Life of Zen: Poems from the Spiritual Path

A contemplative collection of Zen poems by Sister Hội Nghiêm, a Vietnamese nun in the Plum Village tradition founded by Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh.

Rooted in decades of monastic practice, the poems offer readers an intimate doorway into mindfulness, interbeing, grief, love, and awakening as they unfold in everyday life. Written with clarity, tenderness, and quiet depth, these poems function as embodied teachings—inviting readers to pause, breathe, and touch stillness, healing, and compassion within themselves.

Bridging Vietnamese and English, nature and human nature, discipline and gentleness, the collection speaks to spiritual practitioners, poetry readers, and anyone seeking refuge and meaning in the world. This is not poetry about Zen, but poetry from Zen—arising directly from the author’s life of meditation, community building, devotion to her teacher and the Dharma, and the vow to love all beings.