12/10/2021
Thich Nhat Hanh was one of my favorite and first spiritual teachers. Today is his birthday. He was nominated for the 1967 Nobel Peace Prize by another spiritual teacher Martin Luther King, Jr. who said “I do not personally know of anyone more worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize than this gentle Buddhist monk from Vietnam.”
The first time I visited one of TNH’s monasteries in upstate NY, I witnessed 30 of his monks and nuns go on stage to sing a song. The way they gathered and sang was so sweet and gentle, I burst into tears just witnessing them, and I didn’t stop crying for days. That was when I knew something within me felt broken, from the stress and hardness I had built in my own life at that time.
TNH’s teachings are so profound and simple, he wrote so beautifully and prolifically, I’ve lost track of how many of his books I have… he also transmitted such calm knowing in his energy, it was felt throughout his entire community, his beloved sangha.
Happy 95th birthday (continuation) Thay! Thank you for teaching me the power of gentleness and for helping me remember the peace in my heart. ❤️✨🙏🏼
