Beginning Anew: Four Steps to Restoring Communication

A practical guide on how to clear up misunderstandings, communicate more honestly and openly, and heal relationships—with an introduction by Thich Nhat Hanh

When we’re upset with someone, we’re often afraid to say anything. We tell ourselves, “Oh, it’s just a small matter; it’s not important.” But the accumulation of many small issues can create an explosive situation, and can even cause relationships to break. Beginning Anew gives us a way to address problems when they’re small, so we can understand each other’s words, actions, and intentions.

Author Sister Chân Không guides readers through conscious breathing, loving speech, and compassionate listening, all designed to help us see people and situations more clearly and allow our perceptions to better reflect reality. After a few minutes of quiet and mindful reflection, each person within the group speaks without being interrupted, moving through the four important steps:

1) Express appreciation of the other person. This is something we may forget to do in our busy lives and can lead the people around us to feel taken for granted.

2)  Express regrets. This is something we often put off doing, but the clear expression of misgivings and regrets gives practitioners the chance to clear the air and directly address any problems in the relationship.

3-4)  Express anger or difficulties and check in with each other to be sure everyone was understood.
 
Featuring inspiring client success stories, Beginning Anew provides a roadmap for anyone looking to keep communication open and resolve conflicts. When practiced regularly, it will bring deeper understanding and harmony to any relationship.

Thich Nhat Hanh was a world-renowned spiritual teacher and peace activist. Born in Vietnam in 1926, he became a Zen Buddhist monk at the age of sixteen. Over seven decades of teaching, he published more than 100 books, which have sold more than four million copies in the United States alone. Exiled from Vietnam in 1966 for promoting peace, his teachings on Buddhism as a path to social and political transformation are responsible for bringing the mindfulness movement to Western culture. He established the international Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism in France, now the largest Buddhist monastery in Europe and the heart of a growing community of mindfulness practice centers around the world. He passed away in 2022 at the age of 95 at his root temple, Tu Hieu, in Hue, Vietnam.