0:00:11.042,0:00:14.492
Dear respected Thay, [br]dear community,

0:00:17.281,0:00:20.903
today is today's day.

0:00:22.677,0:00:24.954
It's not old and it's not gonna be new.

0:00:26.847,0:00:32.243
We give it a date,[br]just to have fun with it and celebrate.

0:00:34.399,0:00:40.383
In Plum Village, we celebrate everything,[br]including today's day.

0:00:41.328,0:00:43.926
Today's day, Thay loves to celebrate that.

0:00:48.016,0:00:52.266
The thirty-first,[br]the 31st of December.

0:00:59.415,0:01:06.210
We'll be reflecting a little bit [br]on our calendar, our dates,

0:01:07.156,0:01:08.871
our watches,

0:01:09.445,0:01:13.536
these things that we make up [br]so that we can work together.

0:01:15.189,0:01:18.279
It's kind of artificial,

0:01:19.667,0:01:23.886
especially when you have to change time,[br]the seasons,

0:01:25.994,0:01:30.675
I think it's functional,[br]but it's a little bit annoying.

0:01:32.824,0:01:37.276
Here in Plum Village, [br]we follow the bell.

0:01:38.060,0:01:41.836
When you hear the bell, [br]just gather, and go.

0:01:43.230,0:01:45.477
The monks and the nuns,

0:01:46.583,0:01:49.361
we sometimes forget what time it is,[br]what date it is,

0:01:50.104,0:01:51.883
and sometimes even the year.

0:01:57.359,0:01:59.459
Well, some of us do.

0:02:01.379,0:02:06.174
We live according to the leaves,[br]autumn leaves, grass,

0:02:07.390,0:02:11.871
coldness, the warmth,[br]the moon,

0:02:14.110,0:02:19.829
We tell our time based a little bit[br]on what happens in nature.

0:02:21.738,0:02:26.260
The moss starts to be different,[br]the color, the leaves,

0:02:26.705,0:02:28.810
the animals, the different birds,

0:02:29.577,0:02:32.728
come around late spring,[br]you hear a cuckoo bird,

0:02:33.779,0:02:35.929
[sounds of cuckoo]

0:02:36.744,0:02:40.588
and you know, you don't even have to[br]call what season,

0:02:41.337,0:02:44.841
you just know, "Ah, that's a....."

0:02:45.490,0:02:47.408
and we also see the farmers,

0:02:47.968,0:02:53.702
so we keep time a little bit based[br]on the actual vines, the grape vines,

0:02:54.425,0:02:57.015
the cycle of making wine.

0:02:58.174,0:03:00.212
and it's quite quick.

0:03:02.401,0:03:06.810
Now, as the new year comes,[br]they will start to come out,

0:03:06.810,0:03:08.690
and start to clip,

0:03:09.242,0:03:12.959
and soon, it will [phuip],[br]and then leave 1, and then...

0:03:14.317,0:03:16.903
and all of a sudden, spring,[br]and then summer,

0:03:17.374,0:03:20.259
so we actually, instead of[br]looking at a calendar,

0:03:20.741,0:03:22.507
we look at the grape vines,

0:03:23.578,0:03:28.315
as we drive back and forth[br]between New Hamlet and Lower Hamlet.

0:03:28.938,0:03:31.614
And also the sunflowers,[br]the wheat,

0:03:34.038,0:03:41.010
So it's a kind of rhythm[br]that we find here when we live here,

0:03:41.410,0:03:43.448
year-round and many years.

0:03:43.995,0:03:45.677
It's a very natural rhythm

0:03:46.691,0:03:49.284
So every time we have to do this[br]'changing the clock',

0:03:49.644,0:03:53.659
it just feels very,[br]"gosh, who made this up?"

0:03:57.845,0:03:59.896
We also have retreat-seasons,

0:04:01.508,0:04:06.247
summer is where we have our[br]festival-season,

0:04:08.891,0:04:10.321
children come

0:04:10.896,0:04:13.717
and many, many people [br]from many countries come.

0:04:14.695,0:04:17.036
We have spring and autumn,

0:04:17.614,0:04:20.643
when the monks and nuns [br]fly away like birds

0:04:21.131,0:04:23.345
they go to different countries,

0:04:25.322,0:04:29.575
and they share the practice[br]with many people around the world.

0:04:30.295,0:04:32.215
And then, winter time.

0:04:33.801,0:04:37.881
We copy the trees, [br]we let go of our leaves

0:04:38.418,0:04:43.192
and we come back to what is most essential

0:04:44.200,0:04:45.731
so we watch nature,

0:04:46.145,0:04:48.683
and we, in a way, [br]mimick nature.

0:04:49.927,0:04:54.601
Not just the time but --[br]it's a habit

0:04:55.165,0:04:57.884
It's a lot of wisdom.

0:04:58.567,0:05:01.681
You live around nature [br]and you pay attention

0:05:02.025,0:05:06.617
even a little flower pot,[br]we take care of it.

0:05:07.727,0:05:12.806
Year round, you begin to understand[br]something about that flower

0:05:14.654,0:05:17.013
These are the kind of rhythms

0:05:17.353,0:05:20.211
that we are used to in Plum Village.

0:05:21.651,0:05:24.379
So, when it comes New Year,

0:05:24.572,0:05:28.097
we do kind of pretend [br]"ok, let's call it New Year"

0:05:28.868,0:05:31.671
we even have a[br]non-alcoholic kind of...

0:05:34.164,0:05:35.974
and we celebrate you and..,

0:05:35.974,0:05:39.682
but luckily we don't have a hang-over

0:05:41.772,0:05:47.932
The monks, we celebrate,[br]we go in a brother's room,

0:05:48.334,0:05:50.580
and we gather and we drink,

0:05:51.671,0:05:53.832
yes, we do drink.

0:05:55.111,0:05:59.373
But it's so nice, we get all the brothers,[br]and we're aware of each other,

0:05:59.533,0:06:02.871
and we're aware of our happiness,[br]we're not lost in some kind of

0:06:03.969,0:06:07.280
mental confusion.

0:06:08.699,0:06:12.416
But we do laugh a lot,[br]and we do celebrate,

0:06:12.532,0:06:14.596
so it does look like we're drunk,

0:06:17.046,0:06:19.565
I call it 'Dharma drunk'

0:06:20.947,0:06:24.621
So I share with you a little bit [br]about some of the things that happen here,

0:06:26.291,0:06:29.953
and it's nice,[br]it's nice to celebrate,

0:06:31.632,0:06:38.946
to make a moment special,[br]and call it 'New Year' and get together

0:06:39.564,0:06:43.994
and we celebrate our life together.

0:06:47.275,0:06:51.746
And we're very happy that [br]you've come to join us

0:06:52.223,0:06:55.876
and support and be with us

0:06:56.483,0:06:58.698
to gather this energy

0:07:00.225,0:07:03.436
When I lived in Deer Park Monastery,

0:07:03.987,0:07:07.659
we also celebrate Christmas and New Year's

0:07:08.754,0:07:10.571
and sometimes we get news

0:07:10.659,0:07:14.467
of all the tragedy that happens[br]around this holiday season

0:07:15.843,0:07:20.656
It's quite sad to find this kind of news

0:07:21.982,0:07:28.956
especially when people celebrating [br]the New Year, their life, their family

0:07:30.477,0:07:32.552
accidents because of alcohol

0:07:33.591,0:07:36.932
as well as people become very violent

0:07:39.363,0:07:42.431
so this is something for you,

0:07:42.469,0:07:46.475
to come here to generate the peace [br]and calm and compassion,

0:07:48.803,0:07:51.787
it's wonderful for the world.

0:07:53.290,0:07:57.902
You're not just coming here to take refuge[br]from all the craziness,

0:07:58.296,0:08:02.211
but you're also here [br]to send that energy out

0:08:02.698,0:08:06.767
for those people who are unfortunate

0:08:08.869,0:08:14.365
I know there are many teachers here,[br]gathered with us this week,

0:08:16.760,0:08:21.221
I just want to acknowledge [br]and thank you for being teachers.

0:08:23.760,0:08:27.524
Our teacher loves teachers,

0:08:28.755,0:08:31.687
he even wrote a calligraphy[br]that has teachers on it.

0:08:32.044,0:08:35.464
He doesn't write 'happy businessmen[br]can change the world'

0:08:36.726,0:08:39.741
He writes [br]'happy teachers change the world'

0:08:41.140,0:08:44.098
He doesn't write [br]'happy monks change the world'

0:08:45.951,0:08:49.821
Not that we're jealous or envy you,[br]but, I have to say,

0:08:49.899,0:08:54.673
our teacher understands the importance[br]of what you're doing,

0:08:55.597,0:08:58.442
your dedication, [br]although you might not feel that

0:08:58.847,0:09:02.018
from society and from other people,

0:09:03.549,0:09:05.983
but how you affect the student, is..

0:09:07.736,0:09:12.765
you're in such a position [br]to really transmit compassion,

0:09:13.778,0:09:18.837
love, peace, [br]patience, kindness.

0:09:20.178,0:09:22.128
We're also aware of this.

0:09:23.682,0:09:25.402
In a way, monks and nuns,

0:09:25.449,0:09:29.120
we're also in the role of [br]having to hold a class

0:09:29.318,0:09:31.784
or hold an audience,

0:09:32.673,0:09:35.628
so, how we emit ourselves is important.

0:09:36.515,0:09:39.829
So, for you to dedicate yourself [br]for one week, to come here,

0:09:40.642,0:09:42.673
to take care of yourself,

0:09:44.698,0:09:47.406
so that you can take care of your student,

0:09:50.664,0:09:52.167
I know it's tough,

0:09:52.222,0:09:55.306
I have a brother and a sister-in-law[br]who are teachers,

0:09:55.353,0:09:56.526
and it's very hard.

0:09:59.133,0:10:03.532
They sometimes want [br]to change careers or something,

0:10:03.532,0:10:05.842
because it's so difficult,

0:10:06.465,0:10:10.092
but luckily, they continue to affect.

0:10:10.941,0:10:12.937
My brother's very patient, very kind,

0:10:13.561,0:10:15.498
so I keep encouraging him,

0:10:17.392,0:10:19.413
and I'm very grateful that he's a teacher.

0:10:23.750,0:10:30.063
So today I teach a little bit[br]surrounding the theme of renewal

0:10:32.803,0:10:35.959
I think there's a kind of tradition[br]around New Year's

0:10:36.111,0:10:39.027
to have an aspiration.

0:10:40.640,0:10:43.247
People make fun of it,[br]they say you have an aspiration,

0:10:43.417,0:10:46.303
but the rest of the year[br]you don't remember it.

