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Breathing in, breathing out,

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Breathing in, breathing out,

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I am blooming as a flower,

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I am fresh as the dew,

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I am solid as a mountain,

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I am firm as the earth,

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I am free

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I am Joanna Macy

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and I want to introduce

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four people tonight

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I want to introduce a fighter,

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a poet, a philosopher,

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and a teacher brother.

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Actually, it was the fighter

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that I met first

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before I ever saw him.

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I was anguished and desperate

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working in the anti Vietnam war movement

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in the late sixties and seventies.

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And a book came into my hand

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Vietnam, a Lotus in a Sea of Fire

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and everything was there.

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The passion and the insight,

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and such tremendous courage.

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The next one I met was the poet

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and that was when I saw him face to face.

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It was June 1982 and

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a special session on disarmament

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at the United Nations.

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There was a pre-conference

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on the religious bases for

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peace in this time

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and disarmament

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and there were many religious leaders

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and church leaders there.

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And you can kind of imagine

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what that was like.

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And what did I see, but this guy,

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come in in a brown coat,

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and he, he just stood there.

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He didn't have sheafs of paper.

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You remember that, Thay?

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You just stood there.

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And then reached into pockets, and said,

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"Well, many important things have been said here.

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"I don't think I can add anything,

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"but I did write a poem on my way here."

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And then he read it.

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"Call me by my true names"

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That's all he did.

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And so I bow to the scholar

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who teaches the mind,

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helps us to look deeply.

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And lastly, of the four, of course,

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there is the teacher,

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the meditation teacher,

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and I think maybe most of you

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have met him or know him

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in that guise. In that role.

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Maybe it was the first time you spoke

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in Berkeley. I had prepared things to say

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about you, and you said,

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"Don't introduce me. Introduce the people

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"and the audience to me." So I did.

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I said, "Thay, these are my American

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"brothers and sisters that live

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"where I live, in Berkeley, California".

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And I spoke of their concerns with their

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moral responsibilities and with the

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quality of their coffee in the morning.

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[Laughter]

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Since that time, you've come so often.

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You have met so many of my brothers

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and sisters that I think you maybe

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know them better than I do.

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And you've come, and not only have you

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seen us and known us,

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but you've helped us to see ourself.

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To see reaches in us that we didn't

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maybe know were there.

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And all coming from something so simple,

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The great gift of the miracle of life,

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that we can pay attention.

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Breathing in, I see you, Thich Nhat Hanh,

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Breathing out, I smile.

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Thank you Joanna.

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My dear friends, I like to describe my practice,

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my teaching, as the practice of arriving,

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of going home.

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There is a beautiful poem that we use

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to practice arriving and going home.

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It is like this.

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I have arrived. I am home,

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in the here and the now.

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I feel solid. I feel free.

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In the ultimate I dwell.

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And of course, in my practice

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mindful breathing with that poem.

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When you breathe in, you practice arriving

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I have arrived.

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And when you breathe out,

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you practice being at home.

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I am home.

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You may enjoy doing that several times,

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and then you switch into

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"in the here and the now".

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It means, "I have arrived in the here.

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"I am home in the now."

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"I feel solid." That is when you breathe in.

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"I feel free." That is while you 
breathe out

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At first you may feel

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that you are not so solid.

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But if you continue the practice

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you get more solid.

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And you get freer.

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And then the last line is,

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"In the ultimate I dwell."

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To me, it is very important to go home,

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to arrive.

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In order to make peace with ourselves,

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with our society,

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and with the people we love.

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Sometimes we suffer a little bit too much,

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and we want to go away,

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to run away from home.

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We have the impression that at home

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there is only pain and suffering,

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deception

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and we go and take refuge

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in something else.

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Maybe in the past or the future,

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or in our projects.

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Even projects for social change.

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Learning to go home, to arrive,

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is important.

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We go home to the present moment.

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We go home to the here and the now.

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Sometime we don't want to go home

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because we have the impression

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that it is not pleasant.

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Back home there is things like violence,

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fear.

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Back home there is things like Haiti,

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Somalia. We won't forget.

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Going home, we are afraid 
of touching our fear

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of touching the war within.

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Sometime we find ourselves

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at war with another person.

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Maybe with our family,

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with our society,

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with our traditions.

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But we may learn that

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when we are at war with someone else,

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there may be war within us.

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And that is why

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we don't want to go home.

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Of course, there is war

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within and around us.

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But there is something else.

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There is also peace and joy.

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And you should learn to go home

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in order to touch the joy and the peace

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within us and around us.

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And this is very important.

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Because all of us need to be nourished

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to be stable,

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in order to be able to go further

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to do something for the people around us.

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I know many of you are very dedicated

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to the cause of peace, of social justice,

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but many of us feel, at times, lost,

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angry, despair.

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We are overwhelmed by the tremendous

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suffering that is there around us

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and even inside of us.

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We need a source of energy,

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a source of peace, of joy

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in order to counterbalance

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because we know that

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if we do not have some amount

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of peace, of joy, of happiness,

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then we can't do anything.

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We cannot continue.

