Cuong Lu

Cuong Lu is a Buddhist teacher ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh at Plum Village. He dedicated his life to service after witnessing a shooting while fleeing Vietnam in 1975. He served as a monk for sixteen years and now teaches in the Netherlands, where he lives with his wife and three children. A former prison chaplain, he is the author of The Buddha in Jail.

"Wise words to touch your heart, change your mind, and affect your actions—a path to view and experience life differently." —Mo Gawdat, former chief business officer of Google [X], author of Solve for Happy

"Truly a book for our times. A poetic invitation to clarity and heartful living. Cuong Lu issues this call as someone who’s known the depths of trouble and pain and discovered relief and richness on the path. This voice is a much-needed balm in the heat of a divisive world." —Ralph De La Rosa, LCSW, author of Don’t Tell Me to Relax and The Monkey Is the Messenger

"With simple, poetic, and honest prose, Cuong Lu offers indelible wisdom for a life well-lived. We learn about the power of the human experience, in all its sorrows and all its joys, through heartfelt stories and beautifully crafted language. A must-read for anyone wanting to cultivate genuine peace in the heart." —Devon Hase, author of How Not to Be a Hot Mess

"Cuong Lu has written a down-to-earth book that will soothe and inspire. He speaks as a dear friend, someone who has experienced his share of suffering and has come to see the wisdom of hardships as jewels to cherish. He gives us the gift of no-fear in his encouragement to stop, wait, and study the details of our life, for this is the way to joy. Thank you, Cuong Lu." —Sensei June Ryushin Tanoue, cofounder of Zen Life and Meditation Center, Chicago

"In a time of worldwide trauma, when it seems raging egos are the norm, Cuong Lu steps forward to remind us of eternal truths. He speaks of the ocean of wisdom which is part of us all, that strength, stability, and inspiration come from within. ‘In every person, we can see a Buddha, an awakening being,’ he writes. This book is a gift: Cuong Lu’s generosity and enthusiasm for life is wonderfully infectious, and never has it been better expressed than in Wait." —John Oakes, publisher, The Evergreen Review

"An impassioned plea for an end to violence and hatred, this book is full of wise suggestions for how to manage our most difficult emotions. Cuong Lu grew up in Vietnam during the war and his message to those in despair was hard won and is deeply personal. His ‘love letter’ speaks to us all. Lu writes, ‘Suffering is not the problem. The way to free yourself from pain is to feel it." —Wes Nisker, author of Essential Crazy Wisdom and Buddha’s Nature

"In Wait, Cuong Lu delicately weaves between our external reality and our inner realm, helping us understand how they are interchangeably interwoven—that there is just one universe. He shows that our only mission is to love and that in every moment we have there is an opportunity to exist peacefully. This beautiful book is a keyhole into the important work of understanding the connection between the inner and the outer world." —Shelly Tygielski, community organizer, self-care activist, trauma-informed mindfulness teacher, founder of Pandemic of Love

"Cuong’s clear explanations offer hard-won hope for anyone struggling to see the bright side." —Publishers Weekly

"Despite the bleakness one may feel today, it's impossible not to feel some optimism after reading this book." —Booklist

"This book is a gift for a new year, an inspiration to take the hardships of 2020 and not recast them, but use those moments of pain, and others, to find renewal through individual experiences of despair. Most importantly, Lu offers, to those who need it, the knowledge that pain and despair are not the end, but there can be something waiting on the other side." —Shelf Awareness