0:10:47.906,0:10:49.938
That's what I remember

0:10:52.879,0:10:57.050
For me, when it comes [br]to this time of year

0:10:58.622,0:11:01.571
or the season of winter,

0:11:04.817,0:11:09.692
it's a comtemplation I like to touch,

0:11:10.461,0:11:11.797
a practice I like to touch,

0:11:12.187,0:11:14.468
it's a renewal,[br]I have to renew my practice.

0:11:16.057,0:11:18.477
So this is the wisdom of nature,

0:11:18.832,0:11:20.962
it knows how to renew itself.

0:11:22.371,0:11:25.365
You look at any living thing,

0:11:27.383,0:11:32.091
a plant,[br]grass,

0:11:32.386,0:11:34.669
it has a cycle renewal

0:11:35.381,0:11:38.436
and we, as human beings,[br]as animals,

0:11:39.187,0:11:41.364
we also are part of that natural system.

0:11:43.344,0:11:46.497
So we need to find a way [br]to renew ourselves.

0:11:49.277,0:11:52.214
This is something we've lost touch with

0:11:53.226,0:11:57.908
as we've become very organized [br]and very civilized

0:11:59.837,0:12:03.651
We have many things [br]that try to keep us very ...

0:12:07.142,0:12:10.121
I was telling my brother [br]about the alarm clock,

0:12:10.858,0:12:13.059
it's such an artificial thing.

0:12:16.709,0:12:19.754
It wakes you up, it yells at you,

0:12:19.754,0:12:21.131
and you wake up..

0:12:24.068,0:12:27.591
so we train ourselves [br]with these kind of rhythms.

0:12:29.963,0:12:33.750
You live around the monastery [br]long enough...,

0:12:36.554,0:12:39.812
some of us can find a rhythm,

0:12:40.659,0:12:45.582
and we wake up naturally[br]with the earth and with the day.

0:12:49.629,0:12:54.313
So this is the subject of renewal

0:12:56.247,0:12:59.951
When we look at our society,[br]I think, many of you are here,

0:12:59.951,0:13:04.380
and you might agree that the way [br]we've organized our society

0:13:04.842,0:13:07.296
is a little bit off.

0:13:08.919,0:13:11.993
I don't know, [br]maybe that's why you're here

0:13:13.878,0:13:15.677
this is kind of like a refuge.

0:13:15.929,0:13:20.369
Many of you are stressed,[br]at lunch time on arrival day

0:13:20.537,0:13:24.847
and the lay friends who just came,[br]stand up to share why they're here

0:13:25.790,0:13:27.732
the monks, [br]we love to hear it,

0:13:28.022,0:13:31.946
because we say [br]"wow, we're in the right place"

0:13:36.886,0:13:39.641
So you remind us every time

0:13:43.101,0:13:46.536
the way we organize our society is,

0:13:46.702,0:13:48.470
we have to re-look at it.

0:13:50.888,0:13:53.021
We've separated our families

0:13:53.189,0:13:55.490
every one is living in little pockets,

0:13:57.300,0:13:59.373
there's no community.

0:14:00.148,0:14:02.064
So we isolate ourselves,

0:14:04.005,0:14:08.438
as well as the busy-ness,

0:14:10.014,0:14:13.964
the scheduling of our society.

0:14:15.809,0:14:19.037
I come home and visit,[br]and I see the families now

0:14:19.099,0:14:21.530
they organize even the weekend [br]for their children,

0:14:23.023,0:14:27.406
you know, they have soccer, [br]piano, ballet,

0:14:28.930,0:14:31.859
extra reading.

0:14:33.155,0:14:38.103
Even the weekend, the mother [br]has to drive the child to this place,

0:14:38.467,0:14:41.130
and the father drives[br]the other child to that place.

0:14:42.164,0:14:46.763
So even when they're little,[br]4 or 6 years old, they're already....

0:14:48.410,0:14:50.176
you know, very quick.

0:14:51.064,0:14:54.150
So our life, [br]the way we've organized is quite..

0:14:54.753,0:14:56.272
we're always in a rush,

0:14:56.319,0:14:58.338
and we feel like [br]we don't have enough time.

0:15:00.542,0:15:05.269
I remember when I was working [br]in the city of Los Angeles,

0:15:06.646,0:15:10.887
and I would see a friend,[br]a colleague at the grocery store,

0:15:12.056,0:15:14.121
and we don't talk to each other,

0:15:14.903,0:15:21.010
but we say "email me"[br]or "see you later",

0:15:21.413,0:15:23.062
"I'll catch you later!"

0:15:24.334,0:15:25.668
And I never forget that,

0:15:26.011,0:15:28.305
it's a habit, [br]you see someone in the street,

0:15:28.388,0:15:30.656
you say "I love to get ahold of"

0:15:30.886,0:15:32.589
"let's, let's have a ...."

0:15:33.515,0:15:36.218
You make an appointment, later,

0:15:36.379,0:15:39.172
rather than actually meeting them.

0:15:39.422,0:15:40.439
Do you know this? Yeah.

0:15:41.549,0:15:43.196
That's the city...

0:15:43.246,0:15:45.264
You feel like you don't have enough time,

0:15:45.316,0:15:49.106
it's like "I don't have time for you [br]right now, but let's email each other",

0:15:50.208,0:15:51.945
or now, "let's text".

0:15:53.856,0:15:58.788
So the energy is quite..,[br]we feel like we don't have enough time,

0:16:01.750,0:16:06.347
and this is a real tragedy,

0:16:10.176,0:16:12.026
to go very quick

0:16:12.913,0:16:16.834
and you'll be in your '60s [br]and '70s and '80s,

0:16:18.540,0:16:20.936
so this is something we need to look at.

0:16:22.484,0:16:24.105
I'm not saying to change it now,

0:16:25.313,0:16:27.341
I'm just reflecting.

0:16:28.790,0:16:33.308
We have to look deeply [br]where we're at, as a society

0:16:33.499,0:16:35.223
and not just to accept it.

0:16:36.552,0:16:39.532
So this is a kind of suffering[br]and we need to look at it.

0:16:45.186,0:16:48.170
We also have to look at the way we...

0:16:50.456,0:16:54.704
.. kind of lost touch with [br]a kind of spiritual life.

0:16:57.752,0:17:02.018
Most of our year, we schedule it

0:17:02.204,0:17:06.279
towards means of making a living, working,

0:17:09.551,0:17:15.779
even going on vacation,[br]it's a kind of work, it's busy

0:17:16.530,0:17:22.004
and you don't even find relief[br]or relaxation from that.

0:17:23.453,0:17:27.578
I see this in families, even in vacation.

0:17:30.386,0:17:34.835
So, coming to Plum Village,

0:17:35.831,0:17:40.179
you're able to touch something different,[br]a different order,

0:17:40.301,0:17:42.326
a different way of organizing.

0:17:44.847,0:17:49.439
This is something that Thay envisioned[br]for Plum Village,

0:17:50.732,0:17:55.219
a refuge for people,[br]to come and to renew themselves.

0:17:56.900,0:18:00.484
First he envisioned it [br]for the social workers

0:18:00.590,0:18:04.720
that were helping him [br]during the time of war.

0:18:07.243,0:18:12.702
He envisioned a place he called[br]not Plum Village, but "Persimmon Village".

0:18:14.385,0:18:18.992
He knew that you needed to come back[br]and to take care of your spirit

0:18:22.350,0:18:26.657
The church used to do that,[br]and the temples used to do that,

0:18:28.856,0:18:31.366
and we need to renew this,

0:18:31.444,0:18:34.333
so that it becomes a place [br]where people can find peace,

0:18:35.022,0:18:38.165
find compassion,

0:18:38.589,0:18:41.060
so that they can take care [br]of their suffering

0:18:42.187,0:18:43.604
This dimension in us,

0:18:44.263,0:18:48.438
because we've become too, [br]kind of, religious

0:18:49.301,0:18:51.436
even in the Buddhist temple.

0:18:52.043,0:18:55.723
I grew up, young, in my youth,[br]I went to the temple,

0:18:56.024,0:18:58.741
but it was just like Sunday temple,

0:18:59.120,0:19:00.453
like Sunday church,

0:19:00.698,0:19:02.883
you go,[br]you do your thing,

0:19:03.254,0:19:04.890
and then, you know,

0:19:05.951,0:19:07.786
you're a good Buddhist,

0:19:09.102,0:19:12.769
and then you go eat [br]in a restaurant

0:19:13.958,0:19:16.439
I only went because my parents said

0:19:16.537,0:19:18.658
"I'll take you to a restaurant afterwards"

0:19:21.831,0:19:24.561
And we ate beef stew, you know.

0:19:27.116,0:19:31.608
So that's for me, [br]as a young man I didn't understand

0:19:36.017,0:19:39.227
what the temple was helping because..

0:19:39.252,0:19:42.862
it was not helping my mother,[br]it was not helping my father get along.

0:19:44.317,0:19:49.755
It was not helping them [br]touch a deeper cause,

0:19:49.896,0:19:51.394
a deeper meaning in their life,

0:19:51.764,0:19:54.179
and how to actually deal [br]with each other, too.

0:19:56.581,0:20:00.699
So the role of a spiritual guide,[br]a spiritual community

0:20:00.987,0:20:03.938
has lost its place in our society.

0:20:06.819,0:20:09.002
Now we have therapists,

0:20:10.658,0:20:13.161
we have practice centers.

0:20:13.455,0:20:16.163
Luckily, now we're beginning [br]to have practice centers.

0:20:17.041,0:20:20.696
I don't know much about the Jewish[br]or the Christian tradition,

0:20:20.696,0:20:23.881
whether they have practice centers,[br]I imagine they do,

0:20:25.766,0:20:30.302
but at least I'm aware of places [br]where people can go and retreat,

0:20:31.776,0:20:35.627
and find their spirit, their heart again,

0:20:36.637,0:20:38.718
renew themselves.

0:20:39.014,0:20:40.706
Renew their spirit.

0:20:48.258,0:20:51.419
So the way we have divided

0:20:52.927,0:20:57.009
the spiritual practice[br]and our other pursuits,

0:20:58.077,0:20:59.531
is a kind of tragedy.

0:20:59.968,0:21:02.768
You hear the word 'secular',[br]secularizing things,

0:21:03.946,0:21:05.729
or separating things,

0:21:08.480,0:21:11.236
and we have to look at this

0:21:12.566,0:21:17.082
We have to find a way [br]to touch a deeper spirituality

0:21:17.096,0:21:18.913
that is not religious.

0:21:21.081,0:21:24.964
I think you know what I mean[br]if you read some of Thay's books.

0:21:25.779,0:21:27.731
And this is Thay's whole life,

0:21:28.348,0:21:31.868
trying to extract [br]from the Buddhist teaching

0:21:33.419,0:21:39.149
and bring out the practices[br]and the teachings that can help people.

0:21:40.350,0:21:43.398
No matter what background you come from.

