I am excited to be featuring You Are Here, by Thich Nhat Hann, for the month of March. The entire 3bYoga staff has been enjoying it. Please join me and the rest of the 3b staff in exploring these words of wisdom.
I have collected some questions and some of my favorite passages.
I invite you to follow along.
On page 1 Thich Nhat Hanh brings attention to the power that just a few minutes can have on our life. Ask yourself;
What is your morning routine? Are you awakened by an alarm clock? Kids? Animals? What are the first thoughts that run into your head?
Can we turn our awareness to our breath?
What are the three Miracles of mindfulness?
Is there one that resonated with you more?
On page 9 it says “some people live as if they are already dead.” What does he mean by this?
Thich Nhat Hanh often refers to Dailey activity’s to find more mindfulness to our breath. What are some activities during your day that you can become more mindful with?
One of my favorite passages comes from page 10 “without suffering, we do not have the opportunity to cultivate compassion and understanding; and without understanding, there can be no true love.”
Ponder a time in your life where suffering ended up bringing more compassion and understanding into your life.
On page 18 he talks about the best present to give to others. What are some ways to improve the relationships in your life?
On page 25 Thich Nhat Hanh talks about how we are lost in thought. Are there times where you find yourself living in the past or the future? What are some ways to help bring us back to the moment and become free?
What are the Five elements?
What do the five elements all have in common?
As we realize that everything is impermanent how can that help to bring more joy into our lives?
Poem shared on page 37 & 39
Write the first few thoughts down that come to mind. No judgement as we explore the idea of already being where you are trying to get to.
One of my favorite passages is on page 44 it says, “Come back to yourself. Breathe properly, walk properly, touch the earth as a miracle, touch life as a miracle. Realize the unity of body and mind. In this way, you will offer something very precious: your genuine presence in the here and now.”
Page 46 “The Buddha said that we should not be afraid of the past; but he did warn us not to lose ourselves in it , either.” Can you think of a few times where you were lost in the past?
What is Thich Nhat Hanh definition of compassionate listening?
Fill in the blank:
The practice of ________________________ will help you love properly, in such a way that harmony, freedom, and joy are possible.
Page 96 Thich Nhat Hanh begins to talk about false perceptions. After reading through page 101 reflect on some instances where your perception could have been cloudy.
I love the question “Are you sure of your perceptions?”… this is something I ask myself often.
What are the three marks that prove whether something is an authentic Buddhist teaching? How can you start living now?
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have.
Nicole
You are here
by Tich Nhat Hanh