The Art of Flower Arranging

Summary

In this classic 1989 talk, Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh uses flower arranging as a metaphor for establishing harmony both within ourselves and in our families. Thay, as his followers call him, says: “Beauty is the aim of our art, of our action. We want to arrange flowers because we want life to be beautiful. If you take care of your flower, you will become fresh, smiling, and you will recognize people around you as flowers too. In that way you have been rearranging these flowers, making them smile again.”