BOOK INFORMATION:
Book Title: How To Love (Mindfulness Essentials #3)
Author: Thich Nhat Hanh
Publishing Date: December 30th 2014
Publisher: Parallax Press
Page Count: 128 pages
Source: Purchased at a small bookstore
The third title in Parallax’s Mindfulness Essentials Series of how-to titles by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, How to Love introduces beginners and reminds seasoned practitioners of the essentials of mindfulness practice.
This time Nhat Hanh brings his signature clarity, compassion, and humor to the thorny question of how to love and distills one of our strongest emotions down to four essentials: you can only love another when you feel true love for yourself; love is understanding; understanding brings compassion; and deep listening and loving speech are key ways of showing our love.
Featuring original illustrations by Jason DeAntonis, How to Love shows that when we feel closer to our loved ones, we are also more connected to the world as a whole. With sections on Love vs. Need, Being in Love, Reverence, Intimacy, Children and Family, Reconciling with Parents, and more, How to Love includes meditations readers can do alone or with a partner to expand their capacity to love. This comprehensive guide to understanding the many different kinds of love also includes meditative practices that expand the understanding of and capacity for love, appropriate for those practicing in any spiritual tradition, whether seasoned practitioners or new to meditation.
This time Nhat Hanh brings his signature clarity, compassion, and humor to the thorny question of how to love and distills one of our strongest emotions down to four essentials: you can only love another when you feel true love for yourself; love is understanding; understanding brings compassion; and deep listening and loving speech are key ways of showing our love.
Featuring original illustrations by Jason DeAntonis, How to Love shows that when we feel closer to our loved ones, we are also more connected to the world as a whole. With sections on Love vs. Need, Being in Love, Reverence, Intimacy, Children and Family, Reconciling with Parents, and more, How to Love includes meditations readers can do alone or with a partner to expand their capacity to love. This comprehensive guide to understanding the many different kinds of love also includes meditative practices that expand the understanding of and capacity for love, appropriate for those practicing in any spiritual tradition, whether seasoned practitioners or new to meditation.
Links for purchase: Amazon // Barnes and Noble
MY THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK:
Would it be wrong to ask that every person read this book? I found this to be exactly what I needed to read. I can’t imagine anyone that doesn’t need to read this. I have read this twice this year and come out with so many insights.
To start Thich Nhat Hanh is such a wise man. His words are so deep and I am so thankful that he decided to write this book, it was like it was written just for me. I literally had tears in my eyes as I was reading this.
I love the way this book is set up. This book is broken down into multiple sections and titles, which means that readers can be more aware and mindful of what they are reading. It really gives you the ability to practice mindfulness, and the teaches inside this book. It also allows you to really reflect on the words and meanings behind them. This book is easy to navigate through and is quite small but is perfect to through in a bag and reference whenever you need.
Throughout the whole book, I was forced to examine my relationships both romantic and platonic. As well as examine my current relationships. I really was able to do some self examination and realize my failure or mistakes that I have made. It was eye opening to realize when I handled a situation wrong, or was a bad friend. It allowed me to make goals about how to fix those or prevent the same mistake in the future. I can see this book helping me grow in the future. It showed me how my individual actions have caused those around me to suffer or be happy.
It taught me a lot about how to practice mindfulness, which is a goal I have for my self this year. It taught me how to nourish myself so that I can nourish my relationships and friends.
All in all, a book that every human being should read.
A LITTLE ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Thích Nhất Hạnh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet and peace activist who now lives in southwest France where he was in exile for many years. Born Nguyễn Xuân Bảo, Thích Nhất Hạnh joined a Zen (Vietnamese: Thiền) monastery at the age of 16, and studied Buddhism as a novitiate. Upon his ordination as a monk in 1949, he assumed the Dharma name Thích Nhất Hạnh. Thích is an honorary family name used by all Vietnamese monks and nuns, meaning that they are part of the Shakya (Shakyamuni Buddha) clan. He is often considered the most influential living figure in the lineage of Lâm Tế (Vietnamese Rinzai) Thiền, and perhaps also in Zen Buddhism as a whole.
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