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The practice of arriving helps us

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to touch the peace and the joy within

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in order to get nourished.

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And that practice will help us to generate

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the energy of mindfulness

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that will help us to touch the war

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within and around us.

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Because touching the war without strength,

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without the energy of mindfulness,

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may be dangerous.

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We will be overwhelmed by it.

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We will be shocked by it.

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And therefore, before we learn to touch

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the war within and around us

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we should cultivate

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the energy of mindfulness.

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And that kind of cultivation

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could be realised when

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we learn to go home

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and touch the peace and the joy in us.

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[Bell]

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In the Buddhist tradition

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we usually talk about our consciousness

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in terms of seeds,

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in terms of bijas. 'Bijas' means 'seeds'.

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We have seeds of peace,

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of joy, of happiness.

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There are seeds of war,

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of anger, of despair, right within us.

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There are seeds of peace and joy

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and loving kindness within us

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that need to be touched.

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We should learn to touch them by ourselves

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We should need our friends to come

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and help touching them.

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This is the practice.

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I always encourage my friends

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to begin the practice by touching peace.

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Touching the positive seeds within us

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and touching the positive seeds within

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the other person.

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It's pleasant.

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It helps nourish each other.

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And we know that touching,

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the deepest kind of touching,

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is with the energy of mindfulness.

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And in Buddhist meditation,

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to generate the energy of mindfulness

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to touch peace is very crucial.

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We are encouraged

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not to touch the war first.

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We are encouraged not to touch the pain

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the despair, the suffering first.

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And touching peace, we can do

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as individuals

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we can do as a community,

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we can do as a nation.

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And it is pleasant.

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I may like to touch my eye

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with the energy of mindfulness.

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I have the energy of mindfulness

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which is generated by

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the practice of mindful breathing.

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Breathing in, I know I am breathing in.

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Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.

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That is the practice of touching your 
breath

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and that practice is called
'mindfulness of breathing'.

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Now I use that energy of mindfulness
to touch my eye.

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Breathing in, I am aware of my eyes
Breathing out, I smile to my eyes.

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When I touch my eyes with the energy
of mindfulness like that,

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I find out that my eyes are still 
in good condition.

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If I touch my eyes deeply, I realise

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that having eyes in good condition
is wonderful too.

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Without my eyes, without the ability
to look and see things,

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I would suffer very much.

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You only need to open your eyes and look

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and you see many wonders of life 
around us.

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The blue sky, the beautiful sunset

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the face, the eyes, the smile
of your beloved ones.

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You touch these things,
these people, with mindfulness

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And you realise that to be alive,
to be able to look at them deeply

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is happiness.

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Happiness is something simple.

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When you have mindfulness and you get 
nourished by that kind of touching,

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when you touch the eyes with mindfulness

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you know that your eyes are 
the condition of peace and happiness

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and joy for you.

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You know peace is there.

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When you notice that there are trees dying
you know that it is a negative thing.

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Touching these things, you suffer.

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But when you touch beautiful trees
that are still alive, healthy,

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you realise how wonderful to still
have them around us.

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When you touch these beautiful trees,
you get nourished.

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And you make the vow to do
whatever you can,

278
00:17:14,036 --> 00:17:18,719
in order to protect them,
to keep them alive.

279
00:17:18,719 --> 00:17:24,385
So touching peace
is to give peace a chance.

280
00:17:24,385 --> 00:17:30,602
Let us practice this exercise
of touching together.

281
00:17:30,602 --> 00:17:32,251
Let us touch our heart.

282
00:17:32,251 --> 00:17:38,621
Breathing in, I am aware of my heart.

283
00:17:38,621 --> 00:17:50,535
Breathing out, I smile to my heart.

284
00:17:59,969 --> 00:18:06,935
When I touch my heart deeply like that
I know that my heart is there,

285
00:18:06,935 --> 00:18:12,935
and it is a good news.

286
00:18:12,935 --> 00:18:19,922
My heart is a condition of peace
and well being and joy for me.

287
00:18:19,922 --> 00:18:26,769
But if I don't touch,
I may cause harm to my heart,

288
00:18:26,769 --> 00:18:29,333
and I don't get happy.

289
00:18:29,333 --> 00:18:36,753
My heart has been working hard
day and night to keep me alive,

290
00:18:36,753 --> 00:18:39,621
to give me well-being,

291
00:18:39,621 --> 00:18:50,602
to pump the blood
to irrigate every cell of my body.

292
00:18:50,602 --> 00:18:55,368
And when I touch it deeply like that
I feel thankful to my heart

293
00:18:55,368 --> 00:18:57,819
My heart is a living thing.

294
00:18:57,819 --> 00:19:06,035
And when I touch it with my mindfulness,
my loving kindness, my heart will feel it.

295
00:19:06,035 --> 00:19:12,652
It feels very comforted by my touching.

296
00:19:12,652 --> 00:19:15,820
And if we touch our heart deeply like that
we would know what to do

297
00:19:15,820 --> 00:19:22,249
and what not to do
in order to support our heart.

298
00:19:22,249 --> 00:19:26,003
We would know what to eat,
what not to eat.

