All Journeys: Mindful Living

There are two books in my library that mark my journey in mindful living: "Are You Ready to Succeed?" by Srikumar Rao and "The Miracle of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hanh.

Because I usually put a date on the first page of all paper-based books I buy, I can see that I bought the first one sometime in December 2008 and the second one on March 21, 2009. I am not sure how I came across the first one, probably through a friend's recommendation. It was truly life-changing as it helped me face my stressors and leave some bad habits. It has an extensive list of recommended readings, and the second book was one of them.

When I read that one, I clearly remember being on a Shinkansen, and I was sure that I had come across something extremely simple but profound. I kept reading many books by Thich Nhat Hanh, but the chance to practice his version of mindfulness came in early 2015 when I was in Hong Kong. I searched for Plum Village and came across an event titled "Mindfulness Evening at Central." And that was it.

In May 2015, I attended a big retreat near Mt. Fuji in Japan. I have attended many Plum Village retreats since then.

Now, I consider mindfulness and Plum Village's version of Applied Buddhism my lifestyle.