Moments of Joy: The Poetry of Sister Jina, Chan Dieu Nghiem
The first full-length collection of poems from contemplative Buddhist nun Sister Jina van Hengel, each short verse radiates the energy of a single moment of awareness.

Like a master gardener, over the years the revered Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh has cultivated a host of brilliant monastics in the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism. Living simply and practicing deeply for many years in the French countryside, Sister Jina van Hengel is one of Plum Village's most beloved senior Dharma teachers, known for her embodiment of the teachings, her warmth of character, and her Zen poetry.

For readers of natural contemplatives in the vein of Mary Oliver, Thomas Merton, and, of course, Thich Nhat Hanh, these poems teach us to savor everyday life with awareness and gratitude.
1137050344
Moments of Joy: The Poetry of Sister Jina, Chan Dieu Nghiem
The first full-length collection of poems from contemplative Buddhist nun Sister Jina van Hengel, each short verse radiates the energy of a single moment of awareness.

Like a master gardener, over the years the revered Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh has cultivated a host of brilliant monastics in the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism. Living simply and practicing deeply for many years in the French countryside, Sister Jina van Hengel is one of Plum Village's most beloved senior Dharma teachers, known for her embodiment of the teachings, her warmth of character, and her Zen poetry.

For readers of natural contemplatives in the vein of Mary Oliver, Thomas Merton, and, of course, Thich Nhat Hanh, these poems teach us to savor everyday life with awareness and gratitude.
16.95 In Stock
Moments of Joy: The Poetry of Sister Jina, Chan Dieu Nghiem

Moments of Joy: The Poetry of Sister Jina, Chan Dieu Nghiem

by Jina van Hengel
Moments of Joy: The Poetry of Sister Jina, Chan Dieu Nghiem

Moments of Joy: The Poetry of Sister Jina, Chan Dieu Nghiem

by Jina van Hengel

Hardcover

$16.95 
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Overview

The first full-length collection of poems from contemplative Buddhist nun Sister Jina van Hengel, each short verse radiates the energy of a single moment of awareness.

Like a master gardener, over the years the revered Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh has cultivated a host of brilliant monastics in the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism. Living simply and practicing deeply for many years in the French countryside, Sister Jina van Hengel is one of Plum Village's most beloved senior Dharma teachers, known for her embodiment of the teachings, her warmth of character, and her Zen poetry.

For readers of natural contemplatives in the vein of Mary Oliver, Thomas Merton, and, of course, Thich Nhat Hanh, these poems teach us to savor everyday life with awareness and gratitude.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781946764645
Publisher: Parallax Press
Publication date: 10/27/2020
Pages: 176
Product dimensions: 4.70(w) x 6.30(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Known for the depth of her insight and her gentle, illuminating teaching style, Sister Jina was ordained as a Zen nun in 1985 in Japan. She received full ordination as a bhikshuni as well as authorization to teach from Thich Nhat Hanh in 1992. Sister Jina, who served her monastery as an abbess for 16 years, is deeply beloved in the Thich Nhat Hanh community for her profound insight and her embodiment of Zen teachings. Moments of Joy is the first full-length collection of her contemplative poems, each short verse radiating the energy of a single moment of awareness. Rich in images from the natural world, Sister Jina's poetry also expresses a keen sense of emotional honesty.

Read an Excerpt

Summer

Let me enjoy 
Every moment of this sitting
All is quiet, 
Nowhere to go, nothing to do
Just me and my breath


Evening sit
With all the candles lit
The meditation hall looks cozy 


After yesterday’s hike
In the blazing sun
This morning’s rain
Soft and soothing


Pouring yesterday’s tea water
Out of the window
I make it rain, just a little harder,
On the veranda roof below 


After the Full Moon Festival
A lone round yellow lantern
Left behind in 
The deserted garden


In a sea of green
The first pink lotuses 
Their late arrival
Enhances our joy 

***


On the mountain path
The footsteps of the hikers
In the sky
The cry of a bird of prey


The village cemetery
A garden of wild flowers
Pink! Yellow! Purple! 


There is no way
The rocky mountains
Can escape
The gentle embrace of
The fluffy clouds


In the high mountain valley
Watching little white clouds
Coming to be and ceasing to be
According to conditions 


Lying down to nap
High up on the mountain
A young pine offers her shade
A gentle breeze a lullaby


Oh, mountain with
Your pines and shrubs
How my heart yearns
For your stillness 


In stillness
The mind can be
Clearly heard

***

Opening my arms
To the sun
Feeling happy
For no reason

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