In his 2016 collection of autobiographical stories, At Home in the World, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh shares insights and teachings drawn from his childhood in rural Vietnam, life as a peace activist, and experiences traveling the world.

While it’s not possible to capture the essence of Zen Buddhism in concepts or words — direct, personal experience is required — Thich Nhat Hanh’s simple childhood story about eating a cookie points us in the right direction:

When I was four years old, my mother used to bring me a cookie every time she returned from the market. I would go to the front yard and take my time eating it, sometimes taking half an hour or forty-five minutes to eat one cookie. I would take a small bite and look up at the sky. Then I would touch the dog with my feet and take another small bite. I just enjoyed being there, with the sky, the earth, the bamboo thickets, the cat, the dog, the flowers. I was able to spend so much time eating my cookie because I did not have much to worry about. I was not thinking about the future; I was not regretting the past. I was dwelling entirely in the present moment, with my cookie, the dog, the bamboo thickets, the cat, and everything.

Zen emphasizes being awake and aware in the present moment — the only moment that truly exists. Nhat Hanh continues with practical advice to eat attentively, mindfully, and slowly to find joy and happiness:

It is possible to eat our meals as slowly and joyfully as I ate the cookie of my childhood. Maybe you have the impression that you have lost the cookie of your childhood, but I am sure it is still there, somewhere in your heart. Everything is still there, and if you really want it, you can find it. Eating mindfully is a most important practice of meditation. We can eat in a way that we can bring back to life the cookie of our childhood. The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.

Whether eating a cookie, going outside for a walk, or washing the dishes, every mundane task presents an opportunity to practice gratitude and mindfulness. In his classic book about the path of mindfulness in everyday life, Peace is Every Step, Nhat Hanh shares more about the deep practice of eating mindfully to cultivate compassion, understanding, and happiness:

After breathing and smiling, we look down at the food in a way that allows the food to become real. This food reveals our connection with the earth. Each bite contains the life of the sun and the earth. The extent to which our food reveals itself depends on us. We can see and taste the whole universe in a piece of bread! Contemplating our food for a few seconds before eating, and eating in mindfulness, can bring us much happiness.

Having the opportunity to sit with our family and friends and enjoy wonderful food is something precious, something not everyone has. Many people in the world are hungry. When I hold a bowl of rice or a piece of bread, I know that I am fortunate, and I feel compassion for all those who have no food to eat and are without friends or family. This is a very deep practice.

We do not need to go to a temple or a church in order to practice this. We can practice it right at our dinner table. Mindful eating can cultivate seeds of compassion and understanding that will strengthen us to do something to help hungry and lonely people be nourished.

Thich Nhat Hanh passed away in 2022, but his legacy of Engaged Buddhism is continued by a community of teachers, students, and followers around the world. Learn more about the life story of Thich Nhat Hahn.

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