Mindful Movements: Ten Exercises for Well Being
Thich Nhat Hanh, Illustrations: Wietske Vriezen
2008
Parallax Press
pp. 39
I picked up this book to take ahead my journey into mindfulness. This is my first reading of Thich Nhat Hanh. I am inspired by his recommendations on mindfulness and fascinated by the idea of the Plum Village.
The book is short but I wouldn’t call it a quick read. Mindfulness and Thich Nhat Hanh, in specific, has the automatic effect of slowing me down. The introduction itself is powerful and sets the tone for why we should think of practicing mindfulness. Inspired by Buddhist philosophy, the practice of mindfulness, as Thich Nhat Hanh recommends, goes beyond sitting in quiet contemplation. The idea of walking meditation is quite enchanting.
The book is instructional. It proposes ten exercises for practicing mindfulness. The exercises are fairly simple and do not have any specific requirements in terms of abilities or space. However, if you don’t practice, they are of no use. You may find this video useful:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mz-dJFkmrk. A longer version is accessible at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzA6Hu840to
The videos are helpful in guiding your daily practice. Without the introduction, though, the practices just seem hollow and meaningless. Find your own meaning, find your own path. Peace!