0:21:45.323,0:21:49.488
And when I found Thay,[br]he helped me find my heart,

0:21:50.355,0:21:52.733
my spirit,[br]find my roots,

0:21:54.465,0:21:59.160
and I would say, [br]Thay saved me from being lost,

0:22:00.824,0:22:04.262
being a "hungry ghost", they call it,

0:22:05.107,0:22:07.114
always looking for things,

0:22:07.493,0:22:09.978
sensual pleasure, looking for fame,

0:22:10.334,0:22:16.251
looking for things, cds,[br]computers, laptops, gadgets...,

0:22:17.828,0:22:21.066
partnerships, relationships,

0:22:22.566,0:22:23.416
praise,

0:22:23.606,0:22:28.387
these things don't fill the heart [br]of a hungry ghost.

0:22:30.924,0:22:36.442
So when I found Thay's teachings,[br]he taught me the practice of coming back,

0:22:36.442,0:22:38.668
and touching our suffering.

0:22:38.955,0:22:41.674
Breathing,[br]being with our suffering.

0:22:43.413,0:22:49.575
He's the one that helped me stop,[br]recognize and accept my suffering.

0:22:51.844,0:22:54.036
I remember crying,

0:22:54.045,0:22:57.379
many of you probably remember [br]yourself crying, too

0:22:57.379,0:22:59.808
and don't know why, [br]but it just keeps coming

0:23:01.119,0:23:03.399
As a young man, [br]it was the first time I cried

0:23:03.494,0:23:06.134
because I hold it too long, you know..?

0:23:08.989,0:23:13.204
I think it's something [br]many of us have touched

0:23:17.747,0:23:21.055
I think many of you here,[br]you've touched that.

0:23:21.747,0:23:23.547
This is something wonderful.

0:23:30.097,0:23:34.885
In the theme of renewal,[br]we also need to renew our practice.

0:23:36.807,0:23:41.233
So now that we're here and have come [br]to the Sangha, to the Dharma,

0:23:41.615,0:23:45.627
to the practice, through a Youtube-video,[br]a book or something,

0:23:46.426,0:23:48.678
we have touched a little bit [br]of the practice

0:23:49.714,0:23:51.497
But we need to continue,

0:23:52.891,0:23:54.889
this is very important,

0:23:56.002,0:23:58.979
because everything is impermanent,

0:23:59.049,0:24:01.037
your practice is impermanent.

0:24:03.350,0:24:06.758
We have many new monks and nuns,[br]just ordained,

0:24:08.000,0:24:10.865
you look into their faces,[br]they're very bright,

0:24:10.885,0:24:12.595
they're like a new flower.

0:24:13.431,0:24:15.363
They're just - open.

0:24:16.283,0:24:19.903
Hasn't fully bloomed and is ready to wilt,[br]but is just...

0:24:21.491,0:24:23.774
that is the beginner's mind.

0:24:24.809,0:24:29.188
That is the mind of love,[br]that is the mind of freshness.

0:24:30.170,0:24:33.129
And as a practitioner,[br]when you've first read that book,

0:24:33.206,0:24:35.583
or that chapter, [br]or you saw that video,

0:24:38.515,0:24:41.316
it's that kind of ..,,[br]very invigoring,

0:24:41.522,0:24:43.254
very fresh and it gives you, "wow",

0:24:44.996,0:24:47.140
Or when you've found relief [br]from your suffering

0:24:48.122,0:24:51.966
it lightens your shoulder [br]and you feel more open to your loved ones

0:24:52.441,0:24:54.129
to your father, to your mother,

0:24:56.484,0:25:00.392
that is the beginner's mind,[br]that's the mind of love.

0:25:02.125,0:25:04.641
And that also is impermanent

0:25:06.393,0:25:11.299
So the practice is to learn from nature[br]and learn how to renew it

0:25:15.476,0:25:21.021
So, the breathing is one way[br]we can renew our practice

0:25:22.383,0:25:23.722
We take a breath.

0:25:25.797,0:25:30.525
You see, in the very moment[br]we can refresh

0:25:30.742,0:25:34.967
Let's just take one breath right now[br]in mindfulness

0:25:36.989,0:25:39.540
and you see the effect on your mind.

0:25:41.433,0:25:43.006
One deep breath,

0:25:44.693,0:25:46.593
we take a moment,

0:26:18.106,0:26:22.154
So, when we come to the monastery,[br]we learn a practice

0:26:22.189,0:26:24.739
and we learn how to renew[br]our practice.

0:26:28.272,0:26:33.675
Walking meditation is another way[br]for us to renew our practice,

0:26:36.198,0:26:37.540
how to....

0:26:38.618,0:26:44.439
as we practice, as the years go by, [br]you need to refresh it,

0:26:46.429,0:26:50.400
and you have to find ways [br]to make it fresh again,

0:26:51.556,0:26:55.174
very important,[br]we say "make it novel,"

0:26:55.405,0:26:57.362
Thay is the master,

0:26:57.693,0:27:02.833
he'd always surprise the monks[br]by changing a little bit of this or that.

0:27:03.963,0:27:06.270
So we need to remember that.

0:27:06.826,0:27:09.736
So if you already have [br]some sitting practice,

0:27:09.743,0:27:13.974
don't do it just out of routine.

0:27:14.155,0:27:18.155
When you sit, have clear intentions,[br]sit, and bring freshness,

0:27:19.093,0:27:21.780
bring the mind of a beginner again.

0:27:22.731,0:27:25.141
We have to find ways like that,

0:27:25.263,0:27:27.449
with breathing, with walking

0:27:30.685,0:27:36.216
and our body, we need to find ways[br]to renew our body,

0:27:37.235,0:27:40.780
to pay attention to the rhythms[br]of our body,

0:27:41.302,0:27:43.342
so mindfulness, aware of your body,

0:27:43.581,0:27:45.784
when you're sitting or meditating,

0:27:46.124,0:27:49.562
but also, aware of the rhythms of it,

0:27:51.288,0:27:55.932
when it's in stress,[br]when is it in stress?

0:27:56.835,0:27:59.563
when are you rushing?

0:28:00.265,0:28:02.629
Our society has trained us so,

0:28:03.594,0:28:07.000
that we've become disconnected [br]from our body.

0:28:10.502,0:28:12.701
Some of you, who stay here long,

0:28:13.090,0:28:16.775
you see, you can tell newcomers[br]to Plum Village,

0:28:17.717,0:28:19.539
just by the way they move.

0:28:21.778,0:28:23.255
The way they open the door,

0:28:23.632,0:28:26.112
the way they put the cup down [br]in the tearoom,

0:28:29.055,0:28:33.742
or the way they actually plug in[br]their headphones,

0:28:40.371,0:28:43.971
because we have an energy in our body.

0:28:45.060,0:28:47.198
So learning how to be in your body,

0:28:52.786,0:28:57.034
when you're working on your computer,[br]when you're walking,

0:28:59.377,0:29:01.388
when you're making a cup of tea,

0:29:03.585,0:29:08.142
be aware, are you relaxed?[br]Are you tight?

0:29:11.359,0:29:12.989
Another way of looking at it,

0:29:13.015,0:29:15.397
are you spending more energy [br]than you need to?

0:29:16.710,0:29:20.916
That question right there [br]has guided my practice.

0:29:22.159,0:29:24.696
Now, when I'm washing something,

0:29:24.696,0:29:27.393
I mean, do you need [br]to use all that energy?

0:29:29.630,0:29:31.745
Do you know what I'm talking about?

0:29:34.292,0:29:37.382
One I love to share is, [br]when you brush your teeth.

0:29:39.821,0:29:42.371
I mean, there's only a few teeth,[br]and they're so small.

0:29:43.833,0:29:47.814
And your brush is this small,[br]but you use enough energy

0:29:47.892,0:29:50.074
to drive a crane, you know?

0:29:51.617,0:29:55.514
So ask yourself, am I using [br]more energy than I need to?

0:29:56.649,0:29:58.687
I hear some people walk...

0:29:59.344,0:30:01.302
listen to their footsteps.

0:30:01.907,0:30:03.830
Do you need to use that much energy?

0:30:04.834,0:30:07.696
[crugh, crugh, crugh, crugh, crugh, crugh]

0:30:09.659,0:30:11.464
sorry, I have special effects!

0:30:16.840,0:30:21.210
I say this, because [br]I've wasted a lot of energy,

0:30:22.750,0:30:25.434
Especially walking, and...

0:30:27.437,0:30:29.806
and you get a back ache [br]and you get bone problems

0:30:29.844,0:30:32.035
because of your posture [br]and the way you walk.

0:30:34.440,0:30:38.423
So the practice of mindfulness[br]can help us be aware of our body

0:30:38.543,0:30:41.203
and when it moves,[br]ask yourself:

0:30:42.801,0:30:45.597
"Do I need to use all this energy?"

0:30:48.381,0:30:52.447
That's a wonderful way of guiding it,[br]because we love to be efficient,

0:30:52.966,0:30:57.589
so I'm making it so that[br]you have more motivation

0:30:58.191,0:30:59.907
You don't want to waste energy,

0:30:59.919,0:31:01.855
especially when you're a teacher, right?

0:31:01.956,0:31:05.289
You know, when you're correcting something[br]you don't have to go <i>phuit</i>

0:31:06.819,0:31:11.520
You just use 10%,[br]you don't have to use 80%!

0:31:13.689,0:31:17.970
So I'm watering, [br]I'm challenging your efficiency

0:31:18.809,0:31:20.743
Humans love to be efficient

0:31:23.607,0:31:26.767
Mindfulness helps us not to waste energy.

0:31:29.503,0:31:31.432
So, slowing down helps.

0:31:32.159,0:31:35.365
Slowing down is not [br]the perfect and right way

0:31:35.767,0:31:37.637
but slowing down helps.

0:31:38.208,0:31:41.909
Because our society has pushed us[br]and we run

0:31:43.924,0:31:46.742
Not just with our body but with our minds.

0:31:46.915,0:31:48.936
So when we come here and we walk,

0:31:49.438,0:31:52.477
when we do something,[br]just slow it down first.

0:31:53.720,0:31:57.065
And when you begin to have [br]more awareness and concentration,

0:31:57.377,0:31:59.657
then you do fast, slow,

0:32:00.564,0:32:02.563
you don't waste energy.

0:32:03.940,0:32:05.770
So this is another way of saying,

0:32:05.839,0:32:07.269
just relax!

0:32:09.432,0:32:11.448
You don't need to try so hard.

0:32:12.550,0:32:15.079
So this is a body-practice

0:32:26.145,0:32:28.262
One thing we also need to,

0:32:28.528,0:32:31.757
these are habits we need to relook at

0:32:33.604,0:32:37.716
One practice I like to look at[br]is my habits.

0:32:39.889,0:32:42.140
We are, they say, creatures of habits.

