57 Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes on Mindfulness (To Live a More Meaningful Life)

Last Updated on February 23, 2020

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Want to hear some great quotes on mindfulness, one of the best people to listen to (or read from) is Thich Nhat Hanh.

Thich Nhat Hanh quotes on mindfulness are plentiful.

He has been writing books about peace and mindfulness for decades. In fact, Thich has been called the, “Father of Mindfulness” for the sheer immensity of work he has done in that area.

​(Sidebar: If you'd to learn more about building the mindfulness habit, I recommend checking out this year-long physical journal that has 365 daily prompts.)

Thich currently is the leader of a network of over 600 monks and nuns, who in turn teach mindfulness to thousands of lay students around the world. Spreading his words of peace, nonviolence, mindfulness, community & love around the world.

In addition to being noted for his amazing contribution to the mindfulness movement. Thich has been a long term fighter for equality & nonviolence. In fact, Martin Luther King Jr. once referred to Thich as “an apostle of peace and nonviolence”.

Thich was born to humble beginnings in central Vietnam in 1926. He began his training as a Buddhist at only 16 years old. In the 1960s he began to gain notice for his teachings on engaged Buddhism. (Also known as Humanistic Buddhism). His idea was that, Buddhists needed to be more than just contemplative. They needed to share and promote their wisdom to the world, trying to make changes for the better.

In nearly 90 years of life, Thich has shown himself, again-and-again, to live to these high ideals of promoting change through nonviolence, education and love.

Throughout his life. Thich has been a teacher. He has constantly engaged himself in the peace movement around the world. Once being nominated for a Nobel peace prize by none other than Dr. Martin Luther King.

He has run the West’s largest and most active Buddhist monastery, Plum Village. Where thousands of people come to learn,  “practices such as walking meditation, sitting meditation, eating meditation, total relaxation, working meditation and stopping, smiling, and breathing mindfully. “

He has founded the “Wake Up” movement. Which helps young people to receive training on the art of mindfulness and meditation.

Then of course, there are dozens of books he has written on mindfulness, meditation, peace and more. Thich has been an active writer for many years and his books (and the ideas held into them) may be the crowning jewel of a life spent in service to making the world a better place.

These Thich Nhat Hanh quotes are almost exclusively taken from sections of his many books. If you like these mindfulness quotes. Why not check out some of the Thich Nhat Hanh books at the bottom of the page and experience some of the wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh for yourself.

But enough about the great man. Let's get to the goodies. Some great Thich Nhat Hanh quotes, starting below.

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes on Compassion

“Look at flowers, butterflies, trees, and children with the eyes of compassion. Compassion will change your life and make it wonderful.”

“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?”

“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.”

“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 Quotes about Life

“Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.”

“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”

“We are all the leaves of one tree. We are all the waves of one sea.”

“We have to learn to live our life as a human being deeply. We need to live each breath deeply so that we have peace, joy and freedom as we breathe.”

“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.”

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes on Meditation and Enlightenment

“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.”

“Sitting in meditation is nourishment for your spirit and nourishment for your body, as well.”

“To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is.”

“My actions are my only true belongings.”

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes about Joy and Happiness

“If we are not happy, if we are not peaceful, we cannot share peace and happiness with others, even those we love, those who live under the same roof. If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace.”

“The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.”

“It is possible to live happily in the here and now. So many conditions of happiness are available—more than enough for you to be happy right now. You don't have to run into the future in order to get more.”

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes about Living in the Present Moment

“Life is available only in the present moment.”

“No one has ever lived in the past or the future, only the now.”

“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.”

“While you are walking, smile and be in the here and now, and you will transform that place into paradise.”

“Yesterday is already gone. Tomorrow is not yet here. Today is the only day available to us; it is the most important day of our lives.”

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes on Love

“If you love someone but rarely make yourself available to him or her, that is not true love.”

“In true love, you attain freedom.”

“Patience is the mark of true love. If you truly love someone, you will be more patient with that person.”

“True love always brings joy to ourselves and to the one we love. If our love does not bring joy to both of us, it is not true love.”

“When you love someone, the best thing you can offer is your presence. How can you love if you are not there?”

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes about True Freedom

“Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything – anger, anxiety, or possessions – we cannot be free.” 

“Buddhism teaches that joy and happiness arise from letting go. Please sit down and take an inventory of your life. There are things you’ve been hanging on to that really are not useful and deprive you of your freedom. Find the courage to let them go.”

“Not talking, by itself, already can bring a significant degree of peace. If we can also offer ourselves the deeper silence of not thinking, we can find, in that quiet, a wonderful lightness and freedom.”

