A00138 - Book of the Month for March 2023: The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh

When I awoke on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, my "A Year of Zen" calendar the following quote

"You may wonder if the most wonderful moments of your life are already behind you.  Or you may think the happiest moment of your life is still to come.  But this is the moment we have been waiting for."

This quote is attributed to Thich Nhat Hanh, the author of The Miracle of Mindfulness.  As the cover of The Miracle of Mindfulness notes "In this beautiful and lucid guide, Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh offers gentle anecdotes and practical exercises as a means of learning the skills of mindfulness -- being awake and fully aware. From washing the dishes to answering the phone to peeling an orange, he reminds us that each moment holds within it an opportunity to work toward greater self-understanding and peacefulness."

One of the beautiful aspects of Thich Nhat Hanh's book is that it provides a path to salvation that lies in simply learning how to walk, learning how to sit, and learning how to breathe.    

For those who seek a more self-understanding and peacefulness, I heartily recommend The Miracle of Mindfulness.  However, for a daily dose of Thich Nhat Hanh I recommend Your True Home: The Everyday Wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh.  Here are some of the reasons why:

"Your true home is in the here and the now.  It is not limited by time, space, nationality, or race. Your true home is not an abstract idea; it is something you can touch and live in every moment.  With mindfulness and concentration, the energies of the Buddha, you can find your true home in the full relaxation of your mind and body in the present moment."

"Around us, life bursts forth with miracles -- a glass of water, a ray of sunshine, a leaf, a caterpillar, a flower, laughter, raindrops.  If you live in awareness, it is easy to see miracles everywhere.  Each human being is a multiplicity of miracles. Eyes that see thousands of colors, shapes, and forms; ears that hear a bee flying or a thunderclap; a brain that ponders a speck of dust as easily as the entire cosmos; a heart that beats in rhythm with the heartbeat of all beings.  When we are tired and feel discouraged by life's daily struggles, we may not notice these miracles, but they are always there."

"We have to awaken ourselves to the truth that we are here, alive.  We are here making steps on this beautiful planet.  This is already performing a miracle.  But we have to be here in order for the miracle to be possible.  We have to bring ourselves back to the here and the now.  Therefore, each step we take becomes a miracle.  If you are able to walk like that, each step will be very nourishing and healing.  You walk as if you kiss the earth with your feet, as if you massage the earth with your feet. There is a lot of love in that practice of walking meditation."

Peace,

Everett "Skip" Jenkins

Fairfield, California

March 27, 2023