Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist Zen Master, poet, and peace activist. He is one of the world's most revered spiritual teachers and has been a pioneer in bringing mindfulness to the West since the 1970s. Hanh's teachings focus on developing new ways to apply ancient wisdom to the challenges of modern life. His work includes silent sitting meditation, breath poems (known as gathas), guided meditations, and indoor and outdoor walking meditation. Hanh emphasizes the importance of being present and aware in the moment, whether through breathing, walking, sitting, or eating. He teaches that mindfulness is a form of energy that can be generated by bringing our mind back to our body and connecting with the present moment, both within us and around us.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Type of meditation | Sitting meditation, walking meditation, guided meditation |
Focus | Breathing, eating, deep relaxation |
Other practices | Bell, gathas, loving kindness, mindfulness trainings |
Other names | Mindfulness, concentration, insight |
What You'll Learn
Walking meditation
When practising walking meditation, we should walk slowly and mindfully, taking each step with intention. We should be aware of the contact between our feet and the ground, feeling the earth beneath us and appreciating the miracle of walking on this planet. We can harmonise our steps with our breathing, taking two or three steps as we breathe in and three, four, or five steps as we breathe out. This helps to calm our body and mind, allowing us to be fully present and grounded in the here and now.
Through walking meditation, we can unite our body and mind, finding peace and compassion within ourselves. It is a simple yet powerful practice that can bring healing and transformation to ourselves and the world.
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Sitting meditation
Thich Nhat Hanh suggests that we gently begin to follow our breathing and extend our awareness to our whole body. We may find tension or restlessness, and we can smile inwardly to this tension and then release it with our out-breath, calming our body.
As we become firmly established in our body, we may start to recognize our feelings. We embrace these feelings with our mindful breathing, allowing them to calm so that we can begin to understand their roots.
In the Plum Village tradition, sitting meditation is practiced together every day, either in a meditation hall or informally outside in nature. The collective energy of this group practice is very powerful.
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Breathing exercises
Thich Nhat Hanh teaches several breathing exercises as part of his mindfulness practice. The first eight of these are based on the Buddha's 16 exercises on the subject, as outlined in the Mindfulness of Breathing text.
First Mindfulness Exercise: Mindful Breathing
The first exercise is to simply identify the in-breath as the in-breath and the out-breath as the out-breath. When you breathe in, you know that this is your in-breath. When you breathe out, you are mindful that this is your out-breath. This is a very simple exercise, but it can have a powerful effect. By focusing your mind on your in-breath, you release everything else – the past, the future, your projects, your fear, and your anger.
Second Mindfulness Exercise: Concentration
The second exercise is to follow your in-breath and out-breath all the way through, from beginning to end, without any interruption. This improves your concentration and the quality of your mindfulness.
Third Mindfulness Exercise: Awareness of Your Body
The third exercise is to become aware of your body as you are breathing. This brings the mind wholly back to the body, so that mind and body become one reality. When your mind is with your body, you are well-established in the here and now.
Fourth Mindfulness Exercise: Releasing Tension
The fourth exercise is to release the tension in the body. When you are truly aware of your body, you notice there is some tension and pain, and your mind can help release it. This can be done in a sitting, lying, or standing position.
Fifth Mindfulness Exercise: Generate a Feeling of Joy
The fifth exercise is to generate a feeling of joy. A good practitioner knows how to do this because she recognises all the conditions of happiness that are already available. We can remind ourselves that we are very lucky, and we can be happy right now, rather than waiting for future success.
Sixth Mindfulness Exercise: Generate Happiness
The sixth exercise is to generate happiness.
Seventh Mindfulness Exercise: Recognise Pain
The seventh exercise is to be aware of a painful feeling or emotion. The practitioner does not try to fight, cover up, or run away from the pain. Instead, they use the energy of mindfulness to recognise and embrace the pain.
Eighth Mindfulness Exercise: Calm Pain
The eighth exercise is to calm the pain, like a mother holding a baby. The mother doesn't know what is wrong with the baby, but by holding it, she can help it to suffer less. Similarly, the practitioner doesn't know what has caused the anger or fear, but by holding that energy, they can help themselves suffer less.
