Thich Nhat Hahn was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk and author. His book, The Art of Communicating was published in 2014. I started listening to it as an audiobook last night.
The first chapter is so beautiful. Communication can nurture or toxify. The act of writing a compassionate letter or email (without even sending it) has a nurturing effect on us. We can ‘water the flowers’ and nurture others by speaking with kindness and compassion. The internet contains much that is toxic. We are connected by mobile technology yet we have never been so alone. We can re-centre by sitting away from the phone and the computer, communicate with our essential self by focusing mindfully on the breath.
I am familiar with mindfulness therapy but do not regularly practice focusing on the breath, this book reminded me. I nodded off during the second chapter and had a wonderful sleep. I awoke the next morning feeling quite joyful.
‘There is a saying in Vietnamese, ‘It doesn’t cost anything to have loving speech.’ We only need to choose our words carefully, and we can make other people happy. To use words mindfully, with loving kindness, is to practice generosity. We can make many people happy just by practicing loving speech.’
– Thich Nhat Hanh
There is a review of the book here – plumvillage.com