
― Thich Nhat Hanh, Anger
This is not something I will ever “finish” reading. It is, like Taming the Tiger Within , a work I will return to again and again when I need solace and quiet wisdom to guide my energies and soothe the chatter in my brain. Thich Nhat Hanh gently challenges us to engage in mindfulness in everything that we do. Only through mindfulness can we let go of the detritus that poisons our life- the noise and distraction of ambition, expectations, material possessions and technology- and embrace the peace of the present moment. I’ll spend the rest of my life working to open my heart and brain to mindfulness. I know mindfulness when I achieve it, and it’s bliss, but those fleeting seconds are too few and far between.
The anger part of Anger forms the outline of Hanh’s teachings. Anger is the mirror image of compassion and empathy. One’s anger is to be embraced, tended, respected and recognized, and through attention and mindfulness, the knots of bitterness unravel. Hanh provides tools for practice, examples for inspiration, and uses repetition that is as soothing as the chanted Oms that finish out a yoga practice.
I recommend this for anyone who has ever felt a moment of anger or self-doubt.