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Mindfulness
Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh is known for his teachings on mindfulness and meditation. He founded the Plum Village community, which offers a variety of guided meditations and mindfulness practices.
Thich Nhat Hanh defines mindfulness as "a kind of energy that we generate when we bring our mind back to our body and get in touch with what is going on in the present moment, within us and around us." It is the act of becoming aware of our breathing, our body, and our surroundings, and it can be practised during any activity, such as standing, walking, lying down, speaking, listening, working, playing, or cooking.
Thich Nhat Hanh emphasises the simplicity of mindfulness, which does not require extra time or effort. It is about being fully present and aware in the current moment, and it can bring peace, joy, and healing. One of the key practices in Plum Village is mindful breathing, which involves focusing on the inhalation and exhalation of each breath without attempting to control it. This helps to calm the mind and ease tension in the body.
Thich Nhat Hanh also teaches walking meditation, which involves being aware of the contact between the feet and the ground, harmonising steps with breathing, and opening the senses to the surrounding environment. Additionally, he promotes sitting meditation, which is about finding a comfortable position and relaxing the body and mind, allowing any thoughts to pass without judgement.
Another important aspect of mindfulness, according to Thich Nhat Hanh, is mindful eating. This involves savoring and appreciating food, recognising the hard work and conditions that brought it to our tables, and understanding the interconnection between ourselves and the planet. Overall, Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings on mindfulness provide a way to cultivate peace, presence, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
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Guided meditations
Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist Zen Master, poet, and peace activist. He is one of the most revered and influential spiritual teachers in the world. He has been a pioneer in bringing mindfulness to the West since the early 1970s, developing new ways to apply ancient wisdom to the challenges of modern life.
According to Thich Nhat Hanh, mindfulness is a kind of energy that we generate when we bring our mind back to our body and get in touch with what is going on in the present moment, within us and around us. We can be mindful while standing, walking, sitting, speaking, listening, working, playing, or cooking.
Guided Meditation: Calm and Ease
This guided meditation is one of the most well-loved practices in the Plum Village community. It is led by Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh and is designed to bring you back to the rhythm of your breath.
Breathing In and Out
Start by simply becoming aware of your breath. As you breathe in, know that you are breathing in. As you breathe out, know that you are breathing out. There is no need to control your breath. Just breathe naturally, and shine the light of mindfulness onto it.
Deep and Slow
As you continue to breathe naturally, you will notice that your breath is becoming slower and deeper. Recognize this and gently embrace it.
Calm and Ease
With each breath, you will feel yourself becoming calmer and more at ease.
Smile and Release
Breathe in, and smile to yourself. As you breathe out, release all your worries and anxieties. There are more than three hundred muscles in the face, and when you know how to breathe in and smile, these muscles can relax.
Present Moment, Wonderful Moment
Nothing is more precious than being in the present moment, fully alive and aware. Recognize that this is a wonderful moment.
You can use the following poem during your sitting or walking meditation: "In, out. Deep, slow. Calm, ease. Smile, release. Present moment, wonderful moment." Practice each line for as long as you wish.
This guided meditation is available in different lengths: short (15 minutes), medium (20 minutes), and long (36 minutes). You can also explore other guided meditations on the Plum Village App, including ones led by Sister Peace and Sister Dieu Nghiem.
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Frequently asked questions
Thich Nhat Hanh describes meditation as a practice that brings us back to the present moment. He emphasizes that it is not hard work, but rather a pleasant and relaxing way to cultivate mindfulness and connect with our body and breath.
Thich Nhat Hanh believes that meditation helps us touch life deeply and find peace and joy in the present moment. It allows us to calm our mind and body, release worries and anxieties, and cultivate a sense of ease and well-being.
Thich Nhat Hanh recommends practices such as silent sitting meditation, guided meditations, and indoor and outdoor walking meditation. He also emphasizes the importance of breath awareness, encouraging practitioners to simply observe their natural breath without trying to control it.