Touching the Earth: Guided Meditations for Mindfulness Practice

Thich Nhat Hanh

Parallax Press, Mar 9, 2004 - Religion - 168 pages

Though the original edition of Touching the Earth is deeply embraced by those already practicing mindfulness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, the revised edition seeks to make the exercises contained within more accessible for those new to Buddhist or mindfulness practice.

Based on the loving kindness and compassion meditation of the Lotus Sutra, Touching the Earth contains one of the most popular and transformative practices of Thich Nhat Hanh. Written as a poetic conversation with the Buddha, it is a step-by-step guidebook to the practice of 'Beginning Anew'. Thich Nhat Hanh describes it as having the capacity to removing obstacles brought about by past wrongdoings and to bring back the joy of being alive. According to many of his students who are deeply touched by this practice, it can help renew our faith and develop our compassion. It presents a opportunity to heal our relationships through forgiveness and to embrace our ancestors, parents, teachers, and ourselves.

Touching the Earth contains clear instructions for the 'Beginning Anew' practice with over 40 guided meditation verses, allowing the reader to practice alone or with others.

Contents

• The Practice of Beginning Anew: 1
• How to Use This Book: 3
• Guided Meditations for Touching the Earth: 5
• Visualizing the WorldHonored Buddha: 6
• The Buddha and the Original Sangha: 7
• Outer Forms: 9
• True Happiness: 11
• Impermanence and Interbeing: 13
• Everything Is Manifestation: 15
• Living in the Present: 17
• Nourishing Love and Understanding: 20
• Cultivating Mindfulness: 22
• Healing Past Suffering: 24
• Nourishing Our Ancestors and Descendants: 26
• Living Deeply: 28
• Recognizing Feelings and Emotions: 31
• Reestablishing Communication: 33
• Walking in Freedom: 35
• Mindful Walking: 40
• Sitting Like the Buddha: 42
• Right Speech: 45
• Listening Deeply: 49
• Mindful Speech: 51
• Harmonious Speech: 53
• Expressing Gratitude: 54
• Mindful Consumption: 56
• Eating Organically: 59
• Eating with Gratitude: 61
• Mindful Eating: 64
• Mindfulness in Daily Life: 66
• Cooking with Mindfulness: 69
• Right Livelihood: 71
• Mindful Sexuality: 74
• Healing Old Sexual Energy: 76
• Transforming Sexual Misconduct: 78
• Sexual Responsibility: 80
• Faith and Right Energy: 83
• How to Study: 86
• Studying with Purpose: 88
• Living in the Buddhas House: 91
• Protecting the Earth: 94
• Oneness with the Earth: 96
• Rescuing All Beings: 97
• The Earth as a Solid Place of Refuge: 99
• Encouragement on the Path: 101
• The River of Life: 106
• Oneness with All Beings: 108
• Limitless Life: 110
• Riding the Waves of Birth and Death: 112
• Three Touching the Earth Ceremonies for Beginning Anew: 115
• Ceremony 1: 116
• Ceremony 2: 126
• Ceremony 3: 135
• Glossary: 147

About the author

Thich Nhat Hanh was a world-renowned spiritual teacher and peace activist. Born in Vietnam in 1926, he became a Zen Buddhist monk at the age of sixteen. Over seven decades of teaching, he published more than 100 books, which have sold more than four million copies in the United States alone. Exiled from Vietnam in 1966 for promoting peace, his teachings on Buddhism as a path to social and political transformation are responsible for bringing the mindfulness movement to Western culture. He established the international Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism in France, now the largest Buddhist monastery in Europe and the heart of a growing community of mindfulness practice centers around the world. He passed away in 2022 at the age of 95 at his root temple, Tu Hieu, in Hue, Vietnam.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Touching the Earth: Guided Meditations for Mindfulness Practice
• Author: Thich Nhat Hanh
• Edition: revised
• Publisher: Parallax Press, 2004
• ISBN: 1935209191, 9781935209195
• Length: 168 pages
• Subjects: Body, Mind & Spirit / Mindfulness & Meditation; Philosophy / Zen; Religion / Buddhism / Rituals & Practice