Thich Nhat Hanh, lovingly called Thầy (meaning “teacher” in Vietnamese), may no longer be physically with us, but his teachings are living dharma — alive in every breath, step, and act of mindfulness.
His words are both poetic and practical. They reach the soul of those recovering from trauma, loss, and disconnection, inviting us to return home to ourselves — softly, slowly, peacefully.
Below are some of his most beloved excerpts from books like Peace Is Every Step, The Miracle of Mindfulness, No Death, No Fear, and You Are Here — each paired with a gentle reflection.
🌿 1. “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
— The Miracle of Mindfulness
🧠 Neuroscience meets mindfulness here. Trauma often makes us feel like we’re caught in a storm of overwhelming emotions. Thầy reminds us that we are not the storm. The breath is a life raft — always available. No fixing. Just anchoring.
💭 Practice: Try placing a hand on your belly and saying quietly, “Breathing in, I know I am breathing in. Breathing out, I smile.” Even one mindful breath is a return to safety.
🌸 2. “You are your own refuge. There is no other refuge. This refuge is the mindfulness of breathing.”
— The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching
This quote is balm for anyone who’s ever felt abandoned, unsupported, or afraid. Thầy teaches that while external support is beautiful, our deepest refuge is always inside us. The breath, the body, this moment.
💭 Reflection: What would it feel like to say, “I am here for myself”? Even when no one else is.
🌺 3. “When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself… He does not need punishment; he needs help.”
— Peace Is Every Step
🧠 From a trauma-informed lens, this does not excuse abuse or harm — but it invites us to understand the cycle of suffering. Compassion for others is easier when we’ve first cultivated compassion for our own wounded parts.
💭 Healing insight: This quote helps trauma survivors release the burden of other people’s brokenness — and choose not to carry what was never ours.
🌊 4. “The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.”
— Peace Is Every Step
This is the essence of Thầy’s teaching: joy is not waiting for us in the future — it is hidden in now. Even amidst pain or healing, the present moment always holds something soft: a flower, a breeze, a breath, a bird’s song.
💭 Practice: Find one small joy today. Hold it in your awareness for 10 seconds. Let it be enough.
🕊️ 5. “I have arrived. I am home. In the here. In the now. I am solid. I am free.”
— You Are Here
A mantra. A prayer. A healing truth. These words are often chanted in Plum Village — a reminder that healing is not a destination, but a gentle homecoming to the self, again and again.
💭 Use this as an anchor when feeling lost, dissociated, or overwhelmed.
🌌 6. “Birth and death are only a door through which we go in and out. We are all continuing… in many forms.”
— No Death, No Fear
When grieving someone — whether a person or a teacher like Thầy — these words bring peace. He reminds us that those we love are never truly gone. Their energy, their teachings, their love — live on in us.
💭 If you miss someone today, sit quietly and breathe. Say: “I see you in this moment. Thank you.”
💛 Final Words
You may not have gotten to visit Plum Village, but every time you:
- Walk in mindfulness
- Return to your breath
- Speak gently to yourself
- Offer peace to another…
… you’re already practicing what Thầy taught. He lives on through those moments.
“The next Buddha may take the form of a community practicing understanding and loving-kindness.”
And you are part of that.
