The world goes quickly, but we don’t have to. Haemin Sunim (“spontaneous wisdom”), a well-known Buddhist meditation instructor who was born in Korea and had his education in the United States, wrote this best-selling mindfulness book. It shows how to find balance and inner serenity in the face of the hectic demands of daily life.
By providing eight areas of guidance for happiness and well-being, such as relationships, love, and spirituality, Haemin Sunim highlights the need for developing a closer bond with others and showing oneself compassion and forgiveness. The more than twenty full-colour pictures that go along with his lessons are soothing visual breaks that remind us that the world slows down with you when you slow down.
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About the Author
Among the world’s most renowned Zen Buddhist authors and instructors is Haemin Sunim. He was drawn into the spiritual life after coming to the US to study cinema. He was born in South Korea. He was educated at Princeton, Harvard, and UC Berkeley. He was trained as a monk in Korea and taught Buddhism at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts.
Among Spirituality & Health’s Top 10 Spiritual Leaders of the Next 20 Years and Greatist’s 100 Most Influential People in Health and Fitness, he has over a million followers on Facebook and Twitter (@haeminsunim).
With over four million copies sold, his books, Love for Imperfect Things and The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down, which have been translated into over thirty languages, are well-known for serving as both meditation and conquering obstacles in daily life.
Haemin Sunim, who created the School of Broken Hearts, a nonprofit organisation that provides group therapy and meditation for those facing life’s problems, resides in Seoul when he is not travelling to spread his teachings.
The Korean modern classic The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly by Sun-mi Hwang and the New York Times bestselling Korean book Please Look After Mom by Kyung-sook Shin, for which she was awarded the Man Asian Literary Prize, were both translated by Chi-Young Kim (co-translator). California’s Los Angeles is where she resides.
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Review
Amazing. They resemble haikus in their reading. All things considered, NPR, Lakshmi Singh
Ancient Buddhist thought for the contemporary day… Deep yet approachable advice about managing the day-to-day grind and maintaining focus on the important things. Before going to bed, put this book on your nightstand to help you decompress. —Very Easy
Sage guidance on slowing down and reflecting.” —Elle, “10 Recommended Books for Kim Kardashian’s Book Club.
Its few lessons are just the right amount of time to fit into a busy life. It is the ideal way to get a fast dose of dharma just before bed or soon after waking up. Tricycle, “The Year’s Top 9 Buddhist Books.”
What Marie [Kondo] is doing through a material and hands-on approach is what I’m trying to do,” Sunim explains. People “realise the state of their minds” when they “stop and pause,” according to Sunim, and are able to enjoy the delight they are feeling at that very time. —KonMari Newsletter
Ingeniously simple tips from a zen monk that’ll boost your mood, career—and relationships.” —The Daily Mail
What should have been a straightforward compilation of homilies but reads like haiku, with sparse yet exquisite illustrations. —The Telegraph
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A beautiful, illustrated manual on mindfulness for Buddhists. This book, which reminds me of The Prophet and deserves a spot on my bedside table, provides solace in the midst of life’s chaos. Los Angeles Daily News’ Allison K. Hill
While reading this little book of wisdom, I laughed and cried at the same time. Sunim’s words are profound yet familiar, straightforward yet artistic, and each chapter feels more like a conversation with a kind, considerate friend than reading another mindfulness book. ” Publishers Weekly “Staff Pick” Emma Koonse
Anyone caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life is welcome to take a moment to simply pause and breathe.” —Metro
provides helpful guidance on a variety of topics, including relationships and how to deal with setbacks. Ideal for getting your zen back. —Chairman
The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down is a lovely reminder of the benefits of living sensibly; it is loving, sensible, and compassionate.” —Bestselling books A Path with Heart and The Wise Heart by Jack Kornfield
This book is fantastic—it comes directly from the heart of a compassionate, intelligent educator. Its straightforward writing and light-hearted tone will assist you in discovering enduring joy in a world that is changing. —Rick Hanson, Ph.D., author of Buddha’s Brain and Hardwiring Happiness, New York Times bestseller
This book is full of wisdom gems that will uplift your soul and make you feel better”. —Tara Brach, the best-selling author of True Refuge and Radical Acceptance
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It is not only a functional and helpful book, but it is also aesthetically pleasing. It should be on every person’s bedside table if they wish to live a more fulfilling life. —Huffington, Ariana
Everywhere I go, I think this beautiful book will contribute to the healing of a river of sorrow that flows beneath the surface of our whole country. People yearn to spend time with their loved ones, friends, family, and the outdoors.
