The Circle of Hanh


Book Description

“A tender and courageous and truly haunting memoir—one of the very best to emerge from the American war in Vietnam. I loved this book.” —Tim O’Brien, author of The Things They Carried In this piercingly honest memoir, renowned poet Bruce Weigl explores the central experience of his life as a writer and a man: the Vietnam War, which tore his life apart and inspired his poetic voice. Weigl knew nothing about Vietnam before enlisting in 1967, but he saw a free ride out of a difficult childhood among volatile people. The war completely changed his life; there was a before and then an irrevocable after. In the before, Weigl pretended to be dead in mock battles with his friends; in the after, he watched as a boy from his unit whispered to Vietnamese corpses while caring for their inert bodies as if they were dolls. Weigl returned from Vietnam unprepared to cope with civilian life. He turned to alcohol, drugs, and women in an attempt to escape his confused purgatory, but only found himself alone, watching other people’s lives from the shadows. Eventually finding his way back into the world, Weigl drew solace from poetry and, later, from a family. Yet, it is not until his harrowing journey back to Hanoi, to adopt a Vietnamese daughter, that Weigl finds redemption. This act of personal humanity and recompense to a nation he helped to destroy lies at the heart of his memoir. The Circle of Hanh is a “moving, singular, and highly readable” chronicle of a haunted life and, ultimately, a stunning work of healing (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).




Teachings on Love


Book Description

Thich Nhat Hanh’s timeless meditations on love, family, and friendship—with step-by-step practices for cultivating intimacy in your relationships. Weaving together traditional stories, personal experiences, and a deep understanding of the Buddha’s way of mindful living, Thich Nhat Hanh provides step-by-step practices that foster understanding and intimacy in any relationship and extend our love even to those that cause us pain. Teachings on Love is a treasure-trove of guidance for couples, co-workers, or friends who wish to nourish the gift and strength of their relationships and deal creatively with their weaknesses and difficulties. We all yearn to experience a love that is deeper and more joyful. Teachings on Love provides a time-tested path that anyone can follow to nurture the deepest love in ourselves and others.




The Circle


Book Description

The "New York Times" bestselling author of "Practical Intuition" shows readers how one carefully crafted wish can serve as a match to ignite potent and lasting transformation in their lives.







Brothers in the Beloved Community


Book Description

The “beautiful and wise account” of Martin Luther King Jr. and Zen Buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh, who “gave greater life to all of us through their remarkable friendship and shared vision of nonviolence” (Joan Halifax, author of Standing at the Edge). The day after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, Thich Nhat Hanh wrote a heartbroken letter to their mutual friend Raphael Gould. He said: "I did not sleep last night. . . . They killed Martin Luther King. They killed us. I am afraid the root of violence is so deep in the heart and mind and manner of this society. They killed him. They killed my hope. I do not know what to say. . . . He made so great an impression in me. This morning I have the impression that I cannot bear the loss." Only a few years earlier, Thich Nhat Hanh wrote an open letter to Martin Luther King Jr. as part of his effort to raise awareness and bring peace in Vietnam. There was an unexpected outcome of Nhat Hanh's letter to King: The two men met in 1966 and 1967 and became not only allies in the peace movement, but friends. This friendship between two prophetic figures from different religions and cultures, from countries at war with one another, reached a great depth in a short period of time. Dr. King nominated Thich Nhat Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. He wrote: "Thich Nhat Hanh is a holy man, for he is humble and devout. He is a scholar of immense intellectual capacity. His ideas for peace, if applied, would build a monument to ecumenism, to world brotherhood, to humanity." The two men bonded over a vision of the Beloved Community: a vision described recently by Congressman John Lewis as "a nation and world society at peace with itself." It was a concept each knew of because of their membership within the Fellowship of Reconciliation, an international peace organization, and that Martin Luther King Jr. had been popularizing through his work for some time. Thich Nhat Hanh, Andrus shows, took the lineage of the Beloved Community from King and carried it on after his death.




Song of Napalm


Book Description

"Song of Napalm is more than a collection of beautifully wrought, heartwrenching, and often very funny poems. It's a narrative, the story of an American innocent's descent into hell and his excruciating return to life on the surface. Weigl may have written the best novel so far about the Vietnam War, and along the way a dozen truly memorable poems." -- Russell Banks




WLA


Book Description




The Path of Emancipation


Book Description

"This is a book of wise and wonderful teachings, a breath of fresh air for the heart. It opens the doors to an awakened life." —Jack Kornfield, author of After the Ecstasy, the Laundry "Thich Nhat Hanh is one of the greatest teachers of our time. He reaches from the heights of insight down to the deepest places of the absolutely ordinary." —Robert Thurman, Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies, Columbia University The Path of Emancipation transcribes Thich Nhat Hanh's first twenty-one day retreat in North America in 1998, when more than four hundred practitioners from around the world joined him to experience mindfulness. This book deliberately preserves the tone and style of a retreat, including soundings of the bell, meditation breaks, and the question-and-answer sessions. This not only provides a genuine feeling of a retreat for those who have not had the chance to participate in one, but it also preserves this wonderful practice time for those who have attended. In The Path of Emancipation, Thich Nhat Hanh translates the Buddhist tradition into everyday life and makes it relevant and transforming for us all. Studying in-depth the Discourse on the Full Awareness of Breathing, he teaches how mindfulness can help us reduce stress, and live simply, confidently, and happily while dwelling in the present moment. When Thich Nhat Hanh discovered this discourse, he said,"I felt I was the happiest person in the world."




Summary of Thich Nhat Hanh's Happiness


Book Description

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The foundation of all mindfulness practice is to bring your attention to your in-breath and out-breath. This is called mindful breathing, and it is simple but extremely effective. When you breathe in, you feel the air filling your lungs. #2 When you breathe in, bring your attention to your in-breath. When you breathe out, bring your attention to your out-breath. When you breathe in, bring your mind back to a reunion with your body. #3 When you practice breathing like this, it puts you in touch with all the wonders of life. The beauty of life is nourishing you. You are free from your worries and fears. You get in touch with your breath and your body. #4 Don’t force your breath. If your in-breath is short, let it be short. If it’s not very peaceful, let it be like that. We don’t intervene, force, or work on our breath. We just become aware of it and after some time, the quality of our breathing will improve naturally.




Fragrant Palm Leaves


Book Description

Best known for his Buddhist teachings, Thich Nhat Hanh has lived in exile from his native Vietnam since 1966. These remarkable early journals reveal not only an exquisite portrait of the Zen master as a young man, but the emergence of a great poet and literary voice of Vietnam. From his years as a student and teaching assistant at Princeton and Columbia, to his efforts to negotiate peace and a better life for the Vietnamese, Fragrant Palm Leaves offers an elegant and profound glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the world's most beloved spiritual teachers.