What are you doing?” It is a question often posed by Thich Nhat Hanh, a venerable Buddhist monk, teacher, poet, author and peace activist. “Thay,” as he is commonly called, interjects this query when he sees students engaged in a myriad of tasks that frequently cause their minds to wander, which could be as simple as washing dishes. Thay knows full well what they are doing, but the question serves as a prompt for them to focus and appreciate the moment. It is the essence of “mindfulness,” which is a practice that is rapidly gaining acceptance in the West and in the business world.
Many believe that mindfulness traces its roots to Buddhism and, essentially, is a form of meditation. However, one does not have to be a Zen master to embrace it and the basic tenets also can be found in Taoism, yoga, the writings of Emerson, Thoreau and Whitman, and Native American wisdom. Jon Kabat-Zinn, an acclaimed author and teacher, described the concept as follows in Wherever You Go, There You Are:
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.
For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]
