Touching the Earth

Quotes from Thich Nhat Hahn (2004) ISBN 1888375418

"I have been lucky enough to be instructed in the practice. Yet so often I am just like someone who knows nothing. I walk, stand, speak and smile in forgetfulness. I promise … to do better so that in every moment of my daily life I give rise to more mindfulness and right concentration." (P18)

"Although I have learned of the impermanent nature of everything that is, and I myself have spoken eloquently about it to others, I still have the habit of acting as if everything is permanent and I am a separate self. (p22)

"… you have taught me not to regret the past or lose myself in anxiety and fear about the future. Around me I see many of us who are losing ourselves in our worries and fears. This anxiety stops us from being able to dwell peacefully and live deeply in the present moment. I have the right and ability to make plans for the future, but it is not necessary to lose myself in my worries about it." (p30)

"Practicing mindfulness, I can recognize what is happening in the present without grasping or aversion. I can practice mere recognition of what is going on within me and around me. This helps me to keep stability and freedom alive within myself … When the mental formation of attachment arises I shall be aware that attachment is arising. I shall smile and recognise everything that is happening in the present moment without being anxious or having a complex, whether that complex is one of superiority, inferiority, or equality." (p32)

"I vow that I shall not consume any products that are toxic, whether food or drink, books, magazines, films, music or conversation." (p36)

"… I know that I still have so many wrong perceptions that prevent me from seeing things as they really are. I promise that from now on I shall practice looking deeply to see that the majority of my suffering arises from my ideas and perceptions. I shall not blame others when I suffer, but shall return to myself and recognize the source of my suffering in my misperceptions and my lack of deep understanding. I shall practice looking deeply, letting go of wrong perceptions and helping other people let go of their wrong perceptions so that they can overcome their suffering." (p42)

"Looking deeply I see that there is no phenomenon that is not wonderful: the drop of dew, the blade of grass, the ray of sunlight, a cloud, or a flash of lightning." (p46)

"I promise that I shall organize my daily life so that whenever I need to go somewhere on foot I shall walk mindfully, whether the distance I need to go is near or far. I shall walk mindfully whenever I walk from my bedroom to the bathroom, from the kitchen to the toilet, from the ground floor to the upper floor, from the door to the parking lot. In the forest, by the bank of the river, in the airport, or in the market, wherever I am I shall apply the practice of walking meditation." (p40)

"With mindful breathing I shall look deeply into my perceptions and other mental formations when they manifest. I shall look deeply into their roots so that I can see where they have come from." (p52)

"Many of us are always in a hurry. We hurry to finish one thing to do something else, and one task always follows another. If we have nothing to do we cannot bear it so we fill our time with countless projects and errands. One hundred years flash past like a dream. I do not want to live my life like that. I want to live at ease and deeply every moment of my daily life. I want to practice living happily in the present moment. I want to do less work, and work in such a way that every moment of my work brings me joy." (p78)

"I shall organise my life so that I shall have enough time and energy to cook in a leisurely and peaceful way." (p81)

"I vow to practice living simply, not consuming too much, so that I do not have to spend too much time making a living … I vow not to immerse myself in many different occupations, taking on additional jobs to earn a little bit more money. I vow that I shall not look for  happiness in being busy and consuming." (p83)