Synopses & Reviews
Developed during a summer retreat at Plum Village, Thich Nhat Hanh's meditation center, these charming short verses were collected to help children and adults practice mindfulness throughout the day. The verses, or gathas, are designed to make everyday activities such as washing the dishes, driving the car, or turning on the television opportunities to return to a state of mindfulness. As exercises in both meditation and poetry, gathas are very much in keeping with the Zen tradition: the gatha helps readers become attuned to each action, and at its conclusion, even the most mundane activity is imbued with heightened awareness. Reciting these poetic yet practical verses helps readers slow down and savor every moment. Nhat Hanhs warm, thoughtful commentary provides insight and inspiration.
Synopsis
Reading these poetic and practical verses can help us slow down and enjoy each moment of our lives. There are verses for waking up to "twenty-four brand new hours," taking a shower, answering the telephone, and starting the car. "Present Moment Wonderful Moment is an inspiring handbook of mindfulness poems for everyday life.
Synopsis
Developed during a summer retreat in Plum Village, Thich Nhat Hanh's meditation center in France, these poetic verses were collected to help children and adults practice mindfulness. The result is a handbook of practical, yet down-to-earth verses. These gathas, or mindfulness verses, poetic verse designed to use ordinary daily activities such as washing the dishes, driving the car, or standing in line, as an opportunity to return to a state of mindfulness.
Reciting these poetic, yet practical verses can help us to slow down and enjoy each moment of our lives.
When we focus our mind on a gatha, we return to ourselves and become more aware of each action. When the gatha ends, we continue our activity with heightened awareness. As exercises in both mediation and poetry, gathas are very much in keeping with the Zen tradition. When you memorize a gatha, it will come to you quite naturally, for example, when you turn on the water or drink a cup of tea.