299
00:19:26,003 --> 00:19:29,070
what to drink and what not to drink
in our daily life

300
00:19:29,070 --> 00:19:34,687
in order to be of support to our heart.

301
00:19:34,687 --> 00:19:39,153
We find out that smoking
is not a very friendly act

302
00:19:39,153 --> 00:19:42,470
directed to our heart.

303
00:19:42,470 --> 00:19:50,835
We know that drinking alcohol is not
a friendly act directed to our heart.

304
00:19:50,835 --> 00:19:59,351
And if we continue touching like that
we stop smoking, drinking alcohol,

305
00:19:59,351 --> 00:20:09,319
and we protect the peace, the well being,
and the joy within us.

306
00:20:09,319 --> 00:20:14,050
We may spend a lot of time thinking 
of other things.

307
00:20:14,050 --> 00:20:20,135
We may not have enough opportunity
to go back

308
00:20:20,135 --> 00:20:27,031
and touch the conditions of peace
and well being inside.

309
00:20:27,031 --> 00:20:29,135
We live in forgetfulness.

310
00:20:29,135 --> 00:20:33,153
Forgetfulness is the opposite of 
mindfulness.

311
00:20:33,153 --> 00:20:39,084
We live our daily life in such a way that
we destroy the peace, the stability,

312
00:20:39,084 --> 00:20:41,852
the joy in our body.

313
00:20:41,852 --> 00:20:49,921
We bring elements of war
into our body.

314
00:20:52,735 --> 00:21:01,705
Mindfulness is the capacity to be aware of
what is happening in the present moment.

315
00:21:01,705 --> 00:21:05,204
If we eat mindfully, 
if we drink mindfully,

316
00:21:05,204 --> 00:21:17,618
if we do things mindfully so they are
under the light of mindfulness,

317
00:21:17,618 --> 00:21:22,869
we know what to do in order to bring
the elements of peace and joy

318
00:21:22,869 --> 00:21:26,408
to our body and to our feelings.

319
00:21:26,408 --> 00:21:35,954
We know what not to ingest in order to 
prevent the toxins, the poisons

320
00:21:35,954 --> 00:21:43,203
to enter our body and our consciousness.

321
00:21:43,669 --> 00:21:47,136
And it is possible that we practice that 
together.

322
00:21:47,136 --> 00:21:52,637
"If you love me, please help me to be
mindful, and please help to touch

323
00:21:52,637 --> 00:21:59,648
"the positive, healing and refreshing
elements within me.

324
00:21:59,648 --> 00:22:05,352
"Touch my peace and joy, my seed of joy.

325
00:22:05,352 --> 00:22:10,901
"Touch the seed of loving kindness in me.

326
00:22:10,901 --> 00:22:13,051
"Touch the seed of happiness in me.

327
00:22:13,051 --> 00:22:16,018
"Please do not touch the seed of anger 
in me.

328
00:22:16,018 --> 00:22:25,854
"Please do not touch the seed of despair
and violence in me.

329
00:22:25,854 --> 00:22:31,819
"I will suffer, and you will suffer too."

330
00:22:32,886 --> 00:22:37,616
So if we might like to practise together.

331
00:22:39,934 --> 00:22:44,187
Sometime we suffer a little too much
and we blame the other person

332
00:22:44,187 --> 00:22:50,953
as the cause of our suffering.

333
00:22:50,953 --> 00:22:59,987
Our partner. Our son. Our daughter.
Our parents.

334
00:22:59,987 --> 00:23:08,152
We blame them. We consider them to be
the cause of our suffering.

335
00:23:08,152 --> 00:23:13,371
In fact, they do suffer like us too.

336
00:23:13,371 --> 00:23:18,052
And our enemy is not the other person.

337
00:23:18,052 --> 00:23:29,121
Our enemy is the seed of despair, anger,
frustration, fear, in every one of us.

338
00:23:29,121 --> 00:23:34,385
You are not my enemy.

339
00:23:34,385 --> 00:23:41,787
I want you to practice with me in order to
transform the seeds of suffering

340
00:23:41,787 --> 00:23:43,414
in me and in you.

341
00:23:43,414 --> 00:23:48,187
Because we all suffer the same thing.

342
00:23:48,988 --> 00:23:55,785
But if partners suffer, we should try not
to look at the other person

343
00:23:55,785 --> 00:24:00,933
as the cause of our suffering.

344
00:24:00,933 --> 00:24:05,799
We should bring together our intelligence,

345
00:24:05,799 --> 00:24:10,452
our talent, our mindfulness,
in order to work for the transformation

346
00:24:10,452 --> 00:24:16,748
of the negative things
in both of us.

347
00:24:16,748 --> 00:24:25,419
The tension that exists within us
prevents us from helping each other.

348
00:24:25,466 --> 00:24:30,203
Since we know that we are victims
of the same kind of suffering,

349
00:24:30,203 --> 00:24:35,578
why don't we come together?

