Learn the foundational practices of mindful breathing in this essential book by "the monk who taught the world mindfulness"
Breathe, You Are Alive! is a definitive presentation of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings on one of the most practical and accessible guides to meditation ever taught: The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing.
From the late 1980s until his passing, Thich Nhat Hanh returned again and again to this sutra in retreats and teachings around the world. For him, the sixteen exercises of mindful breathing were not abstract instructions, but a living practice capable of transforming suffering and bringing deep peace to every moment of daily life. This conviction was rooted not only in his experience as a meditation master, but also in his careful scholarship and lifelong study of Buddhist texts.
This expanded and revised edition:
- Brings together decades of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teaching, research, and commentary
- Integrates newly available teachings from talks in Vietnamese, English, and French
- Features an extensive collection of guided breathing practices for use by individuals and groups
- Introduces, for the first time, textual study of relevant Chinese sutras, providing a rich comparative perspective
Combining scholarly rigor and embodied practice, Breathe, You Are Alive! is both an essential meditation manual and a survival guide for modern life.
