The Blooming of a Lotus: Revised Edition of the Classic Guided Meditation for Achieving the Miracle of Mindfulness [Paperback]

Thich Nhat Hanh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2009

One of the world's great meditation teachers offers thirty-four guided exercises that will bring both beginning and experienced practitioners into closer touch with their bodies, their inner selves, their families, and the world. Compassionate and wise, Thich Nhat Hanh's healing words help us acknowledge and dissolve anger and separation by illuminating the way toward the miracle of mindfulness.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Thich Nhat Hanh is a great teacher. More than anyone I know, he has made mindfulness practice accessible to the modern world. --Natalie Goldberg, author of Writing Down the Bones

"Any one of these meditations, if practiced with sincerity and wholeheartedness, can make the richness of the present moment apparent and bring you closer to yourself." --Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of Wherever You Go, There You Are

"Here the deepest, subtlest teachings of the Dharma are made as immediate as the miracle of our own breathing." --Joanna Macy, author of World as Lover, World as Self

About the Author

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese monk, renowned Zen master, poet, and peace activist. He was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1967 and is the author of many books, including the best-selling The Miracle of Mindfulness. Thich Nhat Hanh lives in Plum Village in southern France.

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press; Revised edition (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807012386
• ISBN-13: 978-0807012383
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.5 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese monk, a renowned Zen master, a poet, and a peace activist. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize by Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1967, and is the author of many books, including the best-selling The Miracle of Mindfulness.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This helped me learn to rest my mind, September 16, 2011

By 

Willy - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Blooming of a Lotus: Revised Edition of the Classic Guided Meditation for Achieving the Miracle of Mindfulness (Paperback)

I had tried unsuccessfully to meditate in the past. This book presents an approach that has been a breakthrough for me. Simple "verses" that guide you through focused exercises to unify breathing, body and mind have helped me achieve real results. The difference is meditating on one simple thought at a time, and then moving through a series of related thoughts, versus trying simply to "empty your mind" or go "beyond thinking.' Different sections focus on body, feelings, imaging, family and others. This allows you to guide yourself to areas of your choice.

The end result has been that I can truly set aside for twenty or thirty minutes the jumble of agitating and swirling thoughts that create stress and anxiety. This gives my mind a restful, calm period. The effects of that have proven to be lasting and helpful throughout the day.

I would have given this five stars except that Hanh ultimately infuses a pop environmental spin. He also steers the reader to Buddhism. Both of these are interesting and understandable, and give the work a larger purpose. But I am not motivated by either of those right now, so they were a bit intrusive for me. On the other hand, the organization of the book allows the reader to skip those aspects and still get many of the benefits of basic meditation techniques.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars leading a meditation, October 13, 2009

By 

Tender Foot (NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Blooming of a Lotus: Revised Edition of the Classic Guided Meditation for Achieving the Miracle of Mindfulness (Paperback)

As always, Thich Nhat Hanh manages to convey wisdom with the clearest of words and most insightful examples. This book is especially helpful, however, if you plan to lead a group in guided meditation. It is a collection of step-by-step guided meditations. They are arranged generally by topic and each has a prose introduction that expands on a spiritual idea. If you have a completely separate idea of your own, you can easily adapt one of these to carry it through in a guided meditation. So helpful with formatting and pacing your reflections!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Where it all started., January 19, 2012

By 

LaBrash - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Blooming of a Lotus: Revised Edition of the Classic Guided Meditation for Achieving the Miracle of Mindfulness (Kindle Edition)

The Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh is an amazing Master/teacher/human being.
When I read The Miracle of Mindfulness back in 2002, it was the most profound book I had ever read. I'm being very careful with my words here, in this age of over-stimulation and extremes- no other book has launched such a journey into self-improvement, self-awareness, attention to the small things in life and gratitude. He introduces a basic Buddhist concept to the Western world and may have been more poignant than even H.H. the Dalai Lama in his approach of simplicity: introducing something like 'mindfulness'. I never got the impression he was interested in converting people. It is not a Buddhist value. No extra credit in the afterlife for such efforts. He repeatedly mentions Buddhism because that is his life's study as a monk and Master- it's how he can relate so beautifully to all of us despite the massive differences in us culturally. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in meditation, improving oneself, or improving your connection to your religion- whatever it may be! Thich Nhat Hanh respects Christianity and draws fascinating parallels with another book called, Living Buddha, Living Christ for those who are Christian and may have qualms about studying another spiritual path.
In this book: how to sit, how to breathe, hand placement, times to meditate and most importantly: how to understand & quiet the mind.
Start here and grow!