350
00:24:35,903 --> 00:24:39,920
And my ideal practice is that when
we come together,

351
00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:45,083
we practice touching the positive
things first

352
00:24:48,018 --> 00:24:52,234
We practice looking deeply in order to
see the seeds of peace, of joy,

353
00:24:52,234 --> 00:24:59,035
of talent, of happiness in ourselves
and in the other person.

354
00:24:59,035 --> 00:25:09,033
We recognise each other's value because
everyone has his or her own talent

355
00:25:09,033 --> 00:25:16,944
and strength and positive values.

356
00:25:16,944 --> 00:25:22,070
Everyone has jewels within himself or
herself.

357
00:25:22,070 --> 00:25:27,186
Looking deeply into the other person,
in order to recognise these jewels,

358
00:25:27,186 --> 00:25:35,724
and tell him, and tell her. Appreciating 
these values is a very wonderful practice.

359
00:25:35,724 --> 00:25:45,286
[Bell]

360
00:25:58,221 --> 00:26:02,337
Maybe we can do this exercise.

361
00:26:02,337 --> 00:26:05,953
We sit and practise breathing in and out

362
00:26:05,953 --> 00:26:15,070
and identify the positive seeds
in the other person.

363
00:26:15,070 --> 00:26:20,501
And then to tell the other person
that we have seen them.

364
00:26:20,501 --> 00:26:26,022
We appreciate them. And we would like to
help watering these seeds

365
00:26:26,022 --> 00:26:30,869
so that they become more important.

366
00:26:31,302 --> 00:26:36,821
And that is the kind of practice
that you should begin first.

367
00:26:38,037 --> 00:26:45,454
After some time,
the flowers in us will grow.

368
00:26:45,454 --> 00:26:50,671
And the garbage in us
will diminish.

369
00:26:54,033 --> 00:27:01,016
When the two warring parties
come to a peace conference,

370
00:27:01,016 --> 00:27:12,120
they always begin by accusing each other,

371
00:27:12,120 --> 00:27:17,766
touching the negative things 
in each other first.

372
00:27:17,766 --> 00:27:24,820
They could make the tension 
more important.

373
00:27:24,820 --> 00:27:30,252
I suggest that a third party 
should be there

374
00:27:30,252 --> 00:27:36,720
and practice what we would call,
in Buddhist tradition, 'flower watering'.

375
00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:42,703
A third party may be presiding over
the first meeting,

376
00:27:42,703 --> 00:27:50,636
and begin to talk about 
the positive things of each side,

377
00:27:50,636 --> 00:27:57,619
the values, the jewels, and the tradition
of both sides,

378
00:27:57,619 --> 00:28:02,420
so that the other side will 
be aware of them

379
00:28:02,420 --> 00:28:07,304
and it will have more respect,
more appreciation of the other side.

380
00:28:07,304 --> 00:28:12,650
We have the tendency to believe
that the other side is worth nothing.

381
00:28:12,650 --> 00:28:17,337
It is only bandits.

382
00:28:17,337 --> 00:28:26,203
Let us imagine that the PLO and the state
of Israel coming together

383
00:28:26,203 --> 00:28:29,352
and practice that.

384
00:28:29,352 --> 00:28:37,350
Because each nation, each tradition
has values, has jewels within it.

385
00:28:37,350 --> 00:28:42,121
That even the people within the group
do not want to touch

386
00:28:42,121 --> 00:28:46,036
because they are so angry,
they are so busy.

387
00:28:46,036 --> 00:28:55,922
And that is why there is war
even in the inside of each party.

388
00:28:55,922 --> 00:28:59,482
Each side.

389
00:28:59,482 --> 00:29:03,753
It's true that in the PLO, many people
don't agree with each other

390
00:29:03,753 --> 00:29:06,899
as to how to handle the problem.

391
00:29:06,899 --> 00:29:12,236
The same thing is true with
the people in Israel.

392
00:29:12,236 --> 00:29:18,053
People may have different kinds of ideas
and they force each other.

393
00:29:18,053 --> 00:29:25,085
The practice I offer is that each side
go back to their own roots and values

394
00:29:25,085 --> 00:29:31,418
and practice touching these beautiful
healing, refreshing elements

395
00:29:31,418 --> 00:29:36,836
within their tradition, their culture.

396
00:29:38,104 --> 00:29:42,820
And after that, each side will restore
the balance

397
00:29:42,820 --> 00:29:49,369
will breathe more easily,
will have more harmony within.

398
00:29:49,369 --> 00:29:56,583
And then it will be much easier
to talk with the other side.

399
00:29:56,583 --> 00:30:00,333
The same thing is true with two persons.

400
00:30:00,333 --> 00:30:06,253
When two persons are in a conflict

401
00:30:06,253 --> 00:30:10,986
the fear, the frustration is too big.

402
00:30:10,986 --> 00:30:16,701
It's difficult for them to reconcile,
to make peace.

403
00:30:16,701 --> 00:30:22,302
The practice of touching peace,
touching the positive elements within us

404
00:30:22,302 --> 00:30:25,567
will be very helpful.

405
00:30:25,567 --> 00:30:29,219
There are many seeds, positive, wonderful,

406
00:30:29,219 --> 00:30:34,953
that have been transmitted to us
by our ancestors.

