Tears Become Rain

32 mindfulness practitioners around the world reflect on encountering the extraordinary teachings of Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh, who passed away in January 2022, exploring themes of coming home to ourselves, healing from grief and loss, facing fear, and building community and belonging.

Some moments change our lives. We experience wonder and relief when we realize we can be okay, just as we are. How do we then integrate these transformative moments into our daily life?

Tears Become Rain is a collection of such stories, with one common inspiration: the teachings of mindfulness and compassion offered by the most influential meditation teacher of the past century, the Buddhist monk and peace activist Thích Nhất Hạnh, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The stories encapsulate the benefits of mindfulness practice through the experiences of ordinary people from 16 countries around the world. Some of the contributors were direct students of Thích Nhất Hạnh for decades and are meditation teachers in their own right, while others are relatively new on the path.

After her mother’s death, Canadian author Vickie MacArthur writes poignantly of discovering a source of peace within herself at Thích Nhất Hạnh’s Plum Village monastery in France. Jamaican American English professor Camille Goodison uncovers the racism of academia and finds freedom from her toxic workplace by practicing the teachings of love and liberation as taught to her by Thích Nhất Hạnh.

Vietnamese doctor Huy Minh Tran shares how mindfulness helped him transform his traumatic past as a refugee so that he no longer suffers from nightmares. Norwegian Eevi Beck meditates on the teacher-student relationship and how Thích Nhất Hạnh supported her marriage and then loss of her husband.

For many, battling sickness, old age, and death—the death of loved ones and one’s own—brings up overwhelming emotions of grief, anger, and despair. Tears Become Rain shows again and again how, with the wisdom of Zen practice, people are able to find refuge from the storm in their lives and open their hearts to joy.

A mosaic of stories, Tears Become Rain is both a celebration of Thích Nhất Hạnh and a testament to his lasting impact on the lives of people from many walks of life.