago, he was working with the Catholic Peace Fellowship. Last winter, Jim came to visit. I usually wash the dishes after we've finished the evening meal, before sitting down and drinking tea with everyone else. One night, Jim asked if he might do the dishes. I said, "Go ahead, but if you wash the dishes you must know the way to wash them." Jim replied, "Come on, you think I don't know how to wash the dishes?" I answered, "There are two ways to wash the dishes. The first is to wash the dishes in order to have clean dishes and the second is to wash the dishes in order to wash the dishes." Jim was delighted and said, "I choose the second way--to wash the dishes to wash the dishes." From then on, Jim knew how to wash the dishes. I transferred the "responsibility" to him for an entire week.”
“If while washing dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, thus hurrying to get the dishes out of the way as if they were a nuisance, then we are not "washing the dishes to wash the dishes." What's more, we are not alive during the time we are washing the dishes. In fact we are completely incapable of realizing the miracle of life while standing at the sink. If we can't wash the dishes, the chances are we won't be able to drink our tea either. While drinking the cup of tea, we will only be thinking of other things, barely aware of the cup in our hands. Thus we are sucked away into the future --and we are incapable of actually living one minute of life.” -Thich Nhat Hanh
The Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation works to continue the mindful teachings and practice of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, support our mindfulness practice centers around the world, and engage in Sangha (community) building in order to foster peace and transform suffering in all people, animals, plants, and our planet.