407
00:30:34,953 --> 00:30:39,601
It may be that during our lifetime

408
00:30:39,601 --> 00:30:43,135
we are not capable of touching
these beautiful seeds.

409
00:30:43,135 --> 00:30:51,852
We only allow people to water
the negative seeds in us.

410
00:30:51,852 --> 00:30:56,302
And that is why it is so important
to go back to our roots,

411
00:30:56,302 --> 00:31:04,167
to go back to ourselves,
and touch these beautiful seeds.

412
00:31:04,167 --> 00:31:10,485
And then we may do it together.
We may help each other.

413
00:31:10,485 --> 00:31:22,284
[Bell]

414
00:31:22,284 --> 00:31:27,684
In the realm of our feelings
there may be also a war on.

415
00:31:27,684 --> 00:31:33,083
Feelings opposing each other.

416
00:31:33,083 --> 00:31:37,352
We suffer. We don't want to go home.

417
00:31:37,352 --> 00:31:40,859
But each feeling is a manifestation 
of a seed in us,

418
00:31:40,859 --> 00:31:48,485
the seed of anger, the seed of fear,
the seed of distrust.

419
00:31:48,485 --> 00:31:52,886
But there are other seeds in us
that are more positive.

420
00:31:52,886 --> 00:31:57,703
It is very important for us to practise
touching these seeds

421
00:31:57,703 --> 00:32:02,269
so they will produce wonderful,
refreshing feelings

422
00:32:02,269 --> 00:32:07,185
in order for us to be nourished.

423
00:32:07,185 --> 00:32:14,338
In the teaching of Buddhism,

424
00:32:14,338 --> 00:32:19,820
we have all kinds of seeds
deep in our consciousness.

425
00:32:19,820 --> 00:32:25,419
And when these seeds are watered,
are touched,

426
00:32:25,419 --> 00:32:30,019
they will bloom in the upper level
of our consciousness

427
00:32:30,019 --> 00:32:33,354
as mental formations.

428
00:32:33,354 --> 00:32:37,100
Fear is a mental formation.

429
00:32:37,100 --> 00:32:39,786
Joy is a mental formation.

430
00:32:39,786 --> 00:32:42,868
Mindfulness is a mental formation.

431
00:32:42,868 --> 00:32:48,605
Despair is a mental formation.
Hope is a mental formation.

432
00:32:48,605 --> 00:32:52,354
Loving-kindness is a mental formation.

433
00:32:52,354 --> 00:32:57,969
In forgetfulness, we don't know
how to touch these positive seeds.

434
00:32:57,969 --> 00:33:01,915
We allow ourselves and the people
around us

435
00:33:01,915 --> 00:33:05,434
to touch our negative seeds.

436
00:33:05,434 --> 00:33:15,700
Then our mental formations
will be of negative nature.

437
00:33:15,700 --> 00:33:20,387
And they will destroy us.

438
00:33:20,387 --> 00:33:24,965
Because when a negative seed
manifests itself

439
00:33:24,965 --> 00:33:29,217
on the upper level
of our consciousness,

440
00:33:29,217 --> 00:33:33,265
the seed will be strengthened
at the base.

441
00:33:33,265 --> 00:33:38,000
If we get angry for two hours,
during these hours

442
00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:48,152
the seed of anger keeps growing
to be more important.

443
00:33:48,152 --> 00:33:54,786
And therefore it will be very important
to learn how to touch the positive seeds.

444
00:33:54,786 --> 00:34:01,686
Seeds of joy and peace.

445
00:34:01,686 --> 00:34:12,419
Suppose you have a sister who has
the talent of flower arrangement.

446
00:34:12,419 --> 00:34:19,584
And if your sister is not so happy
you may try to touch the seed

447
00:34:19,584 --> 00:34:24,365
of flower arrangement within her.

448
00:34:24,365 --> 00:34:34,103
You say, "My sister, it has been a long
time you did not offer us a

449
00:34:34,103 --> 00:34:36,787
"flower arrangement. You know, every time
you arrange flowers,

450
00:34:36,787 --> 00:34:40,185
"you make the whole family happy.

451
00:34:40,185 --> 00:34:45,305
"How wonderful to have a pot of flowers
arranged by you!"

452
00:34:45,305 --> 00:34:50,286
That is flower-watering practice.

453
00:34:50,286 --> 00:34:57,568
You tell the truth, because you realise
that that seed is in her.

454
00:34:57,568 --> 00:35:01,385
First she may not have a reaction.

455
00:35:01,385 --> 00:35:05,867
But maybe, half an hour later,
she will take a pair of scissors

456
00:35:05,867 --> 00:35:13,285
and she will go to the garden and
try to find a beautiful branch of flowers.

457
00:35:13,285 --> 00:35:17,852
And during the time she goes around
like that, she waters by herself

458
00:35:17,852 --> 00:35:22,570
the seed of flower arrangement,
the seed of happiness in her.

459
00:35:22,570 --> 00:35:26,984
And if she spends half an hour
arranging the pot of flowers,

460
00:35:26,984 --> 00:35:37,937
she also continues to practice
watering her seed of happiness.