0:32:42.977,0:32:44.804
That's great, because it's true.

0:32:45.951,0:32:48.572
So we have to look at[br]what kind of habits do we have?

0:32:50.246,0:32:52.640
and when we look at other people's habits,

0:32:53.361,0:32:55.252
we begin to see mine too.

0:32:57.118,0:33:00.699
So we have a habit of [br]non-stop thinking,

0:33:00.699,0:33:03.709
Thay would say NST,[br]Non-Stop Thinking.

0:33:03.709,0:33:06.207
Thay made a radio show out of it.

0:33:07.530,0:33:10.316
He said:"Turn off your NST radio",

0:33:13.263,0:33:17.485
it is constantly emitting radio-waves,[br]thinking.

0:33:19.038,0:33:20.893
So when we come to the practice center,

0:33:21.548,0:33:25.316
the practice helps us [br]to just rest our thinking.

0:33:26.590,0:33:29.760
This is another area [br]where we waste a lot of our energy.

0:33:31.588,0:33:34.628
Thinking is ok, but there's a time for it

0:33:35.090,0:33:37.636
and there's a time to just be..

0:33:40.480,0:33:44.919
so we're so much trained [br]to always be thinking about something,

0:33:46.908,0:33:49.556
so when we meditate, when we walk,[br]when we sit,

0:33:49.736,0:33:51.870
when we enjoy a cup of tea,

0:33:52.274,0:33:55.427
just be present with it [br]and don't think about it.

0:33:56.488,0:33:59.758
You know, "where is this from,[br]what kind of, oh, you know like,

0:34:00.081,0:34:04.421
what kind of ingredients,[br]is this bio, it comes from where?

0:34:10.673,0:34:14.168
It's nice to be aware, but sometimes[br]that's just a habit.

0:34:14.401,0:34:17.111
You know, everything you look at,[br]you have to know exactly

0:34:17.355,0:34:20.796
where everything is, and you have to,[br]to constantly...

0:34:20.898,0:34:22.818
that's a habit that we have.

0:34:24.081,0:34:25.592
It's useful sometimes,

0:34:25.637,0:34:28.444
but most of the time [br]it wastes a lot of energy.

0:34:30.552,0:34:36.068
So renewing, reviving that habit.

0:34:39.256,0:34:41.685
Being aware of these habits.

0:34:43.450,0:34:45.973
We have a habit of reacting

0:34:48.220,0:34:52.413
The practice, [br]mindfulness can help us react

0:34:54.424,0:34:57.489
Someone drops something[br]in the dining-hall,

0:34:57.630,0:34:58.952
maybe tonight,

0:35:00.028,0:35:01.581
follow your breathing

0:35:05.724,0:35:07.383
and then you can see your thinking mind

0:35:07.695,0:35:10.606
"ah, I'm gonna find out who, what family,[br]who is that?"

0:35:17.862,0:35:21.630
But what happens when you close your eyes[br]and you follow your breathing...

0:35:23.304,0:35:25.728
you're free from having to think.

0:35:26.720,0:35:29.542
And so, you know, [br]"oh, it's that woman again, jeez"

0:35:32.581,0:35:36.186
you see? waste of energy. [br]React!

0:35:36.646,0:35:41.802
This is a good place to train to react[br]because you get all kinds of people here.

0:35:42.825,0:35:44.674
And they come from different cultures,

0:35:44.750,0:35:46.629
and they have a different approach,

0:35:46.713,0:35:50.084
so this is the U.N. of Mindfulness.

0:35:51.847,0:35:53.356
This is a very...

0:35:54.652,0:35:57.719
"you might like to do it that way,[br]but watch out!"

0:35:59.443,0:36:01.228
So, when you hear the bell,

0:36:01.608,0:36:04.039
it helps us stop and follow our breathing

0:36:05.323,0:36:08.087
It's to help us train to not react.

0:36:10.188,0:36:12.759
Come back, [br]enjoy the freedom

0:36:13.723,0:36:15.402
of not having to look..

0:36:18.403,0:36:19.671
wow!

0:36:21.672,0:36:24.214
That is a freedom that you have

0:36:25.312,0:36:27.173
we don't have to react

0:36:31.255,0:36:35.027
We hear a sound,[br]we don't have to think

0:36:37.549,0:36:39.521
that is a freedom.

0:36:41.797,0:36:43.757
This is something that can be trained,

0:36:44.110,0:36:47.118
that can be your tool.

0:36:49.093,0:36:52.445
And as teachers, you need to train this.

0:36:53.078,0:36:56.126
You need to come to a monastery[br]many, many times,

0:36:57.774,0:37:00.400
or train at home with friends,

0:37:00.891,0:37:03.440
because as a teacher [br]you're under a lot of stress,

0:37:03.774,0:37:06.413
not just as teachers, but as human beings

0:37:07.201,0:37:11.568
whether you're a mother or a father,[br]any field you're in

0:37:12.732,0:37:15.763
I want to have a meditation one day,

0:37:16.206,0:37:20.757
to have people gather around a table,[br]in a circle,

0:37:21.086,0:37:23.624
and then you have a cup of orange juice,

0:37:24.607,0:37:26.660
and everyone looking [br]at the cup of orange juice,

0:37:26.907,0:37:29.059
and the table has to be really clean,

0:37:30.488,0:37:33.042
and then I knock the orange cup over.

0:37:34.390,0:37:36.163
And everyone just breathes...

0:37:40.111,0:37:42.076
Wouldn't that be a great meditation?

0:37:42.140,0:37:44.051
a kind of new, guided meditation?

0:37:51.058,0:37:53.584
Because I learned that here, actually.

0:37:54.306,0:37:57.898
I've never been to a place where [br]when someone drops a bowl of food,

0:37:58.888,0:38:02.922
and the monks say [br]"Voilà! A flower!"

0:38:03.158,0:38:07.344
First time I see that, I was like,[br]"What is wrong with this monk?"

0:38:09.572,0:38:13.037
I was like, "Oh, they're just pretending,[br]they're really angry inside",

0:38:14.882,0:38:17.640
but you see, it's true, [br]many people have this habit here,

0:38:17.724,0:38:20.009
they celebrate when something goes wrong

0:38:22.563,0:38:26.076
and so I want to make it [br]become a guided meditation.

0:38:27.775,0:38:29.702
When something goes wrong,

0:38:32.037,0:38:34.114
this is our society,

0:38:35.943,0:38:38.282
they train us to react.

0:38:38.877,0:38:41.818
You know, if you drive,[br]you're getting trained

0:38:42.616,0:38:45.113
to be reactive, and to be judgmental,

0:38:46.013,0:38:47.542
and to fight.

0:38:50.433,0:38:52.900
I grew up in Los Angeles,[br]I know all about that.

0:38:55.270,0:38:59.952
I had to make a game out of surviving[br]without being mean

0:39:01.291,0:39:04.234
because the freeway makes you [br]become really mean.

0:39:06.370,0:39:08.342
See how our society is great,

0:39:08.993,0:39:12.527
it's better than the rat-experiment,[br]that's terrible.

0:39:14.471,0:39:17.078
Sorry, I'm an architect, [br]I get to say that,

0:39:17.427,0:39:19.565
I designed cities!

0:39:25.495,0:39:28.027
Aware of this, we are very fortunate

0:39:28.529,0:39:31.120
we have an opportunity.

0:39:36.432,0:39:37.850
Routines, habits,

0:39:39.215,0:39:41.854
routines, be careful of your routines,

0:39:44.628,0:39:47.189
the clocks, the watches,

0:39:47.476,0:39:53.128
calendars, the new, flick, touches,

0:39:54.714,0:39:56.339
smart phones.

0:39:58.901,0:40:01.282
They are taking over your life,

0:40:01.774,0:40:03.613
and I just got one, so...

0:40:10.283,0:40:16.257
I confess, the Sangha trusts me enough now[br]to see how I do that

0:40:17.775,0:40:19.948
It stays right next to my bed

0:40:20.461,0:40:23.029
and I'm learning [br]to become friends with it.

0:40:24.546,0:40:27.505
But I see, it's slowly thinking [br]"come on...

0:40:29.575,0:40:30.985
..come on!"

0:40:33.117,0:40:34.291
It's great

0:40:36.738,0:40:39.087
But you know [br]what I'm talking about, right?

0:40:39.693,0:40:42.443
yeah, okay, [br]so I don't need to talk about that

0:40:46.010,0:40:51.044
We're so organized, we're so efficient,[br]this is gonna be a good year

0:40:56.902,0:41:00.597
(speaks Vietnamese)

0:41:03.807,0:41:06.807
I'm just seeing what time I have to cook

0:41:12.550,0:41:14.820
Another area we need to renew

0:41:15.512,0:41:18.829
and to revisit and to reflect [br]is our stories,

0:41:20.239,0:41:21.463
very important.

0:41:22.805,0:41:25.070
The stories we tell our children,

0:41:25.509,0:41:28.108
the stories we tell our students,

0:41:28.184,0:41:30.305
the stories we tell ourselves.

0:41:32.508,0:41:37.380
We are creatures of habits, [br]but we are also creatures of stories.

0:41:38.208,0:41:42.275
We love "Who are you?"[br]and we tell a story.

0:41:44.951,0:41:47.289
Be careful of our stories

0:41:51.639,0:41:53.656
I grew up and

0:41:54.792,0:41:56.924
I had a story I told about my family

0:41:57.372,0:41:59.761
and my father and my mother,

0:42:01.126,0:42:05.524
and my place in America,[br]American society,

0:42:06.161,0:42:08.930
that caused me a lot of suffering[br]as a young man

0:42:10.340,0:42:14.067
and I didn't know how to tell [br]a different story.

0:42:17.097,0:42:20.647
So the practice of meditation,[br]sitting down,

0:42:22.220,0:42:25.698
and breathing, and just clearing our mind,

0:42:27.484,0:42:30.254
we begin to hear that story.

0:42:31.659,0:42:34.476
You begin to hear it again and again,

0:42:36.739,0:42:40.281
and you touch that suffering.

0:42:42.536,0:42:45.450
And you begin to understand [br]where it comes from

0:42:47.033,0:42:49.545
It comes because we won't let go,

0:42:51.326,0:42:53.430
We won't let go of that story.

0:42:56.405,0:42:59.251
We cause a lot of suffering [br]to those we love,

0:43:02.445,0:43:08.264
so we need to relook at [br]how we can tell a different story

0:43:10.751,0:43:12.909
a story that can open our heart,

0:43:14.156,0:43:15.857
that can accept.

0:43:20.321,0:43:22.105
I think, maybe you are here

0:43:22.548,0:43:25.578
because you want to find [br]a new story for your life.