(If you're interested in discussions about true freedom and other philosophical topics, here's a list of our favorite philosophy podcasts.)

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes about Mindfulness

“Every one of us already has the seed of mindfulness. The practice is to cultivate it.”

“For things to reveal themselves to us, we need to be ready to abandon our views about them.”

“If while washing dishes, we think only of the cup of tea that awaits us, thus hurrying to get the dishes out of the way as if they were a nuisance, then we are not “washing the dishes to wash the dishes.” What's more, we are not alive during the time we are washing the dishes. In fact we are completely incapable of realizing the miracle of life while standing at the sink. If we can't wash the dishes, the chances are we won't be able to drink our tea either. While drinking the cup of tea, we will only be thinking of other things, barely aware of the cup in our hands. Thus we are sucked away into the future -and we are incapable of actually living one minute of life.”

“Mindfulness is like that—it is the miracle which can call back in a flash our dispersed mind and restore it to wholeness so that we can live each minute of life.”

“The energies of mindfulness, concentration and insight can liberate us from our anxiety and worries. We let go of the past and the future, and come in touch with the wonders of the present.”

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes about Taking Calming Breaths

“Anger is like a storm rising up from the bottom of your consciousness. When you feel it coming, turn your focus to your breath.”

“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.”

“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” 

“Your breathing should flow gracefully, like a river, like a water snake crossing the water, and not like a chain of rugged mountains or the gallop of a horse. To master our breath is to be in control of our bodies and minds. Each time we find ourselves dispersed and find it difficult to gain control of ourselves by different means, the method of watching the breath should always be used.”

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes about Learning

“We need to be aware of the suffering, but retain our clarity, calmness, and strength so we can help transform the situation.”

“We have to continue to learn. We have to be open. And we have to be ready to release our knowledge in order to come to a higher understanding of reality.”

“There are thousands of channels in our consciousness; it is up to us to choose the channel.”

Thich Nhat Hanh Quotes about Anger and Violence

“People suffer because they are caught in their views. As soon as we release those views, we are free and we don't suffer anymore.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.”

“People kill and are killed because they cling too tightly to their own beliefs and ideologies. When we believe that ours is the only faith that contains the truth, violence and suffering will surely be the result.” 

​“Preventing war is much better than protesting against the war. Protesting the war is too late.”

​Finally, if you'd to learn more about building the mindfulness habit, I recommend checking out this year-long physical journal that has 365 daily prompts.

Books by Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh Classics 

Thich Nhat Hanh explains how to acquire the skills of mindfulness and how even simple acts like washing the dishes or drinking a cup of tea may be transformed into acts of meditation.	Old Path White Clouds presents the life and teachings of Gautama Buddha retold by Thich Nhat Hanh in his inimitably beautiful style.	Thich Nhat Hanh shows us how to make positive use of the very situations that usually pressure and antagonize us. He teaches the process of keeping our consciousness alive to our present experience and reality.
Thich Nhat Hanh brings his warmth and clarity to this unique explication of Zen Buddhism. He illustrates the character of Zen as practiced in Vietnam, and gives the reader clear explanations of the central elements of Zen practice and philosophy.	Thich Nhat Hanh offers an insightful guide to living a fuller life. He illuminates how each of us can incorporate the practice of mindfulness into our every waking moment.	The book describes the four methods of mindfulness: mindfulness of the body, the feelings, the mind, and the object of mind. It teaches how to deal with anger and jealousy, to nurture the best qualities in our children, spouse, and friends, and to greet death with compassion and equanimity.
In lucid, meditative prose, he explores the crossroads of compassion and holiness at which the two traditions (Buddhism and Christianity) meet, and he reawakens our understanding of both.	Thich Nhat Hanh shows the way to overcome our recurrent obstacles to love—by learning to be mindful, open, and present with ourselves and others. This guide to loving also introduces the four key aspects of love described in the Buddhist tradition—loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and freedom.	The book provides indispensable insight on the essentials of Buddhist thought and offers a range of simple, everyday practices for cultivating mindfulness. These teachings empower us to witness the wonder of life and transform our suffering, both within us and around us, into compassion, tenderness, and peace in this very moment.

Thich Nhat Hanh's Mindfulness Essentials

The Mindfulness Essentials Series by Thich Nhat Hanh offers clear, simple directions and inspiration for anyone wanting to explore mindfulness meditation in its many forms. These pocket-sized books are perfect for those brand new to mindfulness as well as for those looking to deepen their spiritual practice.

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