Peace Begins Here: Palestinians and Israelis Listening to Each Other

by Thich Nhat Hanh

In this highly anticipated Buddhist perspective on resolving conflict, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh demonstrates how a real peace process is based on spiritual,not political strength. Inspired by an ongoing Buddhist retreat project for Israelis and Palestinians, this book offers practical ways to handle our strong emotions and misperceptions and provides a possible way out of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Peace Begins Here is rich with stories from individual Israelis and Palestinians, as well as examples from Thich Nhat Hanh’s life, including his experience with nonviolent action during the war in Vietnam and its aftermath. Highlights include personal stories from participants in the peace retreats and Thich Nhat Hanh’s collected practices for peace, including deep listening, deep relaxation, mindful walking, mindful eating, and loving speech.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Buddhism, Personal Development, Religion

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2004

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

[Roxane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exercice de relaxation profonde
"En inspirant, portez votre attention sur votre cœur. En expirant, détendez votre cœur. Nous avons négligé notre cœur pendant très longtemps par notre façon de travailler, de manger, de nous angoisser et de stresser. Notre cœur bat pour nous jour et nuit. Embrassez votre cœur avec tendresse et pleine conscience. " (P. 165-166)

Les activités du quotidien en pleine conscience - la marche, la vaisselle "lavez chaque bol, chaque plat, comme si vous laviez le le bébé Bouddha", les repas :
« Nous qui vivons en Amérique du Nord et en Europe, nous sommes habitués à manger des céréales et d’autres denrées portées du tiers-monde, comme du café de Colombie, du chocolat du Ghana ou du riz parfumé de Thaïlande. Nous devons être conscients que les enfants de ces pays, à l’exception de ceux qui vivent dans des familles riches, ne voient jamais ces produits. Ils mangent des denrées de qualité inférieure, tandis que les meilleurs produits sont réservés à l’exportation pour rapporter des devises.
[…] Peut-être qu’un jour nous trouverons les moyens de vivre plus simplement afin d’avoir plus de temps et d’énergie pour faire quelque chose afin de changer le système d’injustice qui existe dans le monde. » (P.157)

« Méditer c’est se calmer et regarder profondément la nature de sa souffrance ».

L'art et le pouvoir de l'écoute profonde en quête de pacifisme ; être calme est nécessaire afin de garder la compassion vivante, écouter l’autre pour l’aider à moins souffrir ; maintenir notre « énergie de compassion de telle sorte que la graine de la souffrance ne soit pas touchée. » (p. 162)

L'usage du langage, s'essayer au discours de bonté aimante ; « Choisir nos paroles avec soin » pour ne pas blesser, ou se taire et méditer pour retrouver le calme...

[Rory Carr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Potentially a powerful and important book. Thich Nhat Hanh offers here his approach to conflict resolution both on personal and international levels. Palestinians and Israelis he has brought together give their testimonies of their own paths to peace. It could all be very trite and naive but Hanh also shares his practical experiences of working for peace and resisting imperialism in his home country of Vietnam. The question remains if such an approach is sufficient to tackle deeply seated political problems, and if it can be scaled up to larger populations.
At the end of the book are a set of exercises and practices to bring some mindfulness and deep listening into your own life.

[Nadav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Improved my understanding of meditation & how I think, along with tangible methods for fostering peace around us & inside of us too

[Nicole]

this was for school....

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very helpful tips for a happier life. It doesn't matter that he wrote it for the middle east fighting nations--you can use the tips in every day life.

[Christie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book to read when it's time for some self reflection.