Podcast
On Being with Krista Tippett
It was initially written as a manual for young monks and nuns facing daily death during wartime in Vietnam, later translated into English and shared widely in the West for its helpful meditation practices.
That was the practice that kept us alive, helped us to survive. And the miracle of mindfulness was written for our social workers first in Vietnam because they were living in a situation where the dan...
— Episode: Remembering Thich Nhat Hanh, Brother Tha...
Episode: Remembering Thich Nhat Hanh, Brother Thay
It was initially written as a manual for young monks and nuns facing daily death during wartime in Vietnam, later translated into English and shared widely in the West for its helpful meditation practices.
That was the practice that kept us alive, helped us to survive. And the miracle of mindfulness was written for our social workers first in Vietnam because they were living in a situation where the danger of dying was there every day.
What is the Vietnamese word that you're translating as mindfulness? What are the connotations of that, I wonder? Chanh niem.
Chanh niem means true mindfulness. And niem means your mind fully present in the here and the now.
Your mindfulness is when you are mindful, you are fully alive, you are fully present. You can get in touch with the wonders of life that can nourish you and heal you. And you are stronger, you are more solid in order to handle the suffering inside of you and around you.
It is in my heart when I use it. Because when you breathe in, your mind comes back to your body and then you become fully aware that you are alive, that you are a miracle and everything you touch could be a miracle.
Episode: [Unedited] Thich Nhat Hanh with Krista Tippett
It was initially written as a manual for social workers in Vietnam facing daily dangers during the war; later, it was translated into English and found to be helpful to many in the West.
That was the practice that kept us alive, helped us to survive. And The Miracle of Mindfulness was written for our social workers first in Vietnam because they were living in a situation where the danger of dying was there every day.
So out of compassion, out of the willingness to help them to continue their work, The Miracle of Mindfulness was written as a manual practice. And after that, many friends in the West, they think that it is helpful for them.
It is in my heart when I use it. Because when you breathe in, your mind comes back to your body. And then you become fully aware that you are alive, that you are a miracle.