Thich Nhat Hanh is one of my favorite authors, teachers and spiritual leaders. He was born in the Quang Ngai province, Vietnam on October 11, 1926 and came to the U.S. to study in 1960. Thich Nhat Hanh returned to Vietnam in 1963 to help his fellow monks in their non-violent peace efforts during the Vietnam War and eventually formed the Sweet Potatoes Meditation Center in 1975. He has become one of the most influential Zen Buddhist monks in the 20th & 21st century through his active teaching and writings. The humbleness and the simplicity in his teachings capture his student audiences around the globe.

Here are some quotes by Thich Nhat Hanh. I hope they bring you spiritual peace and enlightenment as you travel through the journey of life.

“So if we love someone, we should train in being able to listen. By listening with calm and understanding, we can ease the suffering of another person.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

The essence of love and compassion is understanding, the ability to recognize the physical, material, and psychological suffering of others, to put ourselves "inside the skin" of the other. We "go inside" their body, feelings, and mental formations, and witness for ourselves their suffering. Shallow observation as an outsider is not enough to see their suffering. We must become one with the subject of our observation. When we are in contact with another's suffering, a feeling of compassion is born in us. Compassion means, literally, "to suffer with." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“When we come into contact with the other person, our thoughts and actions should express our mind of compassion, even if that person says and does things that are not easy to accept. We practice in this way until we see clearly that our love is not contingent upon the other person being lovable.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes. All is a miracle.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“Life can be found only in the present moment. The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“Live your daily life in a way that you never lose yourself. When you are carried away with your worries, fears, cravings, anger, and desire, you run away from yourself and you lose yourself. The practice is always to go back to oneself.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

May your heart be filled with peace and love.

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