Thoughts on Movement, Breathing, Food & Thich Nhat Hanh

— While cleaning out my files, I ran across an introductory article I wrote long, long ago for a yoga journal on the teachings of Vietnamese Buddhist monk, poet, and human rights activist Thich Nhat Hanh (pronounced “tick knot hawn”), affectionately called “Thay." I thought you might enjoy knowing a little more about one of Drew’s teachers.

There’s a gentle wisdom to Thich Nhat Hanh— a man who didn’t just talk about peace, but lived it in the way he walked, breathed, and even ate his meals. A Zen master, teacher, and poet, he had a way of taking the biggest ideas about health and spirit and making them feel simple… doable… human.

Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings center on mindfulness, compassion, and living peacefully in the present moment. Key tenets include conscious breathing, embracing the "here and now," cultivating compassion for oneself and others, and understanding that nothing exists alone.

“Time has much more value than money. Time is life. Money is nothing compared with life. In two hours of drinking tea together, we don’t get money, but we do get life.”

His understanding that nothing exists alone is embodied in the term “Inter-being”— the insight that all things are mutually dependent, and cannot exist independently. This means every object or person is made of non-self elements, such as sunlight, clouds, and trees, and thrives only through connections, eliminating the concept of a separate, permanent "self”.

"Nothing exists by itself alone. We all belong to each other, we cannot cut reality into pieces. My happiness is your happiness, my suffering is your suffering. We heal and transform together.”

Thay taught what are often called the “Ten Exercises,” though they’re less about physical exertion, and more about mindful breathing and awareness. They pair beautifully with what and how Drew instructs.

His 10 core teachings include:

Mindfulness is the Way: Living deeply in each moment.
The Present Moment is the Only Moment: The past is gone, and the future is not yet here; life can only be found in the present.
Conscious Breathing: Acts as an anchor to bring the body and mind together, calming the mind.
Interconnectedness: From the environment to other people, nothing exists by itself; everything "inter-is" with everything else.
Compassion and Understanding: Compassion arises from understanding our own suffering and the suffering of others, which leads to love.
Deep Listening and Loving Speech: Listening with compassion, and speaking kindly fosters connection.
"Letting Go" to Live Fully: Suffering is often caused by attachment, and fear of the unknown.
No Self, No Judgement: Embrace yourself and others. Accept flaws as part of the human experience.
Walking Meditation: Walking with mindfulness brings awareness to every step and move.
"I am a Continuation": Recognize that ancestors, parents, and loved ones are present in every cell of our body, and we carry them into the future

Thich Nhat Hanh also spoke about food in a way that goes beyond calories or rules. He strongly advocated for a vegan diet to foster compassion, reduce suffering, and protect the environment. While initially focusing on vegetarianism, he moved his communities to a fully vegan (dairy/egg-free) diet in 2007, citing the direct link between animal agriculture, suffering, and environmental destruction.

He encouraged eating in awareness— really tasting, really appreciating, really receiving what nourishes you. A meal becomes more than fuel; it becomes a moment of connection. To your body. To the earth. To the simple fact that you’re here, alive, able to experience it.

He often suggested slowing down enough to notice when we’re full— not just physically, but emotionally. So many of us eat while distracted, while rushing, while thinking about ten other things. His approach invites us back to presence, and presence, it turns out, is healing.

He maintained that, "Living is a joy. Dying in order to begin again is also a joy".

Here’s where it all ties together: movement, breath, nourishment. When you move with awareness, breathe with intention, and eat with appreciation, something clicks into place. You’re no longer “trying to be healthy.” You’re living in a way that naturally supports it.

So today, borrow a page from Thich Nhat Hanh: as you move, notice your breath. As you breathe, soften your body. As you eat, slow it down just a touch, and really be there for it.

Small, daily movement and awareness = a quieter mind, a stronger body, and a more peaceful way of moving through the world.

“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

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