Lachlan Brown
There’s a certain kind of ache that comes from always feeling like you’re one step behind your own life.
You’re physically here, but mentally already at the next meeting, worrying about the future, or replaying something that happened three days ago. I know that feeling all too well.
For years, I lived mostly in my head—thinking, planning, analyzing. And while that had its benefits, it also left me with a subtle but constant restlessness. Peace always felt just out of reach.
That started to change when I began reading the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. His way of speaking about mindfulness wasn’t rigid or mystical. It was simple, practical, and rooted in everyday life.
“The present moment is the only moment available to us, and it is the door to all other moments.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
Over time, and with consistent practice, I realized something extraordinary: my brain was changing. I was less reactive. More aware. And slowly but surely, more present.
In this article, I’ll share how Thich Nhat Hanh’s meditation techniques can help rewire your brain for calm and clarity. I’ll also explain the neuroscience behind these practices and give you tools to apply them in your own life—starting today.
Why being present changes everything
Most of us live in what neuroscientists call the “default mode network”—a pattern of brain activity linked to mind-wandering and self-referential thinking. It’s the mental chatter that fills the silence, narrates your day, and often spins stories about what could go wrong.
Research has shown that mindfulness practices—like those taught by Thich Nhat Hanh—can actually decrease activity in this network.
A 2011 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that even brief mindfulness training reduced default mode network activation, leading to greater focus and emotional regulation.
But Thich Nhat Hanh didn’t need an fMRI machine to understand this. He taught that when we come back to the present moment, we free ourselves from the tyranny of the past and the anxiety of the future.
“Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
And that freedom has real psychological consequences. When you’re fully here—feeling the breath, noticing the sky, sipping tea—you’re no longer being ruled by autopilot. That shift alone rewires the nervous system for more balanced, grounded responses to life’s inevitable challenges.
The power of conscious breathing
Thich Nhat Hanh’s most well-known teaching is also his most accessible:
“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment, I know this is the only moment.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
It might sound too simple to matter. But there’s a reason breath-centered meditation is central to both Buddhist and modern mindfulness traditions.
Deep, intentional breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, lowering cortisol levels and increasing heart rate variability—both markers of reduced stress and increased resilience.
When I first started practicing this technique, I noticed a surprising side effect: I began responding to stress instead of reacting to it. The pause created by the breath gave me just enough space to choose differently.
Over time, that pause grew longer. My reactions softened. And my brain started associating breath with safety.
That’s how rewiring begins—not in dramatic breakthroughs, but in consistent moments of choosing to come back.
Walking as meditation, not escape
Thich Nhat Hanh often said, “Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”
He viewed walking not as a way to get somewhere, but as a practice in presence. And the science backs him up.
A study published in the International Journal of Exercise Science found that mindful walking significantly reduced rumination and improved mood, especially among those with high stress.
When I began walking mindfully, I realized how often I used walking to distract myself—plugged into a podcast or rushing to check something off a list.
But walking slowly, in silence, changed the rhythm of my thinking. I could feel my attention anchoring in my body, in the ground beneath me, in the moment unfolding without judgment.
If you’ve never tried it, start small. One block. No phone. Just the rhythm of your steps and your breath. Notice the sounds. Feel the wind. It might feel awkward at first, but that awkwardness is your mind learning a new pattern.
The bell of mindfulness in daily life
One of Thich Nhat Hanh’s lesser-known but profoundly powerful practices is the use of a “bell of mindfulness.”
“When you hear the telephone bell, just sit wherever you are and enjoy breathing in and out. The sound of the telephone is the bell of mindfulness.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
In his Plum Village community, a physical bell rings at intervals throughout the day. When it rings, everyone pauses whatever they’re doing and takes a mindful breath.
You can create your own version of this practice. I use the sound of my phone notification as a modern bell. Instead of reacting immediately, I take one breath before I respond.
It’s a tiny shift, but it changes the tone of my interactions—especially in moments of stress.
The science? Micro-pauses like this activate the brain’s prefrontal cortex, the center of decision-making and empathy. They give your nervous system a moment to reorient. And over time, they train your brain to default to awareness instead of reactivity.
A mindfulness exercise to rewire your attention
Here’s one of my favorite daily practices, inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh and backed by neuroscience:
- Sit comfortably, eyes open or closed.
- Inhale and mentally say, “Here.”
- Exhale and mentally say, “Now.”
- Do this for 10 breaths.
That’s it. No mantra. No visualization. Just breath and presence. It works because it interrupts the mind’s tendency to drift and brings your attention back to the sensory present.
Studies show that just 10 minutes a day of this kind of practice can increase gray matter in the hippocampus—an area associated with learning, memory, and emotional regulation.
I’ve found that doing this before work meetings or social events helps me show up with more clarity and calm. It’s not a magic fix. But it creates space—for choice, for presence, for a different way of being.
Mindfulness as a path to emotional balance
There’s a common myth that mindfulness means feeling calm all the time. But Thich Nhat Hanh reminded us that mindfulness isn’t about eliminating emotions. It’s about creating space to meet them with compassion.
“Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
When you bring awareness to your anger, sadness, or fear without pushing it away, something remarkable happens. You stop identifying with it. You start seeing it as a visitor, not a verdict.
This shift—from identification to observation—is where true emotional freedom lives. And it’s how mindfulness helps rewire not just your reactions, but your very sense of self.
Final thoughts
We live in a world designed to fragment our attention and disconnect us from ourselves. Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings are a reminder that we don’t need to escape our lives to find peace. We just need to show up for them.
Whether it’s a breath, a step, or a moment of stillness in the middle of chaos, every act of mindfulness sends a signal to your brain: “You are safe. You are here.”
And slowly, moment by moment, your brain begins to believe it.
Presence isn’t a luxury. It’s a practice. And it’s one that changes everything.
Did you like my article? Like me on Facebook to see more articles like this in your feed.
