By Fern theobaldo 

At the end of last semester, one of my friends introduced me to Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, activist, teacher, poet, and author. She showed me two of his books, “How to Love,” and “How to See,” but there are several others that I have been reading over the break, and I believe you should too. 

Nhat Hanh is known as the father of mindfulness, having published several books on the subject ranging from manuals on meditation and mindfulness to poems, children’s stories and commentaries on Buddhist texts. 

Since it is a new year/semester, many people have resolutions. Some might include living more in the present moment, being at peace or just healing in general. Regardless of what your New Year’s resolution may be, Nhat Hanh can help you achieve your goal. 

“Peace Is Every Step” can help with seeing life more positively, independent of negative situations. According to Plum Village, “For [Nhat Hanh], a ringing telephone can be a signal to call us back to our true selves. Dirty dishes, red lights and traffic jams are spiritual friends on the path to ‘mindfulness’—the process of keeping our consciousness alive to our present experience and reality.” 

In addition, “You Are Here” will help you discover the magic of the present moment. Nhat Hanh explains that “Mindfulness is not an evasion or an escape. It means being here, present and totally alive. It is true freedom—and without this freedom, there is no happiness.”

If having healthy relationships is a goal, his book “How to Love,” will help with creating meaningful, unconditional and healthy connections with the people around you. Moreover, the book “How to See” will help with shifting perspective in life situations, such as not taking things personally because people are fighting their own battles.