Honoring the Life of Thich Nhat Hanh
On January 22, 2022, Thich Nhat Hanh, a zen Buddhist monk, peace activist, and the man often described as the “father of mindfulness,” passed away at the age of 95, in his home country of Vietnam. Of course, mindfulness is a centuries-old practice core to the Buddhist tradition. But Thich Nhat Hanh had a beautiful way of speaking about the practice, and that made him one of the most popular teachers on the subject in the west.
Thich Nhat Hanh dedicated his life to the study of Zen Buddhism from the age of 16. After he became a monk, he began to push for reform of the Buddhist Studies curriculum in Vietnam, believing that it was important for the teachings to evolve along with the rest of the world.
His teachings were characterized by simplicity, compassion, and a reverence for joy, and helped to make the practice of mindfulness more accessible for everyone and applicable to today’s way of life. Below are a few of the things that I feel made his work so special.
He supported beginners.
Thich Nhat Hanh developed mindfulness practices to help his students and social workers stay resilient during the turmoil of the Vietnam War, and began sharing those practices with the West in the early 1970s. These practices were simple, easy to understand, and accessible even for those who did not feel able to sit in the traditional style of meditation: practices like mindful teeth-brushing, mindful dishwashing, awareness of the breath and body, and the tangerine meditation all honored the core essence of Zen, but didn’t require years in a monastery to master. And he continued to find ways to share these practices with populations who could greatly benefit from it, but may not normally be inclined to pursue it, developing programs like ‘Happy Teachers Change the World’ and offering summer mindfulness programs for kids.
He valued the role of the body.
Thich Nhat Hanh saw mind and body as two faces of one reality and recognized the importance of listening to, and finding ease in, the body. While many contemplative practices encourage the minimization of sensory input, Thich Nhat Hanh encouraged us to embrace it. His mindfulness practice is an embodied one, emphasizing walking meditations, mindful movement, and exploration of sensory experience.
“Sometimes the spirit leads, and sometimes the body can lead.”
He saw mindfulness as a path, not a tool.
Yoga teachers love to talk about bringing our practice “off the mat.” Thich Nhat Hanh was a shining example of this ethos. Today, mindfulness is often taught as a way to ‘get’ something: healing, success, wealth. Heck, I’ve even tried to entice others to the practice of mindfulness by sharing all of the benefits they might gain! Thich Nhat Hanh, however, was very clear that this practice is intended to be a way of life, coloring the way we consume, relate, speak, and work. When we approach all of our actions with the energy of mindfulness, then we can bring happiness and wellbeing to the collective, rather than just chasing after our own personal goals.
He emphasized the importance of community. . .
Speaking of the collective, Thich Nhat Hanh made it clear that an awareness of our interbeing (the concept that we are connected not only to each other, but also every piece of the environment around us) is an essential piece of this practice. While mindfulness may seem like an individual practice when we sit for meditation, it is at its heart a collective one. Buddhism brings to light our interconnectedness: showing us that our way of life affects everyone. Therefore we must choose our actions mindfully, both or the good of ourselves AND for the good of the whole, which in truth are one and the same. Thich Nhat Hanh often talked about how cultivating our own peace and joy transforms the communities in which we live, and shared teachings on loving speech, deep listening, and respect for others.
“Each moment is a chance for us to make peace with the world, to make peace possible for the world, to make happiness possible for the world.”
. . . and collective action.
Thich Nhat Hanh prioritized the humanitarian aspect of Buddhist philosophy. This was no ‘navel-gazing’ monk: he taught that taking personal action to address the very real problems plaguing our planet is our duty as human beings. He saw shifting our inner being toward love, peace, and mindfulness as “a very urgent thing” that had the power to directly challenge the wrongs we see in the world. He felt that our mindfulness practice must include not just awareness of our breath, of our bodies, of our thoughts, but also of the happenings in the world around us. He hope to show people how to become more resilient so they could meet the suffering in the world with compassion, as well as a belief in their power to change it.
He understood the power of a smile.
Tich Nhat Hanh deeply believed in the importance of smiling, so much so that it can be found as a core component of many of his meditations. This is not intended to be fake, to help us avoid our emotions, or to ‘spiritually bypass’ suffering. Instead, it is an example of a body-led practice: one done with the understanding that our emotions often respond to the actions of our body. An external smile, or even the internal visualization of one, can create a sense of softening and expansion just as powerfully as working with the breath. In his words:
“Life is both dreadful and wonderful. To practice meditation is to be in touch with both aspects. Please do not think we must be solemn in order to meditate. In fact, to meditate well, we have to smile.”
Resources
Interested in learning more about Thich Nhat Hanh’s life and work? Here are a few places you can start.
Plum Village is a collection of monasteries and practice centers located around the world, as well as the international community that has grown out of them.
A written biography of his life
A short compilation of his quotes, by the New York Times
Thich Nhat Hanh has written over 100 books in English. Below are a few highlights. For a more thorough selection, visit the Plum Village website
A book that distills the essence of Buddhist thought and practice and shares basic practices that teach us to live in the present moment.
Appropriate for both new and experienced practitioners, this book offers practices for incorporating mindfulness into daily life.
Buddhist advice for handling anger and healing the damage it can create.
A practical blueprint for peaceful inner change and global change.