Dwelling in Peace

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, known as Thay by his followers, is famous for his teachings on happiness. One of his teachings is that happiness and suffering inter-are. That is, happiness and suffering are interdependent on each other. You can’t have one without the other.

Many of us exist in a state of constant suffering. We may be suffering from pain or illness. We may be suffering from the loss of a loved one. We may be suffering because we lost our job and don’t know where the next meal is coming from.

But Thay takes a different point of view on suffering. He says,

“Don’t ignore you suffering but don’t forget to enjoy the wonders of life.”

Calligraphy by Thich Nhat Hanh

I like what the Buddha said in in the Discourse on Happiness:

“To live in the world,
With your heart undisturbed by the world,
With all sorrows ended, dwelling in peace —
This is the greatest happiness”.

Thich Nhat Hanh also said,

“We can find happiness whatever situation we are thrown into. Wherever we may go, we will feel strong and solid. The solidity comes from the practice.”

Elsewhere, he said something like, “Happiness exists only in the present moment.’

I think people look for happiness in all the wrong places. Instead of dwelling in peace in the present moment, breathing in and breathing out mindfully, they are looking for money, sex, power, and the good life. Little do they know that they can only be happy in the here and in the now.

I am happy to share these thoughts with you in hopes of inspiring you to establish a daily meditation practice if you don’t have one. This can become a focal point for dwelling in peace, and fostering peace in every step.

When we do things mindfully, our seeds of suffering go back to where they came from.

Which of these quotes do you resonate with the most?

Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Nhat Hanh In the rush of modern life, we tend to lose touch with the peace that is available in each moment. World-renowned Zen master, spiritual leader, and author Thich Nhat Hanh shows us how to make positive use of the very situations that usually pressure … [Read More…]