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If you could only choose one mindful activity a day, what would that be?
Mindful breathing. My breath is with me all the time as long as I am alive. I can breathe mindfully anywhere, any time and in any position. Even when I am sick, I can still lay in bed nurturing my body and mind, helping my body to heal with mindful breathing. It is very nourishing!

In your opinion, how do science and mindfulness come together to have an impact on the subject of eating?
Science and mindfulness complement each other in helping people to eat well and maintain their health and well-being. First, we need to be mindful about what to eat. We need to follow science-based advice for healthy eating, not just eat what a celebrity is eating or follow the latest diet fad. Once we know what to eat, we need to eat mindfully so that it helps us not only to adhere to the healthy eating routine, but also to appreciate the interconnectedness of all that is around us. Eating mindfully is a practice that will help us understand who we are. Without mindfulness in our daily life, we may not be able to discover the peace and happiness that is already in us.

Can you explain how mindfulness benefits both the individual and the world at large?
We are all connected. When you touch one thing, you are touching everything. Whatever we do has an effect on others. Therefore, we must learn to live mindfully to touch the peace inside each of us. Peace in the world starts with peace in oneself. If everyone lives mindfully, everyone will be more healthy, feel more fulfilled in their daily lives and there will be more peace. This collective mindfulness can bring positive change to our families, organizations, communities, nations and future generations.


Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist Zen Master, poet, scholar and peace activist. His courageous efforts to generate peace in Vietnam moved Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967. Thich Nhat Hanh is the author of many books including such important classics as Peace is Every Step, The Art of Power and his most recent,Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Living. He lives in Plum Village, his meditation center in France, and travels worldwide.

More Words of Wisdom from Thich Nhat Hanh:
5 things to think about when you eat
A meditation to help you savor each moment
Thich Nhat Hanh shares the secret to happiness with Oprah
12 of his most inspiring quotes

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