Key Teaching: True rest isn’t sleeping; it’s surrendering effort.Practice: Lie down and follow your breath. With each exhale, whisper “Let go.”Reflection: When did I last give myself permission to rest?

Chapter 5: Resting Is a Sacred Act

Key Teaching: The sky, the trees, and the breeze are constant teachers of calm.Practice: Go outside and sit silently under a tree. Let nature hold you.Reflection: How does nature reset my nervous system?

Chapter 6: The Nourishment of Nature

Key Teaching: Doing nothing isn’t wasting time—it’s sacred space for being.Practice: Spend 5 minutes doing nothing at all. Sit, breathe, and be.Reflection: Why do I feel guilty when I rest?

Chapter 4: The Art of Doing Nothing

Key Teaching: When we stop—truly stop—we give our body and mind a chance to heal.Practice: Take 3 conscious breaths before any new activity. Say quietly, “I have arrived.”Reflection: What am I running from when I keep myself busy?

Chapter 1: The Power of Stopping

Key Teaching: Peace is not found in the future. It’s now, or never.Practice: Say to yourself: “This moment is enough.” Notice how your body responds.Reflection: What does “enough” feel like in this moment?

Chapter 8: Resting in the Present Moment

Key Teaching: Each step can carry us into presence and freedom.Practice: With each step, say “I have arrived” (inhale), “I am home” (exhale).Reflection: How do mindful steps change how I carry myself?

Chapter 10: Walking in Peace

Key Teaching: Our body stores stress. Deep breathing and smiling help release it.Practice: During any moment of stillness, scan your body and send love to areas of tightness.Reflection: What helps me relax—genuinely, deeply?

Chapter 3: Letting Go of Tension

Key Teaching: A gentle smile relaxes the whole nervous system.Practice: As you breathe, form a half-smile—soft and natural.Reflection: What happens to my thoughts when I smile gently?

Chapter 7: Smiling Like a Buddha

Key Teaching: Falling asleep mindfully creates deep, healing rest.Practice: Before bed, place your hand on your heart. Breathe and say: “I am safe. I am home.”Reflection: How does bedtime feel when I bring mindfulness to it?

Chapter 9: Sleep with Awareness

Conscious Breathing: Calm the nervous systemBody Awareness: Release physical tensionDoing Nothing: Create space for healingMindful Walking: Return to the presentSmiling: Soften the heart and mindResting in Nature: Receive nourishment from the EarthSleep Ritual: End the day with peace

📌 Summary of Core Practices

Key Teaching: Awareness of the body is a doorway to peace.Practice: Breathe in and say silently, “I am aware of my body.” Breathe out and relax your body.Reflection: Where am I holding tension right now?

Chapter 2: Coming Home to the Body

Letting go of tension and cultivating inner calm.

Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us to stop, relax, and recharge amid the hub-bub of daily life—offering mindfulness techniques and relaxing meditations for anytime, anywhere. Thich Nhat Hanh says that when we relax, we “become calm water, and we will reflect reality as it is. If we’re not calm, the image we reflect will be distorted. When the image is distorted by our minds, it’s not the reality, and it causes lots of suffering.” Relaxation is essential for accessing the tranquility and joy that lead to increased personal well-being. Part of Thich Nhat Hanh’s series of pocket-sized mindfulness books for beginners and seasoned practitioners, How to Relax includes sections on:   • Healing • Relief from nonstop thinking • Transforming unpleasant sounds • Solitude • Being peace • And more   With meditations for achieving the benefits of relaxation no matter where you are, How to Relax is the perfect gift for any seeking guidance on finding deep relaxation, controlling stress, and renewing mental freshness and clarity.