Short Journey Home: Awakening to Freedom with Thich Nhat Hanh
This memoir by Richard Brady shares his journey to becoming a Dharma teacher at Plum Village under the guidance of Thich Nhat Hanh. However, the book is more than this thread. It fully reflects what brought him to that point and his emotional and physical experiences.
As a Quaker, Jew, and Buddhist, Richard offers many perspectives about his walk to “freedom” and how his past has shaped his choices.
He talks fondly about the people he met who influenced him and how he thoughtfully examined every interaction and encounter, good and bad. Unlike other memoirs, this feels very vulnerable, which is honestly refreshing. It’s uplifting and heartening to emote through his words and learn alongside the writer.
While I found the chapter on “Watering Flowers” especially engaging, the book is a bit of a patchwork quilt. In one section, he’s journaling thoughts and feelings, and in the next, he’s sharing a letter to loved ones, followed by lessons from the author’s time at Plum Village, then closing with a poem or a meditation. The staccato rhythm is unique and a little challenging to follow. Still, at the heart of the book is a memoir, documenting the author’s struggle to overcome his past and confront his new reality. Perhaps this push and pull is a raw reflection of his transformation. A large section on dying is filled with the author’s experiences and fears. That is part of the Dharma passage, not to be taken lightly.
I also enjoyed discovering what a retreat at Plum Village is like.
The meditations he shared are wonderful practices to experiment with, and the Appendix is packed with resources. This book is clearly a very personal labor of love by the author (which he openly admits) and a candid testimony of the impact of mindfulness on his life.
Image and Book Courtesy of Parallex Press