0:43:26.490,0:43:29.121
Yes, things have happened in the past,

0:43:29.698,0:43:32.816
yes, they might be like that,

0:43:34.645,0:43:38.161
but when we can stop and [br]see the other person

0:43:39.196,0:43:41.917
as someone who also suffers,

0:43:44.108,0:43:47.847
we can begin to tell a different story[br]about them.

0:43:50.142,0:43:53.069
Nobody wants to make another person suffer

0:43:54.707,0:43:59.313
It's only because they suffer,[br]that they cause others to suffer.

0:44:02.287,0:44:04.816
And when we can retell a story like that,

0:44:05.961,0:44:08.009
the way we look at our past

0:44:08.571,0:44:09.929
changes.

0:44:11.624,0:44:15.889
This is the beauty I found [br]in Thay's teaching.

0:44:17.735,0:44:20.762
You think the past cannot be changed?

0:44:22.759,0:44:24.966
The past, we make up.

0:44:25.400,0:44:27.030
You know your history books?

0:44:27.742,0:44:29.649
It's all made up.

0:44:34.832,0:44:40.758
So, find a way in the present moment

0:44:42.020,0:44:44.634
to look at suffering,

0:44:45.471,0:44:47.595
and to understand the root of it.

0:44:48.211,0:44:50.967
That will free you from that story.

0:44:51.551,0:44:55.647
This is something that helped me[br]become happier,

0:44:57.697,0:45:02.298
less judgmental,[br]more kind,

0:45:03.888,0:45:07.722
and more accepting of people[br]who are suffering.

0:45:09.757,0:45:14.033
These are personal stories[br]with your loved ones,

0:45:15.579,0:45:19.275
but they can also be stories[br]with other people.

0:45:22.152,0:45:26.968
This is very important for people[br]who are in education,

0:45:27.798,0:45:30.799
in media, [br]especially media now.

0:45:31.684,0:45:36.480
Those of you who are in media,[br]please tell a different story.

0:45:37.795,0:45:41.723
Stop watering the seed of discrimination,

0:45:42.093,0:45:46.601
hatred, [br]other, us.

0:45:48.103,0:45:51.149
You can write what happened,[br]but write in a way

0:45:51.424,0:45:55.292
that waters the seed of understanding,[br]of compassion in people.

0:45:58.862,0:46:04.382
Yes, there was terror,[br]there was injustice,

0:46:06.785,0:46:10.938
but write that in a way that can open up

0:46:11.285,0:46:14.710
and try to bring people together.

0:46:15.890,0:46:20.753
Encourage them to look more deeply,[br]to listen more deeply.

0:46:23.396,0:46:26.987
The news now is quite toxic,

0:46:27.111,0:46:30.780
so we need to be very careful [br]when we open our internet.

0:46:33.019,0:46:37.110
It could be something all around the world[br]that has nothing to do with us,

0:46:37.575,0:46:44.043
but this morning it makes us frown,[br]hate, fear,

0:46:46.258,0:46:48.489
and we move through our day like that

0:46:49.351,0:46:53.545
So this is an area, media,[br]and in school as well.

0:46:55.232,0:47:00.856
This is Thay's vision for relooking[br]at education and its purpose.

0:47:02.844,0:47:06.922
You look at that textbook, [br]the history books, it's all about war

0:47:08.183,0:47:11.452
about competition, [br]and this group and...

0:47:12.070,0:47:15.389
we need to revisit,[br]we need to retell

0:47:15.692,0:47:17.289
and teach different things:

0:47:17.331,0:47:21.738
our relationship to Mother Earth,[br]to other cultures,

0:47:22.654,0:47:24.255
we need to celebrate.

0:47:26.355,0:47:29.533
We need to tell a different story[br]about our nation.

0:47:30.269,0:47:32.317
Let's get rid of that!

0:47:33.081,0:47:35.966
I know it helps to have things organized,

0:47:38.277,0:47:42.686
but because we tell ourselves [br]we are from here, this group,

0:47:42.735,0:47:44.172
from this nation,

0:47:44.858,0:47:48.950
we're causing a lot of suffering.

0:47:51.898,0:47:58.359
So this is something for the New Year[br]and for the time to come.

0:47:59.528,0:48:03.743
If you're in that position, [br]of affecting other people,

0:48:04.349,0:48:05.831
tell a different story.

0:48:05.894,0:48:08.997
Even on a subway.[br]Something happened?

0:48:10.451,0:48:14.763
You can, by the way you describe [br]these people around you,

0:48:16.075,0:48:18.328
it can water the seed of understanding,

0:48:19.183,0:48:21.228
and water the seed of kindness.

0:48:22.525,0:48:24.182
So don't add to it,

0:48:24.787,0:48:30.379
don't add to the separation[br]and discrimination,

0:48:32.785,0:48:33.890
the fear.

0:48:35.386,0:48:39.777
As a practitioner, this is our mission.

0:48:40.974,0:48:42.393
We need to become..

0:48:44.410,0:48:46.217
a different kind of storyteller.

0:48:47.325,0:48:51.296
For ourselves, and for those[br]we come in contact with.

0:48:52.821,0:48:59.523
There's is a Bodhisattva [br]who is, what he does,

0:49:01.899,0:49:04.229
goes around thanking people.

0:49:04.530,0:49:06.789
Thank you, you know, [br]you are very beautiful,

0:49:07.315,0:49:09.652
you are a Buddha, you know that?

0:49:10.166,0:49:12.127
You're the most wonderful person.

0:49:14.018,0:49:15.655
And people don't accept it.

0:49:16.410,0:49:19.289
They say "what are you talking about?[br]Get out of here! Are you crazy?"

0:49:22.125,0:49:26.647
So we need that kind of Bodhisattva[br]in the world.

0:49:27.305,0:49:33.775
Please tell people that they're ok,[br]they're accepted, just as they are.

0:49:35.386,0:49:37.664
Tell them to accept themselves.

0:49:39.012,0:49:41.813
This is our work as practitioners.

0:49:42.170,0:49:45.847
When we practice, we find healing[br]for ourselves.

0:49:48.012,0:49:52.773
When we waste less energy,[br]thinking and trying too hard

0:49:52.994,0:49:54.840
and we have energy,

0:49:55.935,0:49:58.374
we can be a refuge for others,

0:49:58.992,0:50:00.575
our loved ones, our friends.

0:50:07.546,0:50:10.134
As a society, we also need to renew

0:50:11.991,0:50:16.903
and reflect, and change a little bit[br]our purpose, our dreams,

0:50:17.917,0:50:21.369
this is the root of a lot of problems.

0:50:27.220,0:50:29.015
Our family, we....

0:50:33.046,0:50:37.342
we had to leave Vietnam[br]because of war,

0:50:38.544,0:50:40.571
because of ideology,

0:50:41.030,0:50:43.852
communists,[br]democracy,

0:50:47.816,0:50:50.431
In a way I like to describe [br]my family like this:

0:50:50.680,0:50:53.860
my father, he is Chinese, [br]he had to escape China

0:50:54.900,0:50:57.847
because of war, revolution,

0:50:59.824,0:51:03.020
and then he had to escape Vietnam,

0:51:05.350,0:51:07.380
another war,

0:51:08.548,0:51:10.158
and then he came to America

0:51:11.236,0:51:14.460
and now I continue, [br]I escaped to France.

0:51:18.103,0:51:20.062
But it's a different kind of war.

0:51:21.648,0:51:24.113
Politically speaking, it's kind of funny,

0:51:24.113,0:51:26.201
because my dad escaped China [br]for communists,

0:51:26.360,0:51:29.499
and then another communist system,

0:51:29.741,0:51:32.105
so a lot of ideas, you know.

0:51:34.074,0:51:39.003
But in America, my family came[br]and we were very poor,

0:51:39.807,0:51:43.319
they didn't have anything.[br]We had to leave everything behind.

0:51:44.897,0:51:48.026
And I remember, growing up in America,

0:51:48.289,0:51:51.758
there's the American Dream.

0:51:54.500,0:51:57.968
"Leave it to Beaver", I grew up with[br]this black&white show.

0:51:58.698,0:52:01.218
"Leave it to Beaver", [br]and there's all these shows,

0:52:01.241,0:52:06.556
that shows you family,[br]and it's like, it's great,

0:52:09.680,0:52:11.787
happy, happy family

0:52:11.836,0:52:13.716
you have everything.

0:52:14.356,0:52:19.629
And then, as I grew up,[br]I learned the dream of having a house,

0:52:20.048,0:52:24.321
a garage, actually two garages,[br]and a car.

0:52:27.781,0:52:31.833
So these kind of dreams,[br]these kind of desires,

0:52:33.251,0:52:38.143
we have to relook at them,[br]because our planet needs it,

0:52:39.173,0:52:44.483
and other countries need for us[br]to renew our dream.

0:52:45.396,0:52:51.120
It's not gonna work, sorry,[br]for us to have everything,

0:52:51.700,0:52:54.480
and for everyone to have what we have,

0:52:54.836,0:52:56.000
it's not gonna work.

0:52:56.329,0:52:58.978
It's already hitting a limit.

0:53:01.033,0:53:04.281
Having many things, [br]and being able to buy many things,

0:53:04.774,0:53:08.276
having a bank account,[br]retirement plan,

0:53:09.782,0:53:15.150
and all these things that, [br]as a monk, we have left,

0:53:16.669,0:53:18.946
this is something we need to look at.

0:53:19.449,0:53:22.977
And it's difficult, I know that[br]some of the things I'm bringing up,

0:53:23.314,0:53:26.513
is hard, because you live in a society,[br]you have a family,

0:53:26.705,0:53:28.055
you have to pay your bills,

0:53:29.354,0:53:31.652
but I just invite you to look again,

0:53:32.989,0:53:36.588
minimizing or moderating[br]a little bit

0:53:36.832,0:53:39.422
of the material things we have.

0:53:39.655,0:53:42.065
And Christmas is a great time [br]to look at that,

0:53:42.467,0:53:46.759
Christmas and holiday, [br]they always have sales

0:53:47.635,0:53:50.785
I told Dah Young, [br]don't we have some sales in the books?

0:53:51.490,0:53:53.168
You know, a "buy one, get one free"?

0:53:54.677,0:53:56.500
And he said "No, we don't have that".

0:53:59.376,0:54:01.760
It was just my habit from Los Angeles,

0:54:01.983,0:54:03.770
when it's holiday, it's about buying,

0:54:03.970,0:54:09.311
it's not about coming in touch [br]with spiritual practice.

0:54:11.475,0:54:15.490
So our culture of buying,[br]a culture of having many things,

0:54:16.797,0:54:19.967
buying things and they're no longer useful

0:54:20.149,0:54:21.813
or there's a new model

0:54:24.469,0:54:28.257
Like, "there's a new model of this",[br]a new car,

0:54:30.947,0:54:33.760
it doesn't work, [br]it's not working.

0:54:35.712,0:54:41.086
So if you're a businessperson,[br]please help us with this aspect.

