A Rose for Your Pocket: An Appreciation of Motherhood

Thich Nhat Hanh

Parallax Press, 2008 - Family & Relationships - 61 pages

In A Rose for Your Pocket, Thich Nhat Hanh invites children of all ages to reflect on the question: Have you loved your mother enough? This lovely prose poem, a gentle reminder of the qualities embodied by mothers, leads the reader to a new and deeper appreciation of his or her mother, whether she is still alive or has passed away. Nhat Hanh shows how motherhood is celebrated in different cultures and shares the story of how his desire to become a monk affected his relationship with his own mother. Previously available only as a small, staple-bound booklet, this completely redesigned and revised edition contains the original text along with additional material on motherhood based on Nhat Hanh’s more recent teachings. It also includes a meditation on the “Interbeing” of mother and child, teachings on mindfulness and finding one’s true home, and instructions for the beautiful Rose Ceremony.

About the author

Thich Nhat Hanh was born in central Vietnam on October 11, 1926. He entered Tu Hieu Temple as a novice monk at the age of sixteen. During the Vietnam War, he was part of a movement called "engaged Buddhism", which combines traditional practices with nonviolent civil disobedience. For this, he was exiled by both the Communist and non-Communist governments and was nominated by Martin Luther King, Jr. for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967 for his efforts to reconcile North and South Vietnam. He is a teacher, author, poet, and peace activist. He has written over 100 titles on meditation, mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism, as well as poems, children's stories, and commentaries on ancient Buddhist texts. His books include The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: An Introduction to Buddhism, Peace Is Every Step, The Miracle of Mindfulness, The Art of Power, True Love and Anger, Vietnam: Lotus in a Sea of Fire, and Living Buddha, Living Christ. He founded a retreat in France called Plum Village.

Bibliographic information

• Title: A Rose for Your Pocket: An Appreciation of Motherhood; Buddhism Series
• Author: Thich Nhat Hanh
• Edition: 2, revised
• Publisher: Parallax Press, 2008
• ISBN: 1888375809, 9781888375800
• Length: 61 pages
• Subjects: Family & Relationships / Family Relationships; Family & Relationships / Parenting / Motherhood; Religion / Buddhism / General