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The Art of Mindful Living : How to Bring Love, Compassion, and Inner Peace into Your Daily Life
Zen meditation master and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh offers his practical teachings about how to bring love and mindful awareness into our daily experience. These rare moments were recorded during a family meditation retreat. Kind - purposeful - illuminating - here is an abundant treasure of traditional gathas (teachings) that unify meditation practice with the challenges we face in today's world. Enhanced features include traditional Vietnamese music performed by the monks and nuns of Plum Village, a meditation practice from Thich Nhat Hanh's Mindful Movements video, and an interview with the author.
2 pages, Audio Cassette
First published September 1, 1991
146 people are currently reading
2916 people want to read
About the author
Thich Nhat Hanh
982 books12.9k followersThích Nhất Hạnh was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist who then lived in southwest France where he was in exile for many years. Born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo, Thích Nhất Hạnh joined a Zen (Vietnamese: Thiền) monastery at the age of 16, and studied Buddhism as a novitiate. Upon his ordination as a monk in 1949, he assumed the Dharma name Thích Nhất Hạnh. Thích is an honorary family name used by all Vietnamese monks and nuns, meaning that they are part of the Shakya (Shakyamuni Buddha) clan. He was often considered the most influential living figure in the lineage of Lâm Tế (Vietnamese Rinzai) Thiền, and perhaps also in Zen Buddhism as a whole.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 381 reviews
June 2, 2020
At various times in my life people have given me some of the books written by Thich Nhat Hanh, who has more than 70 books to his credit. I was always proud of them; they look nice on my shelf and I hoped they might indicate to guests in my house that I have Buddhist inclinations. I have no idea why people who knew and love me gave me these books, but it occurred to me in listening to Hanh’s voice in reading this series of reflections and meditations that they may have thought I could actually benefit from actually reading them and putting their wisdom into practice! Presumptuous of them!
But really, I never cracked any of these books until now. I was too busy, I needed to get things done, needed to advance my career, keep writing and accomplishing things! When I slow down, I’ll read these books. Maybe. When I have time I'll do it!
Hanh is very accessible, folksy, sometimes humorous, certainly sweet and wise in this audio. It occurred to me that his approach to mindfulness as attending to the “present moment” seemed akin to existentialism or the ideas of this Benedictine monk I heard last week on Krista Tippett’s On Being podcast, connecting monastic practice with Buddhism as Thomas Merton had done. Hanh takes on (some) psychotherapeutic emphases on dealing with the past (focusing too much on hurt, regret, anger, guilt), or the future (as in traditional Christianity with its eye to Heaven over one's present miseries, fears, pain). Live in the now!
“The present moment is the substance with which the future is made. Therefore, the best way to take care of the future is to take care of the present moment. What else can you do?”
He talks about becoming a flower, living like a mountain, living selflessly, gaining control over your emotions, becoming more conscious/mindful of yourself so you can be more present for others, understanding yourself so you can understand how you can be better with others:
.
“Love has no meaning without understanding.”
I liked this; when I have time, maybe when I am close to death, maybe I will take it seriously. (For real, I am meditating every day now and trying to live more consciously; this helps).
“There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way. There is no way to peace, peace is the way. There is no way to enlightenment, enlightenment is the way.”
Yes, we need t fight for justice in the world, we need to heal and end the violence, but one component of that process is ourselves. We need to begin with ourselves as we begin to try to create more loving relationships with our family, with our neighbors, and the world.
But really, I never cracked any of these books until now. I was too busy, I needed to get things done, needed to advance my career, keep writing and accomplishing things! When I slow down, I’ll read these books. Maybe. When I have time I'll do it!
Hanh is very accessible, folksy, sometimes humorous, certainly sweet and wise in this audio. It occurred to me that his approach to mindfulness as attending to the “present moment” seemed akin to existentialism or the ideas of this Benedictine monk I heard last week on Krista Tippett’s On Being podcast, connecting monastic practice with Buddhism as Thomas Merton had done. Hanh takes on (some) psychotherapeutic emphases on dealing with the past (focusing too much on hurt, regret, anger, guilt), or the future (as in traditional Christianity with its eye to Heaven over one's present miseries, fears, pain). Live in the now!
“The present moment is the substance with which the future is made. Therefore, the best way to take care of the future is to take care of the present moment. What else can you do?”
He talks about becoming a flower, living like a mountain, living selflessly, gaining control over your emotions, becoming more conscious/mindful of yourself so you can be more present for others, understanding yourself so you can understand how you can be better with others:
.
“Love has no meaning without understanding.”
I liked this; when I have time, maybe when I am close to death, maybe I will take it seriously. (For real, I am meditating every day now and trying to live more consciously; this helps).