It is my desire that everyone who reads this book will discover a passageway, a shortcut into a hidden garden of slow time, where truthful and beautiful things proliferate with ease. It is a wonderful haven—a welcome and timely break from the monotonous, unrelentingly industrious pace of everyday life. The best-selling books Sabbath and A Life of Being, Having, and Doing Enough were written by Wayne Muller.
The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down” demonstrates what the wise have always said: Our experience grows along with our attentiveness. We feel the present moment and our own greater possibilities more fully the more we focus on living in it. The Secret of Letting Go’s best-selling author, Guy Finley
Packed with wise and useful guidance—and incredibly portable, akin to a daily manual.” I was really interested in what I read. The author of Mindfulness in Plain English, Bhante Gunaratana
A book for our time, full of universal truths, beautifully illustrated, and beautifully expressed.” Each little paragraph stands alone; it is a seed that plants roots in the most profound and everlasting wisdom. You should keep this book handy. Co-author of Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Busy World, Mark Williams
A compilation of useful knowledge is a wonderful gift from Haemin Sunim. It is genius that is accessible. Allen Lokos, author of Through the Flames, Patience, and Pocket Peace; founder and directing instructor of the Community Meditation Center in New York City
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I’ve moved Haemin Sunim’s book inside my backpack. My coffee break turns into a meditation break when I read it in the coffee shop. It calms me down before bed. And it motivates me in the morning. Joseph Emet, author of Buddha’s Book of Meditation and Finding the Blue Sky
This book is such a godsend; I’m so happy it exists. Complete wisdom. —The Power of Off author Nancy Colier
This book is a treasure to have as a close friend since it is full of love and knowledge. Keep it near you. Its straightforward yet profound teachings will make it a sensible companion to consult again and again.
In both his literature and his personal experience, Haemin Sunim creates a bridge between the East and the West. This is a true treasure. Vidyamala Burch, coauthor of You Are Not Your Pain and founder and codirector of Breathworks
A wonderful manual for leading a life of genuine sincerity and caring involvement.” Haemin Sunim’s short essays and proverbs demonstrate how the lessons of Buddhism have completely permeated everyday life. Bhrahmin Studies Director Robert Buswell, UCLA
Perfect for readers seeking a break from hectic schedules and turbulent times… Sunim’s worldview invokes a serene confidence that is reminiscent of the Lebanese-American poet Kahlil Gibran. —Publishers Weekly
A remedy for the divisiveness that has engulfed our conscious lives: It is peaceful, contemplative, radical in its simplicity, and divided into manageable, short chapters that will help you relax and enjoy life’s little pleasures. Few novels have the capacity to lift us from our jaded worldviews and outraged thoughts like this one. —Signature
Literally and visually stunning… Like Aesop’s tales, full with straightforward facts… This book differs from previous self-help books in that it uses aphoristic language instead of positive ones. The words are as beautiful to look at as they are to hear. These verses’ simplicity and depth are emphasised by the white space surrounding them.
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At times, the pictures’ metaphysical perspective is reminiscent of Chagall. They can be impressionistic at times. They always portray the text on the pages in a beautiful way.
Summary
This book demonstrates that mindfulness, self-awareness, and a little everyday calm are all available to anybody, regardless of whether they are a Buddhist, Zen practitioner, self-help enthusiast, or none of those. —The Current Korean Literature
Haemin Sunim’s book, The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down, offers timeless wisdom and helpful guidance on leading a contented and thoughtful existence. It invites readers to slow down, enjoy the here and now, and establish a connection with their inner selves.