The Five Earth Touchings

In this teaching, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh explains how the practice of bowing deeply helps us return to the Earth and to our roots, and to recognise that we are not alone but connected to a whole stream of spiritual and blood ancestors.

The first bow, says Thay, helps us direct our practice to our ancestors in our blood family through all generations of ancestors.

The second bow is directed to the ancestors of our spiritual family, the people who have guided and inspired us and many other generations to leave in peace and joy.

The third bow is directed towards the ancestors that have made this land available to us and found ways to live in peace and harmony with nature.

The fourth bow is to transmit our love and kindness to the people we love – we touch the earth and, looking deeply into our relationships, we check with ourselves if it is possible to improve them and to channel our energy of support to the people we carry in our heart.

The fifth one is to bow down and to look deeply into the relationship between us and the people who made us suffer – this, too, is a practice of looking deeply in order to be able to see the suffering that exists in these people.

Motivated by compassion, we want to send them our energy, hoping that they would suffer less and that they would be able to enjoy peace and happiness.

Read and Practice the Five Earth Touchings on the app

Listen to and Practice the Five Earth Touchings on the app.