If you’re looking for meditation inspiration, Thich Nhat Hanh is your guy! Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk whose mindfulness teachings are filled with wisdom, humor, and kindness. Here are the 10 best meditation quotes by Thich Nhat Hanh to enhance your mindfulness practice!
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We all need a little meditation inspiration sometimes. I’ve found after years of meditation that one of the best ways to inspire my practice is through mindfulness quotes. Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk whose teachings are both inspirational and wise. He’s a well-respected peace activist and meditation teacher. This list contains the 10 best Thich Nhat Hanh quotes that will inspire you to lead a more mindful and peaceful life. 🌸
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1) “Every one of us already has the seed of mindfulness. The practice is to cultivate it.”
This is a great meditation quote by Thich Nhat Hanh! It teaches us that mindfulness is like a plant. It doesn’t fully grow overnight. You have to water it, tend to it, and give it plenty of patience & love. If you do this consistently then mindfulness will blossom within you like a radiant flower. You already have the seed of mindfulness inside you– you just need to practice meditation every day (even just for 10 minutes) to cultivate it. This 10 Minute Guided Breathing Meditation is a quick and easy way to grow in mindfulness each day!
2) “The best way to take care of the future is to take care of the present moment.”
This Thich Nhat Hanh quote is an awesome reminder that the only moment we have is now. By focusing on the present moment, you create a better future for yourself by cultivating mindfulness. It sounds simple enough, but it’s one of the most important lessons we can learn as human beings. This inspirational mindfulness quote is the best encouragement for leading a more peaceful life.
3) “Your body is your first home. Breathing in, I arrive in my body. Breathing out, I am home.”
This is a wonderful Thich Nhat Hanh quote about the breath. The breath is a powerful mindfulness tool. Whenever your mind is circling with thoughts and worries, just remember that you can choose to move your attention to your body instead. Paying attention to the breath is naturally calming. The breath can be found at any time or in any place. You just have to remember to look for it.
4) “Enlightenment is when a wave realizes it is the ocean.”
This is one of my favorite Thich Nhat Hanh quotes about enlightenment. This inspirational meditation quote is a reminder that enlightenment is inside all of us. When we finally find enlightenment, we become bigger than just our small selves and find who we really are. You’re already the ocean– you simply need to notice it.
5) “We have a lamp inside us. The oil of that lamp is our breathing, our steps, and our peaceful smile. Our practice is to light up the lamp.”
Another great meditation quote by Thich Nhat Hanh. The lamp he’s referring to is everyday mindfulness. We fuel that lamp by paying attention to little things like our breath, steps, and inner glow. Every time you meditate, you’re lighting that mindfulness lamp just a little bit more. This Thich Nhat Hanh quote motivates me to keep on meditating, even on days when I don’t feel like, so I can keep my inner lamp lit and alive.
6) “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”
When you don’t feel happy, smile! Smiling releases endorphins, which in turn makes us feel happier (read more about it here). So if you’re having a bad day, take some advice from Thich Nhat Hanh and SMILE! 😃 It really is that simple.
7) “When you contemplate the big, full sunrise, the more mindful & concentrated you are, the more the beauty of the sunrise is revealed to you.”
Beauty lives in our present moment awareness. The more present you can be in any given moment, the more beautiful the moment will feel. This inspirational meditation quote by Thich Nhat Hanh encourages us all to concentrate more on the little things and appreciate natural beauty.
8) “Each human being is a multiplicity of miracles.”
Sometimes we get so caught up in the drama of life, we forget that each one of us is a living, breathing miracle This beautiful Thich Nhat Hanh quote is a simple reminder to appreciate ourselves, others, and the beauty of life. Every single person is a miracle and should never be made to feel otherwise. When you feel down, this inspirational meditation quote will lift you back up!
9) “The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they bloom like flowers.”
Mindfulness is not only a gift we can give ourselves but also one that we can give to others as well. This inspirational meditation quote by Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us of the importance of giving others our full attention. When someone tells you about their day, listen, and pay full attention. It will brighten both their day and yours!
10) “Meditation can help us embrace our worries, our fear, our anger; and that is very healing. We let our own natural capacity of healing do the work.”
Meditation is about embracing all of our thoughts and feelings, including the unpleasant ones. When we accept fear and anger as natural parts of life, the grip these emotions have over us loosens and we learn to let go. This is a healing practice that helps mend both the physical and emotional body. I love this inspirational meditation quote by Thich Nhat Hahn because it beautifully encompasses what meditation is all about: acceptance, healing, and letting go.
I hope you found some new inspirational meditation quotes to motivate your practice! May the wisdom in these Thich Nhat Hahn quotes help you embrace present moment awareness and live from a place of more peace. ❤️
Looking for more meditation motivation? Come hang out with me in my Facebook group Ladies Who Meditate. Every day I’m sharing free guided meditations, helpful tips, and answering questions!
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If you enjoyed these inspirational meditation quotes, be sure to check out my favorite Thich Nhat Hahn books on Amazon!
Hi was reading your article on : 10 INSPIRATIONAL MEDITATION QUOTES BY THICH NHAT HANH
I really like the quote “Enlightenment is when a wave realizes it is the ocean.” In which book has he written this? please share would love to read the book after your amazing recommendation. kindly mail me your response
Hi Surat! Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, I don’t know which book that quote is from. It may not be from a book at all. It could just be a quote that was spoken by him. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
Thich Nhat Hanh has many inspirational and amazing books. You can’t go wrong with any of them. I’ve read several of his books myself. 🙂 Thank you again for stopping by. Take care!