In this new book How to Dream, Thich Nhat Hanh invites us to nurture the fire in our hearts — to dream deeply, and to bring those dreams into reality through mindful, compassionate action.
A Fire in Your Heart
What is our greatest hope and aspiration if not a dream? Each moment of our daily lives, our dreams can slowly become reality. Only faith, aspiration, awakening—only a big dream—can generate a collective energy powerful enough to bring our society to the shore of safety and hope. I know there is fire in your heart. Allow your dreams to carry you far and break free from the walls that limit you.
Taking Action in Our Own Lives
We may have a great desire to live in peace and to live sustainably, but most of us don’t yet have concrete ways to act on that desire in our daily lives. We haven’t yet organized ourselves. We haven’t formed sustainable communities. We can’t only blame our governments and corporations for the chemicals that pollute our drinking water, for the violence in our neighborhoods, or for the wars that destroy so many lives. It’s time for each of us to wake up and take action in our own lives.
A Concrete Path
Mindfulness is the continuous practice of touching deeply every moment of daily life. To be mindful is to be truly present with your body and your mind, to bring harmony to your intentions and actions, and to be in harmony with those around you.
We don’t need to make a separate time for this outside of our daily activities. We can practice mindfulness in every moment of the day, in the kitchen, in the restroom, in our bedroom, and as we’re going from one place to another. We can carry mindfulness with us as we wash the dishes, take a morning shower, or drive the car. We can do the same things we always do—walking, sitting, working, eating, and so on—with awareness of what we’re doing. When we’re eating, we know that we’re eating. When we open a door, we know that we’re opening the door. The energy of mindfulness enables us to look deeply and gain the insight we need so that transformation—personal and societal—is possible.
Changing our Consciousness to Change the World
Consciousness is at the base of transformation. If we are not capable of changing our way of thinking, our way of perceiving, then any kind of action, no matter how direct, will not bring the kind of result we want. Sit-ins, teach-ins, and pray-ins are meaningful only when they are born from inner freedom, compassion, and understanding. If you have the wisdom of nondiscrimination, if you have the energy of understanding and compassion, then these kinds of actions can bring about real results.
Social change follows directly from a change in our consciousness.
Walking the Path of Practice Together
Our dream is to change the global situation we are living in, to help people come together to discuss their deepest concerns, their difficulties, their aspirations. There is a way out, and when we have a path of practice, we are no longer afraid. We need only to take our time and walk this path together.
A Dream We Can Realize
Our dream must be one we can realize. We cannot exploit and deplete our natural resources for the sake of economic development while also wishing to protect the environment. We cannot wish for peace at home while exploiting the labor forces of other countries. We must learn to live more simply: to live simply yet happily, without overconsuming.
In the final book of the best-selling Mindfulness Essentials series, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh shows us how to realize our dreams in this very moment.
Available at Parallax Press and your local book store.
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