Thich Nhat Hanh on
How to Be Present
This Saturday, October 11, marks the 99th anniversary of the birth of
Thich Nhat Hanh, one of the most important spiritual teachers of our
time. Though he passed away in 2022, his teachings continue to lead
countless people towards a life of mindfulness, joy, and finding peace
in the present moment.
Thich Nhat Hanh has often been referred to as “the father of
mindfulness.” In his 95 years, he made a global impact as a teacher,
author, activist, and founder of the Engaged Buddhism movement.
“I define mindfulness as the practice of being fully present and alive, body and mind united,” he writes in “ This Moment Is Perfect.”
“Mindfulness is the energy that helps us to know what is going on in
the present moment. I drink water and I know that I am drinking the
water. Drinking the water is what is happening.”
“When we drink water mindfully,” he continues, “we concentrate on
drinking. If we are concentrated, life is deep, and we have more joy and
stability... When we do things this way, concentration grows. When
concentration grows, we gain insight into our lives.”
These words capture the essence of so much of what Thich Nhat Hanh
taught us — that mindfulness can be found in any moment, whether
cooking, cleaning, walking, or pouring tea. His practice community, Plum Village, carries that wisdom forward.
As we remember his life and teachings this weekend, we’re invited to
return, again and again, to the present moment. Below, you’ll find three
of his teachings on arriving fully here. May they each inspire you to
find the power of presence.
—Lilly Greenblatt, digital editor, Lion’s Roar
For more wisdom on being in the present moment, join our October
resident teacher, Mary Stancavage, on Thursday, October 16 for “Be In the Moment,” a live event for Lion’s Roar members.
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There is only one moment for you to be alive, and that is the present
moment, says Thich Nhat Hanh. Go back to the present moment and live
this moment deeply, and you’ll be free.
The quality of our practice depends on its energy of mindfulness and
concentration. I define mindfulness as the practice of being fully
present and alive, body and mind united. Mindfulness is the energy that
helps us to know what is going on in the present moment. I drink water
and I know that I am drinking the water. Drinking the water is what is
happening.
Mindfulness brings concentration. When we drink water mindfully, we
concentrate on drinking. If we are concentrated, life is deep, and we
have more joy and stability. We can drive mindfully, we can cut carrots
mindfully, we can shower mindfully. When we do things this way,
concentration grows. When concentration grows, we gain insight into our
lives.
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The late Thich Nhat Hanh emphasized the practice of mindful walking as a
profound way to deepen our connection with our body and the earth. Read
on and learn how to breathe, take a mindful step, and come back to your
true home.
Each mindful breath, each mindful step, reminds us that we are alive on
this beautiful planet. We don’t need anything else. It is wonderful
enough just to be alive, to breathe in, and to make one step. We have
arrived at where real life is available—the present moment. If we
breathe and walk in this way, we become as solid as a mountain.
There are those of us who have a comfortable house, but we don’t feel
that we are at home. We don’t want for anything, and yet we don’t feel
at home. All of us are looking for our solid ground, our true home. The
earth is our true home and it is always there, beneath us and around us.
Breathe, take a mindful step, and arrive. We are already at home.
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The late Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh teaches five simple exercises to help you live with joy.
Most people are forgetful; they are not really there a lot of the time.
Their mind is caught in their worries, their fears, their anger, and
their regrets, and they are not mindful of being there. That state of
being is called forgetfulness—you are there but you are not there. You
are caught in the past or in the future. You are not there in the
present moment, living your life deeply. That is forgetfulness.
The opposite of forgetfulness is mindfulness. Mindfulness is when you
are truly there, mind and body together. You breathe in and out
mindfully, you bring your mind back to your body, and you are there.
When your mind is there with your body, you are established in the
present moment. Then you can recognize the many conditions of happiness
that are in you and around you, and happiness just comes naturally.
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