0:54:43.084,0:54:50.335
And also, money. Our culture is so linked[br]with the value of things, money.

0:54:53.254,0:54:57.907
We put prices on things, [br]and when we work, we get money,

0:54:57.969,0:55:00.240
therefore we buy something,[br]then it's ours.

0:55:01.068,0:55:06.218
Somehow this is not filling [br]the spiritual dimension,

0:55:06.298,0:55:10.410
the spiritual dimension of your heart.

0:55:11.860,0:55:16.726
This I share with you, having grown up[br]in the city and having worked,

0:55:17.902,0:55:20.402
and this is one of my sufferings:

0:55:21.945,0:55:25.482
getting a lot of things, [br]but really still feeling empty.

0:55:26.008,0:55:29.142
In fact there's a relationship between[br]the more things you have,

0:55:30.269,0:55:33.148
the more depression you'll get.

0:55:34.847,0:55:36.518
That's weird, isn't it?

0:55:38.730,0:55:41.671
Just think about it, having t-shirts.

0:55:42.082,0:55:46.254
Have you had two t-shirts?[br]Or do you have two shoes?

0:55:47.960,0:55:49.711
Or do you have one shoe?

0:55:50.841,0:55:54.458
You're so happy. [br]And you do everything to...

0:55:56.021,0:55:58.525
and you get another shoe,[br]and another shoe.

0:55:58.575,0:56:00.657
Or another t-shirt, you get ten t-shirts,

0:56:01.824,0:56:03.701
do you ever feel that?

0:56:03.989,0:56:07.310
I had this experience, you...[br]just another shirt

0:56:09.661,0:56:14.678
So there is a relationship,[br]this is just a very minor exemple,

0:56:15.544,0:56:18.408
but you have to expand that.[br]This is our culture.

0:56:20.202,0:56:22.368
Our materialistic culture.

0:56:22.705,0:56:25.845
This is something we have to revisit.

0:56:30.182,0:56:35.291
Wearing something out.[br]Or using something to its end.

0:56:36.792,0:56:40.838
And valueing it for helping you,[br]so something very...

0:56:45.290,0:56:48.839
That relationship you can look at.

0:56:50.461,0:56:53.422
But I know that culture [br]is very hard to resist.

0:56:58.510,0:57:03.454
Sometimes it helps us to have new things,

0:57:04.206,0:57:10.599
so I want to say, don't become an ascetic[br]and become asteer and so on,

0:57:11.126,0:57:17.358
but relook at it, in your life,[br]and see how that is playing out,

0:57:17.844,0:57:19.230
it could be just habit.

0:57:19.880,0:57:24.053
You're used to it, and society says it,[br]so you do it.

0:57:25.373,0:57:29.105
A lot of advertisement,[br]they stimulate us to do these things.

0:57:30.592,0:57:35.921
So this dream of having [br]material possessions,

0:57:37.999,0:57:40.500
I think we have to teach young people

0:57:40.996,0:57:46.369
to find different ways [br]to satisfy their lives.

0:58:29.424,0:58:34.345
Another area we can look at to renew

0:58:36.304,0:58:37.892
is our way of living.

0:58:39.088,0:58:43.176
Our society is very isolating.

0:58:44.510,0:58:48.550
I just met someone [br]whose son is in one country,

0:58:49.198,0:58:51.446
and whose daughter is[br]in another country,

0:58:51.749,0:58:54.250
and, as a grandmother,[br]she has to fly around now.

0:58:56.286,0:59:01.298
We no longer live close,[br]we no longer live with support

0:59:04.396,0:59:09.656
I think Thay's vision is[br]to restructure a little bit

0:59:10.260,0:59:12.524
our family, our community,

0:59:12.829,0:59:15.220
so even if you don't live [br]with your loved ones,

0:59:15.821,0:59:18.578
you can find like-minded groups.

0:59:18.908,0:59:22.546
Join a community,[br]a spiritual community to find support.

0:59:24.111,0:59:30.525
This is something that can help us[br]stay on the path, stay sane,

0:59:31.985,0:59:32.805
stay..

0:59:34.294,0:59:35.921
stay free.

0:59:38.191,0:59:42.427
It's Thay's vision to have [br]a practice community

0:59:43.339,0:59:48.802
in every city. It's his life's work,[br]he built Plum Village,

0:59:50.030,0:59:53.472
and this is a model for a role center,

0:59:55.971,0:59:59.949
and because of Thay's virtue and practice[br]and compassion in his life,

1:00:01.462,1:00:03.747
we've come and gathered here,

1:00:05.356,1:00:10.204
and Thay now encourages us [br]to build a sangha,

1:00:10.660,1:00:14.148
to build a community [br]wherever we go back to.

1:00:16.531,1:00:20.476
So our practice is no longer[br]just for ourselves.

1:00:21.281,1:00:23.269
Coming together, we support each other

1:00:23.556,1:00:27.455
and that community becomes [br]a support group for others

1:00:28.214,1:00:29.552
in the city.

1:00:30.826,1:00:33.684
And I think, this is a way forward for us,

1:00:34.318,1:00:36.467
to come together.

1:00:42.588,1:00:48.115
How many of you are therapists?[br]Mental therapists, or

1:00:49.396,1:00:53.552
psychotherapists?[br]Other therapists?

1:00:54.281,1:00:55.932
Yoga-instructors?

1:00:56.725,1:00:59.170
Wonderful.[br]So that's the body.

1:01:00.263,1:01:02.673
How many of you are [br]fitness-trainers?

1:01:03.417,1:01:05.596
You? Wonderful.

1:01:07.987,1:01:10.632
There's also... Now they[br]have leadership trainings, right?

1:01:11.205,1:01:13.408
How many of you are [br]in leadership training?

1:01:13.791,1:01:16.387
You can admit it, come on.[br]One, allright.

1:01:17.068,1:01:20.571
Wonderful.[br]How to succeed, yes.

1:01:21.797,1:01:24.660
We need that, we need good leaders.

1:01:27.766,1:01:30.820
I see more and more,[br]we need more therapists...

1:01:31.231,1:01:34.865
we need more yoga-instructors,[br]we need more...

1:01:36.149,1:01:37.556
places...

1:01:41.055,1:01:42.192
and so

1:01:42.461,1:01:49.746
The vision here is you can create[br]a community to play that role.

1:01:51.589,1:01:53.624
To become the therapist.

1:01:57.634,1:02:02.835
We had a psychiatrist come here,[br]make a presentation about what he does

1:02:04.369,1:02:05.823
and he divided up:

1:02:06.572,1:02:11.325
he said, behavior therapy, that has to do[br]with your behavior, your habits,

1:02:11.818,1:02:16.072
and then, cognitive therapy, about the way[br]your mind thinks,

1:02:17.372,1:02:19.609
and the new thing now is

1:02:20.253,1:02:24.531
mindfulness based therapy.

1:02:26.206,1:02:29.866
Mindfulness based cognitive therapy.

1:02:30.665,1:02:33.501
That's great. [br]Some of you are in that program?

1:02:34.429,1:02:35.440
Anyone?

1:02:37.986,1:02:41.005
I think, Thay would add one to that,

1:02:41.495,1:02:44.113
that's community based therapy.

1:02:46.218,1:02:47.935
Do you see the vision?

1:02:48.584,1:02:51.289
It's not just the psychiatrist [br]sitting there, saying:

1:02:51.494,1:02:57.648
"Ok, tell me your story.[br]Yes, all of it, don't hide anything",

1:03:00.291,1:03:02.002
one on one, right?

1:03:02.230,1:03:06.230
Sorry, I've never been to a..[br]I don't mean to a...

1:03:06.723,1:03:10.913
I hope it's not offending,[br]and I don't know the image now,

1:03:11.614,1:03:13.913
how they do it, but it's one on one right,

1:03:14.744,1:03:19.199
and it's private, closed door[br]and it's <i>confidential</i>

1:03:22.058,1:03:26.204
In community based therapy,[br]there's no confidentiality.

1:03:28.295,1:03:32.172
You sit here, you cry?[br]Everyone knows you're suffering!

1:03:41.963,1:03:43.576
Thank you for laughing.

1:03:48.846,1:03:52.746
I have to apologize, sometimes[br]I hope I'm not offending anyone.

1:03:53.971,1:03:59.013
I have a side in me that likes to poke[br]fun at things, that's my habit.

1:04:02.560,1:04:06.292
But community based therapy [br]is wonderful,

1:04:07.356,1:04:09.326
this is what I'm learning here,

1:04:10.694,1:04:15.478
and this is the power of [br]the collective healing,

1:04:16.352,1:04:18.921
even without discussion.

1:04:19.715,1:04:22.033
I don't need to know your history.

1:04:24.032,1:04:26.311
The community doesn't need to know.

1:04:27.965,1:04:31.296
But because you're here,[br]you practise within the community,

1:04:32.058,1:04:34.345
the energy,[br]the collective energy

1:04:35.961,1:04:37.531
is very powerful

1:04:37.837,1:04:39.673
And you will become your therapist.

1:04:40.819,1:04:42.729
That is the miracle.

1:04:44.456,1:04:46.148
The practise of mindfulness

1:04:46.334,1:04:48.391
can help you become your own therapist.

1:04:51.562,1:04:53.271
You begin to understand yourself,

1:04:53.498,1:04:55.518
you begin to have insight about yourself,

1:04:55.839,1:04:58.104
that YOU light up.

1:05:00.056,1:05:03.549
This is the power of the sangha.

1:05:06.015,1:05:10.367
Being in the sangha, I've learned [br]many things about others,

1:05:10.862,1:05:12.790
but a lot, I learned more about myself.

1:05:15.208,1:05:19.102
And you can ask all the one year-[br]long termers here if it's true.

1:05:24.056,1:05:29.125
Cause here, after a week you're still,[br]"Plum Village is great, you know,

1:05:29.844,1:05:31.377
it's heaven", yeah?

1:05:33.719,1:05:36.663
Oh-oh, some of you know what I mean, yeah?

1:05:38.431,1:05:42.674
You stay for a month, "now we move you[br]to a room with four people,

1:05:42.918,1:05:44.139
ten people", wow.

1:05:46.162,1:05:48.198
Now the practise really begins.

1:05:49.068,1:05:51.695
Therapy. The therapy begins.

1:05:54.735,1:05:56.772
It's nice. You come here for a week[br]and you go home

1:05:56.953,1:06:00.208
and you have such a beautiful memory[br]of Plum Village, oh!

1:06:01.732,1:06:03.810
So you see where I'm talking[br]about therapy now?

1:06:04.145,1:06:05.927
Community based therapy, yes.

1:06:08.762,1:06:12.796
But there's a reward to that suffering.

