How to Live: Boxed Set of the Mindfulness Essentials Series

Mindfulness Essentials #1-5

by Thich Nhat Hanh, Jason DeAntonis (Illustrator)

The five bestselling handbooks of Thich Nhat Hanh's Mindfulness Essentials Series, How to Sit, How to Eat, How to Walk, How to Love , and How to Relax , are collected together for the first time in a beautifully designed gift box. The box contains all five titles in their original trade paperback editions, each printed with a different highlight color.

The Mindfulness Essentials Series by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh will introduce beginners and remind seasoned practitioners of the essentials of mindfulness practice. The five books are pocket-sized with bold drawings by California artist Jason DeAntonis, each in a different highlight color. When the spines are lined up in this handsome gift box, the presentation is striking. The books provide explicit, simple directions for carrying out everyday activities with the focused awareness of mindful attention.

Every title in the series has appeared on each of the regional independent bestseller lists, and individual titles have appeared on The New York Times extended list, the NPR bestseller list, and others. The popular blog Brain Pickings has featured How to Love on its landing page for months, among Maria Popova's "favorite reads." She writes, "In accordance with the general praxis of Buddhist teachings, Nhat Hanh delivers distilled infusions of clarity, using elementary language and metaphor to address the most elemental concerns of the soul."

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Spirituality

616 pages, Paperback

Published December 13, 2016

About the author

Thích 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.

Reviews

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Box set has five books: How to Love, How to Relax, How to Eat, How to Sit and How to Walk. Each book deals with how to do each topic in a mindful way. Good way to start a practice of non-practice.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are snack-sized tidbits of TNH's writings in cutely themed little books with charming illustrations. These make for nice toilet or bedtime reading (in fact, I think it would be both hilarious and true to the dharma if How to Sleep and How to Poop were additional titles). No heavy philosophy here, but these are as good an introduction to mindfulness practice as any.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed these as an introduction to my mindfulness journey, but some were really repetitive. Of all of them the best by far was “How to Love” and I’d give that one four or five stars. It was insightful and fresh and inspired kindness and practice. Maybe I didn’t connect with the others as much because I read them afterward and they couldn’t hold up to that one. This was my first go at reading Thich Nhat Hanh, so I’ll have to give some more of his writing a try and see how I connect with it.

[Nhi Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written, attractively illustrated, and highly practical. I would like to give this boxed set of the Mindfulness Essential Series to any of my friends who want to delve into mindfulness.