Peace is Every Step - The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life is a wonderful book by Thich Nhat Hanh. This book was published first in 1991 by Bantam Books. The book is divided into three easy to read parts - Breathe! You Are Alive, Transformation and Healing and Peace is Every Step.
Each part has many short chapters that can be reflected upon.
The first and one of my favorites is "Twenty-Four Brand-New Hours" where Thich Nhat Hanh says, "Every morning, when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand-new hours to live. What a precious gift! We have a the capacity to live in a way that these twenty-four hours will bring peace, joy, and happiness to ourselves and others." I'm not sure there is a better way to start a day, or a book then this!
The foreword is by H.H. the Dalai Lama and he writes:
Although attempting to bring about world peace through the internal transformation of individuals is difficult, it is the only way. Wherever I go, I express this, and I am encouraged that people from many different walks of life receive it well. Peace must first be developed within an individual. And I believe that love, compassion, and altruism are the fundamental basis for peace. Once these qualities are developed within an individual, he or she is then able to create an atmosphere of peace and harmony. This atmosphere can be expanded and extended from the individual to his family, from the family to the community and eventually to the whole world.
Peace is Every Step is a guidebook for a journey in exactly this direction. Thich Nhat Hanh begins by teaching mindfulness of breathing and awareness of the small acts of our daily lives, then shows us how to use the benefits of mindfulness and concentration to transform and heal difficult psychological states. Finally he shows us the connection between personal, inner peace and peace on Earth. This is a very worthwhile book. It can change the individual lives and the life of our society.
If you have a chance to read this book I hope you enjoy his simple words of wisdom.
Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
www.plnyoga.vpweb.com
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