1:06:14.456,1:06:17.292
Living in a community,[br]being together,

1:06:18.517,1:06:21.167
your suffering,[br]seeing other people suffer,

1:06:22.039,1:06:23.359
seeing their breakthrough,

1:06:24.661,1:06:27.398
feeling an opening [br]in another person,

1:06:28.486,1:06:32.003
wow! You benefit from that.

1:06:33.944,1:06:36.960
You know, when you see someone,[br]as monks and nuns,

1:06:38.050,1:06:40.617
we love it when a practitioner[br]kind of like --

1:06:43.113,1:06:44.728
they are free, you know?

1:06:45.024,1:06:46.542
All of a sudden, [br]you can see it,

1:06:47.069,1:06:49.799
in the way they walk,[br]the way they say hi to you,

1:06:50.569,1:06:52.179
something they let go of.

1:06:53.815,1:06:56.255
It's a knot, you know,[br]we call it 'internal knots'

1:06:57.387,1:06:59.163
You come here, [br]and you're carrying a knot?

1:07:00.357,1:07:01.719
We can smell it.

1:07:03.628,1:07:06.792
Yeah. Of course, we're compassionate,[br]yes, sure,

1:07:14.816,1:07:18.443
but we give you space, [br]we give you time

1:07:20.242,1:07:22.232
but it is because we've been through that

1:07:22.840,1:07:24.507
and it needs time, it needs space

1:07:25.349,1:07:28.971
and this is the beauty of doing it [br]as a community.

1:07:30.167,1:07:33.085
It's a miracle we cannot...[br]Just like the chanting.

1:07:35.023,1:07:37.235
Chanting has nothing to do with thinking,

1:07:37.601,1:07:40.619
storytelling or analyzing your history.

1:07:41.688,1:07:42.740
It's energy.

1:07:44.040,1:07:48.086
And this is the power [br]of the true mindfulness

1:07:49.029,1:07:53.324
It's not about [br]psycho-analyzing you to death,

1:07:53.945,1:07:57.230
it is for you to..

1:07:59.516,1:08:03.357
so the basic practise of breathing,[br]walking, eating,

1:08:04.278,1:08:06.580
laying down, opening the door,

1:08:08.255,1:08:11.022
listening, being present,

1:08:11.813,1:08:13.379
not reacting

1:08:13.874,1:08:16.143
These are all opportunities for you to ...

1:08:17.886,1:08:19.406
have an insight.

1:08:20.250,1:08:22.243
When you wait in line, later tonight,

1:08:23.935,1:08:25.393
it's an opportunity

1:08:26.413,1:08:27.825
to be in a crowd,

1:08:28.677,1:08:30.387
to be where there's a lot of people

1:08:31.275,1:08:32.692
and feel safe.

1:08:33.223,1:08:34.763
You feel, this is your family

1:08:34.959,1:08:38.119
Everyone who comes here? [br]They have a little of suffering.

1:08:42.572,1:08:45.213
But they're learning to be with it.

1:08:46.620,1:08:48.363
So with your awareness,

1:08:49.778,1:08:51.933
slowly, your fear, your anxiety,

1:08:53.204,1:08:55.286
slowly, it melts.

1:08:57.128,1:08:58.480
It can fall off

1:09:00.171,1:09:06.660
This is the power of[br]community based therapy.

1:09:08.753,1:09:10.713
So when we are aware of our steps,

1:09:13.728,1:09:16.163
and people walking by, rushing,

1:09:17.398,1:09:20.502
and we can walk and be free,

1:09:23.004,1:09:25.159
and something happens.

1:09:26.506,1:09:28.442
This is a very healing energy.

1:09:29.894,1:09:31.564
Nobody gave it to you.

1:09:33.017,1:09:34.727
You generate it yourself,

1:09:36.150,1:09:38.526
and this is what we can train[br]

1:09:39.063,1:09:41.957
to do, to practise.

1:09:47.480,1:09:49.834
So, as a society,

1:09:52.154,1:09:54.774
we stress so much on competition.

1:09:56.274,1:09:57.835
On competing.

1:10:01.168,1:10:04.221
We're always comparing, [br]even when we're little, in school,

1:10:04.576,1:10:07.617
A, A+, B, C,[br]D...

1:10:10.002,1:10:12.344
we're already trained, right?

1:10:12.831,1:10:18.470
In society, "how much do you make?[br]Oh.., oh...

1:10:24.270,1:10:27.912
We look at your badge,[br]"PHD, oh! Wow!"

1:10:30.031,1:10:32.177
We train like that, very...

1:10:33.976,1:10:36.546
well, I trained like that, sorry

1:10:41.200,1:10:44.224
So when we come together,[br]we learn a different way

1:10:44.947,1:10:48.040
of working together,[br]cooperating,

1:10:51.104,1:10:53.144
And helping another person

1:10:55.204,1:10:57.294
is something wonderful.

1:10:57.864,1:11:01.814
I know of a woman that came one time[br]to our monastery

1:11:02.961,1:11:03.927
in Deer Park

1:11:05.875,1:11:09.209
and in Dharma sharing, she said:

1:11:11.195,1:11:15.224
"My great happiness, I have to say,[br]it's nothing much and please don't laugh..

1:11:16.235,1:11:19.612
is when I was peeling the carrots[br]for the community,

1:11:21.000,1:11:23.928
I realized I've never done anything

1:11:24.179,1:11:25.383
for anyone

1:11:26.029,1:11:28.001
without wanting recognition.

1:11:29.048,1:11:32.515
And here I am, peeling a carrot,[br]and I don't know who's gonna eat it,

1:11:33.027,1:11:34.335
but they're gonna be happy,

1:11:34.656,1:11:36.842
and I'm so happy [br]to peel the carrots for them."

1:11:39.153,1:11:41.518
And I was so, like, "really?"

1:11:43.575,1:11:46.973
But she got her enlightenment[br]from peeling a carrot,

1:11:49.307,1:11:51.910
because for the first time in her life[br]she did something,

1:11:53.004,1:11:55.277
she shared that in her family life

1:11:56.239,1:11:58.151
you always get a reward for something,

1:11:58.795,1:12:00.534
and you have to be recognized.

1:12:01.041,1:12:02.993
And when you do something,[br]everyone should know.

1:12:04.640,1:12:07.418
It was something like that,[br]she was describing her childhood.

1:12:08.502,1:12:11.599
So we're so trained [br]to, like, do something, and then

1:12:12.136,1:12:13.579
"you guys see what I just did??"

1:12:16.074,1:12:18.876
In community,[br]nobody cares.

1:12:27.203,1:12:30.372
They do, [br]but if you care about it too much,

1:12:31.419,1:12:32.737
you have to be careful.

1:12:33.817,1:12:35.262
This is my training here,

1:12:35.917,1:12:38.532
I washed the pots,[br]I shared this before,

1:12:38.725,1:12:42.259
I was like, "you see, brother,[br]how much I cleaned the pots?

1:12:42.315,1:12:44.004
They're all clean, you know?"

1:12:44.211,1:12:46.545
And he was like, [br]"oh, you're wasting your energy,

1:12:46.633,1:12:48.116
why do you do that?"

1:12:49.613,1:12:51.922
And I was very angry for[br]a week or two.

1:12:53.646,1:12:56.171
So, not all monks and nuns [br]are like that, actually,

1:12:56.517,1:12:58.833
they're much more compassionate.

1:13:00.810,1:13:02.772
But when we practise in a community,

1:13:02.954,1:13:08.081
we get an opportunity to be kind[br]for kindness-sick.

1:13:10.065,1:13:12.596
People share this all the time[br]when they come here.

1:13:13.255,1:13:14.606
They do little things,

1:13:15.494,1:13:18.821
like, someone went [br]and collected all the cups,

1:13:21.001,1:13:22.571
and put them back,[br]and he shared,

1:13:23.723,1:13:25.384
at the end of our gathering here,

1:13:27.097,1:13:30.459
how much happiness that was [br]for him to just do that.

1:13:32.291,1:13:34.624
So in the community

1:13:36.700,1:13:38.958
we learn again our habits.

1:13:40.947,1:13:43.277
We learn to train new ways of looking.

1:13:46.633,1:13:49.256
But it's not all success,

1:13:50.290,1:13:51.996
there's also challenges,

1:13:53.575,1:13:59.208
this is where transformation[br]for the healing is possible.

1:14:01.265,1:14:04.440
From the community,[br]we also learn to exchange

1:14:04.949,1:14:07.384
and harmonize ideas, views.

1:14:08.377,1:14:10.088
So we learn to live

1:14:11.619,1:14:12.952
in harmony.

1:14:13.829,1:14:15.870
Even with different viewpoints,

1:14:17.037,1:14:20.016
and this is what's wonderful[br]about sangha.

1:14:22.742,1:14:26.247
Because the spiritual practise[br]helps us to let go.

1:14:29.041,1:14:32.172
Because we see those who don't let go,

1:14:32.268,1:14:36.480
and we see ourselves [br]when we don't let go of our viewpoints,

1:14:38.427,1:14:40.743
the suffering we cause to other people,

1:14:40.836,1:14:43.014
and the suffering we cause to ourselves.

1:14:45.343,1:14:47.373
Taking refuge in the community,

1:14:47.584,1:14:50.363
we need to renew it [br]over and over again.

1:14:52.380,1:14:54.332
Not just every New Year,

1:14:57.127,1:14:59.212
but every day, every week.

1:14:59.477,1:15:02.598
Every moment [br]is an opportunity for us

1:15:05.131,1:15:07.268
so making the practise...

1:15:07.547,1:15:09.694
you know, when we first came here,[br]"wow!"

1:15:10.810,1:15:12.188
Some of us who stay here long,

1:15:15.134,1:15:16.421
they can deteriorate

1:15:17.030,1:15:20.733
and I speak this for those of us[br]who stay here long:

1:15:22.721,1:15:27.086
please find ways[br]to renew your practise,

1:15:28.466,1:15:31.044
to renew your refuge in the community.

1:15:38.489,1:15:41.763
And the renewal,[br]and what is an obstacle,

1:15:42.817,1:15:46.066
I recognize this [br]because we hold on to something.

1:15:46.829,1:15:49.455
It's permanent, [br]but we don't let it flow.

1:15:51.116,1:15:54.683
You know, our mind is composed[br]of our feelings, our perceptions,

1:15:55.322,1:15:57.756
our thoughts and ideas,

1:15:59.674,1:16:02.406
and many times when we don't let it flow,

1:16:03.198,1:16:06.982
we cannot renew,[br]it's because we hold on to it.

1:16:08.141,1:16:09.749
Again that internal knot.

1:16:12.828,1:16:15.783
This is very important in our practise.

1:16:18.781,1:16:20.411
In Plum Village here,

1:16:24.195,1:16:27.307
we have many opportunities

1:16:29.125,1:16:32.371
for you to come and take refuge[br]for a week.

