Inspirational Poem by Thich Nhat Hanh

poem by Thich Naht Hanh

I love the writings and poetry of Thich Nhat Hanh. The following poem by Thich Nhat Hanh is taken from  “Call Me By My True Names”,  The Collected Poems of Thich Nhat Hanh.

I find his writings to be very peaceful and inspirational, they help me feel centred and calm, at one with all. They are a great way to start a meditation practise or to simply read to feel more relaxed, grounded and at peace.

 

Our True Heritage

The cosmos is filled with precious gems.
I want to offer a handful of them to you this morning.
Each moment you are alive is a gem,
shining through and containing earth and sky,
water and clouds.

It needs you to breathe gently
for the miracles to be displayed.
Suddenly you hear the birds singing,
the pines chanting,
see the flowers blooming,
the blue sky,
the white clouds,
the smile and the marvelous look
of your beloved.

You, the richest person on Earth,
who have been going around begging for a living,
stop being the destitute child.
Come back and claim your heritage.
We should enjoy our happiness
and offer it to everyone.
Cherish this very moment.
Let go of the stream of distress
and embrace life fully in your arms.

Thich Nhat Hanh

poem by thich nhat hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh, photo courtesy of Paul Davis

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh was a global spiritual leader, poet and peace activist, revered throughout the world for his powerful teachings and bestselling writings on mindfulness and peace.

His key teaching is that, through mindfulness, we can learn to live happily in the present moment—the only way to truly develop peace, both in one’s self and in the world.

Thich Nhat Hanh was a pioneer in bringing Buddhism to the West, founding six monasteries and dozens of practice centers in America and Europe, as well as over 1,000 local mindfulness practice communities, known as ‘sanghas’.

The above information is taken from, http://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh/biography/

 

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