“There is no way to happiness, happiness is the way. There is no way to peace, peace is the way. There is no way to enlightenment, enlightenment is the way.”
Yes, we need t fight for justice in the world, we need to heal and end the violence, but one component of that process is ourselves. We need to begin with ourselves as we begin to try to create more loving relationships with our family, with our neighbors, and the world.
July 14, 2018
Tuesday this week at work I was brought into a meeting to review my design work. Rumors swirled of a corporate merger or acquisition so everyone knew that the future of the company was in question.
A prim woman greeted me, someone I had never met before but who introduced herself as a HR specialist. It became clear this was not a discussion about design, but rather a discussion about severance and necessary budget cuts.
There were definite feelings present: anger, yes; anxiety, yes; but I had just listened to Thich Nhat Hanh tell me that those feelings are like guests...they are not the most welcome guests but still you greet them, embrace them, try to make them happy.
I've been a student of mindfulness since I turned 30. The difficult thing about mindfulness to perhaps a western mind rooted in Christianity is the idea of present-moment thinking, as it seems to disregard planning of the future or learning from the past. Hanh indicates that this is not true; the only way to create a future is to work in the present moment; the present is the result of the past so being in the present moment helps you understand the true nature of the past, not living in the past.
Hanh's emphasis on the breath as the first step is powerful; he doesn't prescribe intense ritual, or that you must become like a monk or nun, but rather you must only be aware of your breath, and then you use your breath to find peace and to find strength.
Sometimes breath is all you have. In some moments of change, people around you can offer cold comfort (nobody knows you when you are down and out, the blues song goes). Mindfulness helped me this week have calm and strength, to not feel shame, or hopelessness, but rather to keep moving. I've found no other spiritual guidance that offers this.
Mindfulness is life-changing, and this book is a great entry. This week I gave my fears a big bear hug and moved on. For being able to do that, I am forever grateful. Om shanti.
A prim woman greeted me, someone I had never met before but who introduced herself as a HR specialist. It became clear this was not a discussion about design, but rather a discussion about severance and necessary budget cuts.
There were definite feelings present: anger, yes; anxiety, yes; but I had just listened to Thich Nhat Hanh tell me that those feelings are like guests...they are not the most welcome guests but still you greet them, embrace them, try to make them happy.
I've been a student of mindfulness since I turned 30. The difficult thing about mindfulness to perhaps a western mind rooted in Christianity is the idea of present-moment thinking, as it seems to disregard planning of the future or learning from the past. Hanh indicates that this is not true; the only way to create a future is to work in the present moment; the present is the result of the past so being in the present moment helps you understand the true nature of the past, not living in the past.
Hanh's emphasis on the breath as the first step is powerful; he doesn't prescribe intense ritual, or that you must become like a monk or nun, but rather you must only be aware of your breath, and then you use your breath to find peace and to find strength.
Sometimes breath is all you have. In some moments of change, people around you can offer cold comfort (nobody knows you when you are down and out, the blues song goes). Mindfulness helped me this week have calm and strength, to not feel shame, or hopelessness, but rather to keep moving. I've found no other spiritual guidance that offers this.
Mindfulness is life-changing, and this book is a great entry. This week I gave my fears a big bear hug and moved on. For being able to do that, I am forever grateful. Om shanti.
May 13, 2009
Thich Nhat Hanh offers authentic, and also warm, kind, and friendly, guidance in mediation. This cd features highlights of a number of sessions at one of Thich Nhat Hanh's meditation retreats. One of the qualities I admire about Nhat Hanh is his gentle, calm, persuasive presence. Equally valuable, Thich Nhat Hanh makes meditation so simple and obvious that I just want to meditate. Of all the mediatation teachers I have heard, he is certainly the master of making meditation real and putting peace within reach. Learning this simple and easy art of being aware of our in-breath and our out-breath -- breathing consciously -- make a huge difference. My university students who read Thich Nhat Hanh's "The Miracle of Mi sndfulness" also reported that meditating as Thich Nhat Hanh describes, was easy and powerfully effective. This simple "calm-abiding" meditation is the heart of all Buddhist practice.
This cd also includes very beautiful teachings on how to be loving. Both cds are enhanced with video tracks, one a talk on mindfulness; the other, a selection of Thich Nhat Hanh's beautiful singing and poetry.
This cd also includes very beautiful teachings on how to be loving. Both cds are enhanced with video tracks, one a talk on mindfulness; the other, a selection of Thich Nhat Hanh's beautiful singing and poetry.