1:16:34.004,1:16:38.093
We also make opportunities [br]for young people to stay here long term

1:16:39.919,1:16:43.689
It's so that they can touch [br]something deeper and deeper

1:16:44.225,1:16:47.725
beyond just the one week [br]honeymoon-mindfulness.

1:16:49.742,1:16:51.627
There's also a mature mindfulness,

1:16:52.435,1:16:55.560
and you in relationships,[br]you know what I mean, you know.

1:16:56.109,1:16:59.003
After the honeymoon,[br]there is the maturity,

1:17:00.913,1:17:02.505
the ripening, right?

1:17:02.816,1:17:05.345
The challenges, the suffering,[br]and overcoming it.

1:17:06.227,1:17:07.819
It's the same with a community.

1:17:09.407,1:17:12.842
We have to find ways to refresh[br]our way of looking at each other

1:17:14.843,1:17:16.420
refresh our practise.

1:17:22.220,1:17:24.596
So I'll end here with this

1:17:25.563,1:17:29.474
encouraging us all [br]to go home and

1:17:29.968,1:17:31.915
build community.

1:17:34.330,1:17:39.090
A community that has a spiritual practise[br]as the base.

1:17:41.060,1:17:45.034
There's a lot of intentional communities[br]and good causes,

1:17:46.026,1:17:47.935
that come together for good causes,

1:17:48.631,1:17:52.361
but without a spiritual practise[br]as a foundation,

1:17:54.363,1:17:55.590
it's very difficult.

1:17:56.215,1:17:58.617
And when I say spiritual foundation,[br]it's not religious.

1:18:00.814,1:18:03.479
Spirituality here[br]is the mindfulness practise

1:18:04.487,1:18:08.328
of coming back to oneself[br]and touching our suffering.

1:18:09.856,1:18:11.701
recognizing the suffering in others,

1:18:12.698,1:18:15.018
practise of letting go of our ideas,

1:18:16.630,1:18:19.255
letting go of our ego, our self.

1:18:20.168,1:18:24.694
Spirituality is not like, you know...[br]Buddha, or God,

1:18:25.035,1:18:29.401
spirituality here is the virtuous practise

1:18:30.984,1:18:33.093
patience, kindness,

1:18:33.547,1:18:35.410
especially, letting go.

1:18:38.350,1:18:45.438
This is one of the precious stages[br]of the practise,

1:18:45.660,1:18:47.450
the letting go.

1:18:48.576,1:18:52.219
Even the most important, because....

1:18:53.878,1:18:55.161
and it frees you.

1:18:59.123,1:19:02.190
There are many sanghas around the world,

1:19:02.839,1:19:05.263
and there's also Wake Up community,

1:19:05.951,1:19:07.974
for young people to take refuge in.

1:19:09.641,1:19:15.159
We encourage the teachers to find ways[br]to build community in your own school.

1:19:16.318,1:19:18.847
And you don't have to call it by any name.

1:19:20.659,1:19:24.982
If you come more and more often[br]to our center,

1:19:25.282,1:19:27.425
you begin to see what is the essence,

1:19:30.116,1:19:32.020
"what are they doing here?"

1:19:32.853,1:19:35.335
Mindfulness practise, stopping,

1:19:35.707,1:19:37.222
coming back to one's self,

1:19:39.053,1:19:40.860
brotherhood and sisterhood,

1:19:42.095,1:19:44.072
you recognize schedules,

1:19:45.568,1:19:48.455
and also very important is [br]the mindfulness training

1:19:49.511,1:19:52.672
Mindfulness training,[br]a kind of a guideline

1:19:53.530,1:19:55.487
to guide the community.

1:19:59.098,1:20:04.124
These are ethical guidelines[br]to keep us balanced.

1:20:07.841,1:20:11.656
with the way the society encourages us.

1:20:12.072,1:20:13.654
It's a kind of balance,

1:20:15.010,1:20:16.186
to protect life,

1:20:20.910,1:20:24.257
to help us touch true happiness,[br]true love.

1:20:30.089,1:20:34.933
I just want a plug-in there for us[br]to those out there who can help us,

1:20:36.474,1:20:38.871
I think for the next level[br]of sangha building,

1:20:39.793,1:20:41.861
how many of you belong to a Sangha?

1:20:44.405,1:20:45.507
Wonderful.

1:20:47.682,1:20:52.019
I just want to encourage you [br]to continue that,

1:20:54.928,1:21:01.386
and Thay envisioned a sangha [br]as a mindfulness practice center

1:21:02.686,1:21:07.981
that is not 'buddhist'-framed,

1:21:10.629,1:21:12.650
more universal

1:21:14.560,1:21:18.527
and to create that place [br]in an urban environment.

1:21:19.282,1:21:21.863
This is something I just want to share,

1:21:24.282,1:21:29.873
to share kind of my wish,[br]a little bit, a desire[br]

1:21:30.389,1:21:35.148
to have in every city,[br]an urban practice center.

1:21:35.787,1:21:37.879
So young people can take refuge.

1:21:38.085,1:21:42.595
Because not everyone can afford[br]to go out,

1:21:44.510,1:21:51.058
and having a place for regular meetings,[br]regular gatherings,

1:21:52.426,1:21:56.512
right in the city, accessible [br]for the young people and for everyone

1:22:01.339,1:22:05.214
and how to make it [br]so a sangha becomes your right livelihood.

1:22:08.263,1:22:12.649
How do you say, make it so[br]you don't have to hold another job.

1:22:13.027,1:22:17.723
What if sangha, and running the sangha,[br]and organizing the sangha

1:22:18.920,1:22:20.385
is your life?

1:22:23.449,1:22:26.264
You don't have to work a job [br]that you don't like

1:22:27.666,1:22:30.033
so if you're a yoga-instructor,

1:22:32.838,1:22:35.240
a health-something therapist,

1:22:35.634,1:22:38.810
get together and make it [br]become a center.

1:22:41.268,1:22:44.221
And then financially sustainable as well.

1:22:45.272,1:22:46.910
With simple living of course,

1:22:47.442,1:22:51.318
you don't want to be driving Lexus[br]and having...

1:22:52.339,1:22:54.852
just living a simple life.

1:22:55.426,1:22:58.268
And if you like to live in the urban city,[br]great.

1:23:00.452,1:23:03.985
So the vision is, having a center there,

1:23:04.476,1:23:08.381
and it's a full-time sangha community[br]living there.

1:23:09.862,1:23:12.689
Like ten people running the place,

1:23:13.543,1:23:17.250
having places for the young people [br]to take refuge in.

1:23:18.440,1:23:21.940
Every weekend, free,[br]anyone can come,

1:23:22.703,1:23:24.640
offering workshop, meditation,

1:23:26.231,1:23:30.045
so we're gonna put out of business[br]all the therapists,

1:23:30.643,1:23:33.055
community based therapists, yeah?

1:23:33.640,1:23:35.668
In fact, all the therapists should do this

1:23:37.715,1:23:40.053
because people are wasting too much,

1:23:42.238,1:23:45.168
it costs a lot, right, to get therapy,

1:23:45.904,1:23:48.208
I hear people pay lots of money[br]to go to therapy

1:23:49.650,1:23:53.188
so we have a sangha, [br]and we have workshops,

1:23:54.556,1:23:56.081
wouldn't that be wonderful?

1:23:57.302,1:24:01.966
That's Thay's vision for the MPC,[br]the Mindfulness Practice Center.

1:24:03.809,1:24:08.842
Because some of us, I mean, [br]I might go to temples now,

1:24:10.165,1:24:13.078
but I wouldn't have gone to a temple[br]as a young person.

1:24:14.142,1:24:16.547
And maybe some of us [br]might not go to churches,

1:24:17.410,1:24:23.173
so I encourage for us to find this,

1:24:23.681,1:24:26.179
because this is [br]what will bring balance back,

1:24:27.324,1:24:29.006
to have a spiritual dimension,

1:24:29.325,1:24:33.570
to have a way to keep us reminded

1:24:34.139,1:24:37.801
of what life, what our heart is about.

1:24:40.445,1:24:46.740
Those of you who are efficient,[br]intelligent, skillful,

1:24:48.520,1:24:51.574
please, [br]I send that out there,

1:24:52.374,1:24:56.116
and hopefully some of you [br]can have the condition

1:24:57.176,1:25:02.555
and the fortune to help build[br]a mindfulness practice center

1:25:03.605,1:25:08.544
and make it viable, [br]for your people to do it full-time.

1:25:10.267,1:25:14.386
so they don't have to waste their lives[br]working for a --- you know, something,

1:25:15.400,1:25:17.909
and that could be very community serviced,

1:25:18.230,1:25:20.369
that can help support the community

1:25:20.835,1:25:23.186
go to troubled youth-centers.

1:25:24.232,1:25:26.374
It could become a community service.

1:25:28.164,1:25:31.001
So as teachers as well, [br]you can do that in the school.

1:25:31.588,1:25:33.044
After school-activities,

1:25:33.684,1:25:38.431
create a place for the children, [br]for the students, for their parents,

1:25:39.595,1:25:41.262
after-school activities,

1:25:43.406,1:25:50.568
so please continue [br]Thay's volition, his deep desire,

1:25:51.223,1:25:53.104
to find, where's the balance.

1:25:54.438,1:25:59.259
Some of the difficulties, [br]the social ills I see,

1:26:00.885,1:26:05.183
many young people now are depressed,[br]have mental disorder,

1:26:07.429,1:26:10.101
the suicide rates, you hear, [br]keep increasing,

1:26:11.754,1:26:13.225
so we need...

1:26:14.445,1:26:17.684
we don't need a big bank account,[br]you know.

1:26:18.312,1:26:22.487
Just use that, to help change our world.

1:26:25.016,1:26:27.111
You cannot take it with you

1:26:27.935,1:26:30.798
so please help the young people,[br]the Wake Up-group,

1:26:31.579,1:26:34.414
who want to find a different way.

1:26:36.803,1:26:42.957
We have the Happy Farm-initiative,[br]and many young people are coming

1:26:43.684,1:26:47.280
and working with their hands,[br]and finding healing.

1:26:47.573,1:26:49.085
They stay for one year,

1:26:49.489,1:26:51.751
and we like to make this [br]available in the city,

1:26:53.221,1:26:55.309
have a lot become a garden

1:26:57.878,1:27:01.682
And I'm sure you have many other visions.

1:27:02.855,1:27:08.220
Please go back to your sangha [br]and discuss with your sangha

1:27:08.818,1:27:12.155
how to open up [br]so that more young people,

1:27:12.433,1:27:14.596
more people suffering,[br]can take refuge.

1:27:16.210,1:27:20.201
This is, everyone knows,[br]this is Thay's deepest wish.

1:27:22.142,1:27:25.720
Thank you for coming,[br]for listening.