461
00:35:37,937 --> 00:35:43,136
It is not so difficult.

462
00:35:43,136 --> 00:35:48,377
We practice watering the positive seeds
by ourselves.

463
00:35:48,377 --> 00:35:56,768
And we will help water the positive seeds
in the other person.

464
00:35:56,768 --> 00:36:02,988
And she will help also to do the same
kind of thing.

465
00:36:02,988 --> 00:36:06,351
In a relationship
we should learn that practice.

466
00:36:06,351 --> 00:36:15,065
It's easy. It's pleasant.
It's very healing.

467
00:36:15,065 --> 00:36:19,253
After having practised for a few weeks

468
00:36:19,253 --> 00:36:26,402
touching the positive things
with your energy of mindfulness,

469
00:36:26,402 --> 00:36:29,864
your mindfulness has become
more important.

470
00:36:29,864 --> 00:36:33,384
And with that energy
you might begin touching

471
00:36:33,384 --> 00:36:41,685
the unpleasant things within you
and in the other person.

472
00:36:41,685 --> 00:36:47,566
Suppose someone comes and says
something that makes me angry.

473
00:36:47,566 --> 00:36:53,999
I know now how to practise
taking good care of my anger.

474
00:36:53,999 --> 00:36:57,368
I wouldn't say anything or 
do anything yet.

475
00:36:57,368 --> 00:37:02,702
I know that the most important thing now
is to take good care of my anger.

476
00:37:02,702 --> 00:37:06,220
Breathing in, I touch my anger.

477
00:37:06,220 --> 00:37:10,451
Breathing out,
I am taking good care of my anger.

478
00:37:10,451 --> 00:37:14,585
My anger is an energy.

479
00:37:14,585 --> 00:37:18,269
My mindfulness is another kind
of energy.

480
00:37:18,269 --> 00:37:22,417
The energy of mindfulness
is embracing the energy of anger

481
00:37:22,417 --> 00:37:25,902
in a most tender way.

482
00:37:25,902 --> 00:37:30,819
That is a practice called, 
"mindfulness of anger".

483
00:37:30,819 --> 00:37:37,703
We don't try to suppress our anger.

484
00:37:37,703 --> 00:37:44,186
We practise embracing our anger.
We know that our anger is us.

485
00:37:44,186 --> 00:37:49,884
Mindfulness holding anger
like a mother holding a baby.

486
00:37:49,884 --> 00:37:56,236
And if you know of mindful breathing

487
00:37:56,236 --> 00:38:01,818
you can nourish the energy of mindfulness
to be there

488
00:38:01,818 --> 00:38:06,320
in order to take good care of your anger.

489
00:38:06,320 --> 00:38:15,204
If your mindfulness is not strong enough,
a friend of yours can help you.

490
00:38:15,204 --> 00:38:21,803
One friend, two friends
who know the practice

491
00:38:21,803 --> 00:38:25,535
may like to sit close to you
hold your hand,

492
00:38:25,535 --> 00:38:31,555
breathe in and out mindfully
and help you to touch your anger

493
00:38:31,555 --> 00:38:34,232
with her or his mindfulness.

494
00:38:34,232 --> 00:38:41,600
You feel stronger in the presence
of someone like that.

495
00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:50,482
You know that when your little boy
or little girl is agitated,

496
00:38:50,482 --> 00:38:56,604
if you hold his or her hand
and you breathe in and out calmly

497
00:38:56,604 --> 00:39:00,787
and if you ask him or her
to breathe calmly

498
00:39:00,787 --> 00:39:04,768
the two kinds of energy will
be combined.

499
00:39:04,768 --> 00:39:12,535
And you'll be able to calm,
to stabilise the child very easily.

500
00:39:12,535 --> 00:39:18,784
So when we practise touching the 
negative things in us,

501
00:39:18,784 --> 00:39:24,967
the despair, the anger,
the frustration,

502
00:39:24,967 --> 00:39:29,119
if we feel that our energy of mindfulness
is not strong enough,

503
00:39:29,119 --> 00:39:38,652
and then we ask a friend,
the one who we trust,

504
00:39:38,652 --> 00:39:42,252
to sit close to us,
and we practise together.

505
00:39:42,252 --> 00:39:47,320
That is what we call
practising in a sangha.

506
00:39:47,320 --> 00:39:53,048
Sangha means a community of practice.

507
00:39:53,048 --> 00:39:56,769
If you practise alone,
it will be more difficult.

508
00:39:56,769 --> 00:40:01,867
But if you practise among other people,
who practise the same

509
00:40:01,867 --> 00:40:04,334
you get the support.

510
00:40:04,334 --> 00:40:09,503
You help your brothers and sisters
when they need you,

511
00:40:09,503 --> 00:40:15,169
and they will help you
when you need them.

512
00:40:15,169 --> 00:40:33,802
[Bell]

513
00:40:33,802 --> 00:40:40,653
In the Buddhist tradition we always
consider the community of practice

514
00:40:40,653 --> 00:40:42,485
as a jewel.

