Zen and the art of saving the planet

Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet is a book composed of texts and talks by the “father of mindfulness,” Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. The Master's words are complemented by commentary from his student, Sister True Dedication. Thanks to them, we have the opportunity to form a vivid picture of both the monk himself and life in his community. The book was completed shortly before Thich Nhat Hanh's death. Thay's students have collected his most powerful teachings on deep ecology, engaged action, community building, and collective awakening. Nevertheless, these are texts that can also be useful to us in our ordinary, everyday lives. Thich Nhat Hanh does not lead us to a blind effort to “save the world,” but rather turns the reader's attention to themselves, to their own actions and experiences. He does this because the foundation of the art of saving the planet is, first and foremost, the ability to save oneself – to transform one's mind, realise one's interconnectedness with the Earth, and learn mutual cooperation. Full awareness and the radical insights of Zen meditation can then serve as sources of strength for us to create a new world that includes respect for all life.