Moments of Joy

The first full-length collection of poems from contemplative Buddhist nun Sister Jina van Hengel, each short verse radiates the energy of a single moment of awareness. Like a master gardener, over the years the revered Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh has cultivated a host of brilliant monastics in the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism. Living simply and practicing deeply for many years in the French countryside, Sister Jina van Hengel is one of Plum Village's most beloved senior Dharma teachers, known for her embodiment of the teachings, her warmth of character, and her Zen poetry. For readers of natural contemplatives in the vein of Mary Oliver, Thomas Merton, and, of course, Thich Nhat Hanh, these poems teach us to savor everyday life with awareness and gratitude.

The first full-length collection of poems from contemplative Buddhist nun Sister Jina van Hengel, each short verse radiates the energy of a single moment of awareness. Like a master gardener, over the years the revered Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh has cultivated a host of brilliant monastics in the Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism. Living simply and practicing deeply for many years in the French countryside, Sister Jina van Hengel is one of Plum Village's most beloved senior Dharma teachers, known for her embodiment of the teachings, her warmth of character, and her Zen poetry. For readers of natural contemplatives in the vein of Mary Oliver, Thomas Merton, and, of course, Thich Nhat Hanh, these poems teach us to savor everyday life with awareness and gratitude.