515
00:40:42,485 --> 00:40:46,952
I take refuge in my sangha.

516
00:40:46,952 --> 00:40:52,935
Sangha means the community of practice.

517
00:40:56,235 --> 00:41:05,851
Sometime you lose your practice
but the sangha will always rescue you,

518
00:41:05,851 --> 00:41:13,133
help you to restore your practice,
until your practice becomes strong

519
00:41:13,133 --> 00:41:17,203
so that you can help other people also.

520
00:41:17,203 --> 00:41:22,720
Taking refuge in the sangha
is not a matter of belief.

521
00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:27,202
It is a matter of practice.

522
00:41:27,202 --> 00:41:35,834
And you might like to transform
your partner, your parents,

523
00:41:35,834 --> 00:41:42,751
your son, your daughter
into your sangha.

524
00:41:43,268 --> 00:41:48,151
It is possible to do so if you practice
well enough.

525
00:41:48,151 --> 00:41:57,252
You become more pleasant, more smiley
and you'll be able to convince him or her.

526
00:41:57,252 --> 00:42:04,334
You may give a book or a tape on the 
practice.

527
00:42:04,334 --> 00:42:16,299
And if you are able to convince a friend
or a partner to the practice,

528
00:42:16,299 --> 00:42:22,902
you get supported by that person.

529
00:42:24,452 --> 00:42:27,152
Anyone of us would need a sangha.

530
00:42:27,152 --> 00:42:30,651
If you are a social worker,
if you are a doctor,

531
00:42:30,651 --> 00:42:35,254
if you are a therapist,
if you are a politician,

532
00:42:35,254 --> 00:42:38,770
if you are a teacher, well,
you all need a sangha

533
00:42:38,770 --> 00:42:42,486
to get supported.

534
00:42:42,486 --> 00:42:49,452
Sangha building is very crucial
for our survival.

535
00:42:50,518 --> 00:42:55,933
I have arrived. That's what you practice
when you breathe in.

536
00:42:55,933 --> 00:42:59,451
Whether in a position of sitting
or walking.

537
00:42:59,451 --> 00:43:06,454
Make a step, breathe in, and say,
"I have arrived."

538
00:43:06,454 --> 00:43:09,422
Don't be afraid of going home.

539
00:43:09,422 --> 00:43:18,735
Because, going home, you learn touching
the most beautiful things at home.

540
00:43:18,735 --> 00:43:22,285
Home is in the present moment.

541
00:43:22,285 --> 00:43:25,733
"I have arrived. I am home."

542
00:43:25,733 --> 00:43:29,236
"In the here and the now."

543
00:43:29,236 --> 00:43:35,052
Because it is only in the here and the now
that you can touch life.

544
00:43:35,052 --> 00:43:39,886
Of course, life, there is suffering 
in life.

545
00:43:39,886 --> 00:43:44,935
But there are many wonders in life.

546
00:43:44,935 --> 00:43:47,535
If you do not go back to the 
present moment,

547
00:43:47,535 --> 00:43:49,971
how could you touch
the beautiful sky,

548
00:43:49,971 --> 00:43:52,472
or the beautiful sunset,

549
00:43:52,472 --> 00:43:57,885
or the beautiful face of your child?

550
00:43:57,885 --> 00:44:01,368
If you do not go home,
how could you touch your heart,

551
00:44:01,368 --> 00:44:11,868
your lungs, your liver, your eyes,
in order to give them a chance?

552
00:44:11,868 --> 00:44:18,038
Going home, you will be able
to touch the wonders of life,

553
00:44:18,038 --> 00:44:22,719
the elements that are refreshing,
healing and beautiful.

554
00:44:22,719 --> 00:44:27,034
That is very important.

555
00:44:27,034 --> 00:44:31,020
When you practice sitting meditation,
you practice arriving

556
00:44:31,020 --> 00:44:35,835
in order to touch many wonderful things.

557
00:44:35,835 --> 00:44:39,535
First of all, the fact that you are alive.

558
00:44:39,535 --> 00:44:45,334
The fact that you are alive is a miracle.

559
00:44:45,334 --> 00:44:52,336
"Breathing in, I know I am alive."

560
00:44:52,336 --> 00:44:59,919
"Breathing out, I know I do not miss
my appointment with life."

561
00:44:59,919 --> 00:45:05,270
Your appointment with life is
in the present moment.

562
00:45:05,270 --> 00:45:10,121
And if you don't learn how to arrive,
to go back to the here and now,

563
00:45:10,121 --> 00:45:12,285
you miss life.

564
00:45:12,285 --> 00:45:22,036
Everything that is wonderful
must be touched in the present moment.

565
00:45:22,036 --> 00:45:27,969
In a discourse called, "The Discourse on 
the Better Way to Live Alone",

566
00:45:27,969 --> 00:45:35,634
the Buddha taught us that 
we should not get lost in the past.

567
00:45:35,634 --> 00:45:37,737
We should not get lost in the future.

568
00:45:37,737 --> 00:45:41,552
We have to go back to the present moment,

569
00:45:41,552 --> 00:45:49,666
and observe, and live deeply,
life in the present moment.