January 18, 2017
It was wonderful to hear clear and useful instructions direct from a master that has been practicing mindfulness longer than I've been alive. Also, although I didn't plan it, it was fitting that I started this on Martin Luther King Jr. day seeing as how Thich Nhat Hanh was a personal friend of MLK Jr who even nominated Thich Nhat Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. Short and refreshing.
Read
September 10, 2016Two hours of information that will take more than a lifetime to master.
June 23, 2017
Not a bad audiobook - some good thoughts and potential practices. But - as a woman who has borne two children I get immediately irate with anyone who has not been pregnant (much less a man) who says anything remotely like 'why would an expectant mother not X, if she truly loves her child?' Judgmental to the core about an incredibly difficult experience you can't hope to understand. What he said didn't apply to me directly but made me angry for any mother who listens to this who would feel somehow deficient because of his callous statement. Other than that interlude, I thought it was helpful.
November 7, 2018
It was cool to listen to this book being read by the author. I’ve always liked this guy. It was like listening to a wise, kind old grandpa give good life advise.
September 24, 2024
This is a particularly special Thich Nhat Hanh audiobook because it is narrated by him, speaking in front of a live audience, and it features music from Plum Village. I love listening to his teachings on my walks. In this one he has a great explanation tying together the foundational Buddhist beliefs of the nature of impermanence and the importance of mindfulness in the present moment. Because everything is impermanent, we must remain fully present to cherish and care for the people and things we love before they naturally change, as they always will.
March 6, 2025
A piece I should probably revisit many more times in life.
March 30, 2010
I listen to this audio CD often as I drive. The simple truths are easy to grasp and adapt to lifes dissapointments. They bring back to mind the beauty lost in daily mindlessness.
Peace is more than the absence of conflict. Peace is incomplete until we cultivate understanding, insight, and compassion, then combine that with action. Our compassionate action is love, more than just the word. We think we can simply say the words we will always love someone, then we forget them, leave them, or worse we never talk to them again.
How beautiful is the moment when we reconcile hurt and past pain melts in the warmth. Thich Nhat Hanh teaches and re-teaches simple truths like these. His shared insight is a blessing.
Peace is more than the absence of conflict. Peace is incomplete until we cultivate understanding, insight, and compassion, then combine that with action. Our compassionate action is love, more than just the word. We think we can simply say the words we will always love someone, then we forget them, leave them, or worse we never talk to them again.
How beautiful is the moment when we reconcile hurt and past pain melts in the warmth. Thich Nhat Hanh teaches and re-teaches simple truths like these. His shared insight is a blessing.
March 10, 2023
Compact yet helpful in so many areas. The tree meditation and lake meditation resonating the most. I find his words and practices so timely in bringing my focus and energy back to the present, to reduce rumination of the past and anxiety of the future.
"But in light of this practice, hope can be an obstacle, because investing in the future you have to spend a lot of energy for hoping, and there's not much energy left in order for you to take care of the present."
A wonderful reminder to take care of the present, AND to practice my hugging meditation!
"But in light of this practice, hope can be an obstacle, because investing in the future you have to spend a lot of energy for hoping, and there's not much energy left in order for you to take care of the present."
A wonderful reminder to take care of the present, AND to practice my hugging meditation!
June 21, 2018
A wonderful way to relax and learn how to decompress from the stress of a day. So many helpful and centering meditations that we listen to every evening. To be heard again and again, I really liked this.
May 21, 2024
This was a delightful listen. Some things are better as an audiobook, and this was definitely one of them. Alt title: how to enjoy the mundane (which is to say how to enjoy every moment of your one and only life)
September 4, 2011
A word I usually reserve for the best compliments is one I'll use for this book: lovely.
Because "Buddhism" and "Buddhist practice" is so trendy, in my opinion, I've avoided learning more about it. Contempt prior to investigation is almost always misguided and this is the case here.
The little bits I've known about mindfulness and Buddhism have always been attractive to me, but this book has helped me realize I want to include more of it -- even begin practicing it myself -- in my daily living.
Because "Buddhism" and "Buddhist practice" is so trendy, in my opinion, I've avoided learning more about it. Contempt prior to investigation is almost always misguided and this is the case here.
The little bits I've known about mindfulness and Buddhism have always been attractive to me, but this book has helped me realize I want to include more of it -- even begin practicing it myself -- in my daily living.
August 2, 2017
This series of instructional lectures will help you to transform the abstract into the practical. Thich guides the listener through developing a daily practice in basic areas such as mindfulness, deep breathing, meditation, and how to be more consistent with loving kindness. I really appreciated how simple and practical his suggestions were throughout. More importantly, I appreciate his nature. He's very soft-spoken and compassionate yet also humorous which made these lectures even more enjoyable.
