Book Review: Calming the Fearful Mind

 Calming The Fearful Mind: A Zen Response to Terrorism.  Thich Nhat Hanh. Parallax Press: Berkeley, CA, 2005.

On An Idyllic Fall Day In September

Seven years have passed since those haunting days in September 2001 when the airplanes hit the twin towers in NYC and Washington DC. As I sit here on this idyllic summer afternoon, it could even be today, and thousands could be going to their deaths.  In fact, in Afghanistan right now, they are. For terrorism is not over. To read the newspapers  it has barely gotten started.  This exquisite small volume of prose by Zen monk Thich Nhat Hahn, is not simply a fanciful exercise by an idealistic peace activist, but  a real alterative that demands  our attention, if only we had ears to hear.

A Different Way of Going About Things

Thich Nhat Hahn, knows war intimately:  he lived through the Vietnam War and watched many friends die there.  He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and has committed his life to the creation of a more peaceful world.   He now leads retreats on mindfulness with veterans and with Israelis and Palestinians, among others, at his center at Plum Village in France and elsewhere.  It is pretty amazing then, to read that this the world renowned author  was stopped in 2004 at the Los Angeles Airport and completely searched  by security, because he was on a terrorism watch list.

Thich Nhat Hahn counsels, “It is time to stop. Let us pause. It is time to seek true strength and security.” And strength is not to be found in weapons and watch lists alone.  Terrorism, he declares, cannot be destroyed by the military because “terrorism lies in the hearts of human beings.”  It is only by calming our minds, developing compassion and learning how to lovingly communicate with each other that terrorism can be transformed into love.  That is a tall order!

Cynicism Abounds

There are many people who might take all of this with a grain of salt. Some might find Thich Nhat Hahn’s urgings to seek and find the roots of suffering and violence within first just a tad too much to take. They may be more than a little cynical about Hahn’s suggestion for a Council of Sages to do deep, compassionate listening with those suffering in this country.  Those committed to a real-politik approach might be severely  taken aback  by his suggestion of  an eventual discussion with terrorists aimed at understanding why they are so full of hatred toward America.

Making Room for Wisdom

I think we need to be very clear about Thich Nhat Hahn is actually advising here. His teaching is thoroughly grounded in Buddhism and in the precept of “right action”.  This is very measured and calm work. No action comes quickly or hastily. Each thing happens in its right time.  The question for me is how Thich Nhah Hahn’s quiet, gentle wisdom can be included and added to the work the US is already doing  in counter terrorism. While he clearly does not believe that militarism and weapons are helpful in the fight against terrorism, and in fact, believes that the only role of an army is to defend a country when it is being invaded, Hahn is saying that the present system is out of balance and that something else is needed.   So how could this be added to what we already are doing?

Balancing Wisdom with Prudence

Thich Nhat Hahn has already done retreats with members of Congress.  Much more might be done when the new President is elected and the new administration comes into office.  The groundwork for an entirely new way of working with our own nation’s suffering here at home and with that abroad could be set then.  Clarity is something we could certainly use and deep listening as well.  Compassion would be a godsend.  Thich Nhat Hahn might really be onto something .  How can we work together to create that new approach?