Thích Nhất Hạnh

Written with his signature clarity and compassion, beloved Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh shares the key principles to nurturing a clear mind. Through wise meditations and beautiful illustrations, How to Focus will help you to let go of distractions, cultivate the power of concentration and truly understand yourself, others and the wider world.

The monk who taught the world mindfulness 

How to Focus

Sam Skurka

Insight brings love, and love isn't possible without insight. If you don't understand, you can't love. This is insight, direct understanding, and not just an idea. In meditation we allow the light of that insight to shine on us. Nothing has a separate existence, a separate self. Everything has to inter-be with everything else.

Happiness is possible when we are liberated from our anger, fear, and delusion.

There is nothing to do, nowhere to go, nothing to realize, nothing to attain. Does the rose have to do something? No, the purpose of a rose is to be a rose. Your purpose is to be yourself. You contain the whole cosmos. You don't have to run after anything or become someone else. You are wonderful just as you are. Aimlessness allows us to enjoy ourselves, the blue sky, and everything that is refreshing and healing in the present moment.

Claudine

Even if your surroundings are full of noise and agitation, you can still walk in rhythm when you’re breathing. Even though the commotion of a big city, you can walk with peace, happiness, I don’t smile. Every step should be enjoyable.

This is why, when you’re walking, you do not think. If you think, the thinking, will steal your walking from you. You don’t talk, because talking will take the walking away from me. Walking like this is a pleasure. When you mindfulness in concentration or alive, careful yourself. Do not lose yourself. You walk with Grace and dignity. Without mindfulness, you may think walking as an imp position, a choke. With mindfulness, you see walking as life.

How to Focus quotes

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