January 30, 2017
This was incredibly accessible. Thich Nhat Hanh conveys a playful, humorous discussion of the gathas (practices) of Buddhism. Think of this as an audio version of explaining yoga or weight training exercises and how each impacts your body and mind.
I found the explanations of the very simple, yet powerful exercises as enjoyable as the exercises themselves.
If I was setting up a kid's meditation class, I would look to his explanations as source material.
I found the explanations of the very simple, yet powerful exercises as enjoyable as the exercises themselves.
If I was setting up a kid's meditation class, I would look to his explanations as source material.
April 4, 2013
Seemed pretty good. I was NOT mindful while listening to this, though I listened through about 1-1/2 times. I will listen again when I can really focus on what he is saying. He does have a very soothing voice.
November 13, 2015
I'm surprised how much I enjoyed this, especially after the initial teachings about becoming like trees and mountains. Once I got into the vibe, though, I found a lot to reflect on and apply in my life.
April 12, 2016
I didn't know that this was an actual recording of him giving a speech. I was very excited when I figured that out. I ended up listening to it and then after practicing it I fell into a wonderful sleep. I think this is a great guide to mindfulness and I recommend it if you are new to mindfulness.
October 27, 2017
If you've had issues with finding mindfulness and meditation books like I have, I highly suggest Thich Nhat Hanh. I'm the fidgety anxious type and could not calm the heck down for anything to sink in until I stumbled onto his work.
April 29, 2022
Good information. Not well organized and he is hard to understand. I found myself going back and re-listening to what he said multiple times. The message is good and there is wisdom here. May not be presented in the best way for most people to get much from it.
January 3, 2017
Listen to him on audiobook
December 30, 2022
A short, profoundly sweet treatise on the benefits and joys of living with mindfulness, performed by the author.
January 21, 2020
"When we are not calm, we distort things, we can not receive the message of other people. You cannot receive the truth from other beings.
Suppose the beautiful moon in the sky wants to reflect herself in your water--the water of your pond--but the water of your pond is not calm.
How can the full moon reflect herself in you? And therefore it's not the fault of the moon, it's the fault of the water.
The refreshing moon of the Buddha is traveling in the sky of utmost emptiness.
If the pond of the mind of living beings is still, the beautiful moon will reflect itself in it."
Suppose the beautiful moon in the sky wants to reflect herself in your water--the water of your pond--but the water of your pond is not calm.
How can the full moon reflect herself in you? And therefore it's not the fault of the moon, it's the fault of the water.
The refreshing moon of the Buddha is traveling in the sky of utmost emptiness.
If the pond of the mind of living beings is still, the beautiful moon will reflect itself in it."
February 21, 2018
This audiobook contains two parts, talks given by Thich Nhat Hanh about the basic concepts of Buddhism and living mindfully.
interesting quotes:
"The present moment is the substance with which the future is made. Therefore, the best way to take care of the future is to take care of the present moment. What else can you do?"
"Love has no meaning without understanding."
interesting quotes:
"The present moment is the substance with which the future is made. Therefore, the best way to take care of the future is to take care of the present moment. What else can you do?"
"Love has no meaning without understanding."
April 17, 2022
I have admired and learned so much from Hahn’s teaching.
I audiobooked this title and found that the excerpts were recorded talks that he had been given. This format felt distracting. I thought that Hahn’s marital advice was sweet but doubted that it would help with more than a small tiff that couples might have.
It might be worth saying that I have completely loved his other books. This one just didn’t work for me.
I audiobooked this title and found that the excerpts were recorded talks that he had been given. This format felt distracting. I thought that Hahn’s marital advice was sweet but doubted that it would help with more than a small tiff that couples might have.
It might be worth saying that I have completely loved his other books. This one just didn’t work for me.
May 23, 2025
With a voice gentle and reassuring, Thich Nhat Hanh speaks to us about being in the moment. Being gentle with ourselves and others. Being compassionate. Breathing in mindfulness. He speaks of seeds of love and seeds of negativity. Which seeds will we water? How do we connect with others, those others who are really extensions of our own being? A highlight for me was his story of learning how to hug. Hugging in mindfulness and being fully present.
July 29, 2024
Consider this a quick refresher for those already familiar with awakening. Since the book is small captures of Hanh in various presentations he gave, it isn't totally thorough or organized in a logical way. I would think this format might not be as helpful for someone who isn't as familiar with presence. But, the messages are still meaningful. The last segment was the best.
August 27, 2024
I’m a fan of his work for helping me to really think critically about what matters. I feel like Americans get so caught up in things that don’t matter. And for what? Doesn’t make sense. Meditation has been a valuable part of my well-being practice for about 15 years and I’ve followed the teaching of Job Kabat Zinn which parallels well here.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 381 reviews