570
00:45:49,666 --> 00:45:58,001
That is the most ancient text on 
how to live in the present moment.

571
00:45:59,187 --> 00:46:02,520
The present moment contains the past.

572
00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:06,882
The present moment is made of the past.

573
00:46:06,882 --> 00:46:09,885
And if you touch deeply the present moment

574
00:46:09,885 --> 00:46:11,420
you touch the past.

575
00:46:11,420 --> 00:46:15,070
The past is still available.

576
00:46:15,070 --> 00:46:21,069
And the damage that was caused in the past
can be repaired also

577
00:46:21,069 --> 00:46:26,021
because the past is there, 
deep in the present moment.

578
00:46:26,021 --> 00:46:32,703
If I touch the present moment deeply,
I touch also the past

579
00:46:32,703 --> 00:46:39,155
and I can transform it.

580
00:46:40,486 --> 00:46:45,002
The future will be made of
the present moment.

581
00:46:45,002 --> 00:46:47,969
There's no use worrying about the future.

582
00:46:47,969 --> 00:46:56,485
The best way to take care of the future
is to take good care of the present moment

583
00:46:56,901 --> 00:47:01,436
If you do your best to handle the 
present moment,

584
00:47:01,436 --> 00:47:05,669
you have done everything for the future.

585
00:47:08,203 --> 00:47:16,419
That is why, to practice arriving home
in the here and the now is very important.

586
00:47:16,419 --> 00:47:24,070
Maybe, in the beginning you might have
the impression that home is not so sweet.

587
00:47:25,302 --> 00:47:33,804
But with the energy of mindfulness,
you will find your home sweet.

588
00:47:33,804 --> 00:47:40,719
And if it happens that you have to touch
the unpleasant things at home,

589
00:47:40,719 --> 00:47:48,019
you know that touching them with
mindfulness will help to transform them.

590
00:47:48,019 --> 00:47:52,732
Our despair, our anger, our irritation,

591
00:47:52,732 --> 00:47:58,552
when touched with the energy
of mindfulness,

592
00:47:58,552 --> 00:48:02,152
will be transformed.

593
00:48:02,152 --> 00:48:07,718
And that is why touching 
the positive things

594
00:48:07,718 --> 00:48:10,421
in order to get nourished

595
00:48:10,421 --> 00:48:13,681
and to cultivate the energy
of mindfulness

596
00:48:13,681 --> 00:48:18,119
is very crucial in the beginning.

597
00:48:18,119 --> 00:48:22,185
After that, our energy of mindfulness
will be strong enough

598
00:48:22,185 --> 00:48:27,617
to allow us to touch the more,
the negative elements

599
00:48:27,617 --> 00:48:29,801
within and around us.

600
00:48:29,801 --> 00:48:33,468
And we do it together also.

601
00:48:34,307 --> 00:48:44,615
[Bell]

602
00:48:52,749 --> 00:49:01,385
In the practice of Buddhist meditation,
we learn to touch our body as a river.

603
00:49:01,385 --> 00:49:06,136
Because our body always changes.

604
00:49:06,136 --> 00:49:13,852
We learn to touch our feelings as a river.

605
00:49:13,852 --> 00:49:21,234
And we learn to touch our perceptions
as a river too.

606
00:49:21,234 --> 00:49:29,520
The Buddha taught us that most of our
suffering comes from our wrong perceptions

607
00:49:29,520 --> 00:49:34,985
It's very important to use the energy of 
mindfulness

608
00:49:34,985 --> 00:49:41,119
and touch deeply our perceptions.

609
00:49:41,787 --> 00:49:47,686
Our perceptions are very often wrong.

610
00:49:47,686 --> 00:49:50,753
And because of that,
we accuse the other person.

611
00:49:50,753 --> 00:49:59,301
We accuse other people
as the origin of our pain,

612
00:49:59,301 --> 00:50:01,088
our suffering.

613
00:50:01,088 --> 00:50:08,619
In fact, our wrong perceptions
are the cause of our pain.

614
00:50:08,619 --> 00:50:18,733
Walking in the twilight, we may
mistake a piece of rope as a snake.

615
00:50:18,733 --> 00:50:23,453
And we scream, we run off.

616
00:50:23,453 --> 00:50:26,250
That is a wrong perception.

617
00:50:26,250 --> 00:50:33,067
That kind of perception 
is very usual in our daily lives.

618
00:50:33,067 --> 00:50:38,651
That is why it is so important 
to practice and generate

619
00:50:38,651 --> 00:50:42,600
the energy of mindfulness,
in order to go back

620
00:50:42,600 --> 00:50:46,318
and touch our perceptions.

621
00:50:46,318 --> 00:50:52,402
The Buddha said, most of our
perceptions are wrong.

622
00:50:52,402 --> 00:50:58,969
At least, they have elements that
are wrong in our own perceptions.

623
00:50:58,969 --> 00:51:05,235
The purpose of Buddhist meditation
is described as the practice of calming,

624
00:51:05,235 --> 00:51:14,838
stopping, concentrating, in order to
look deeply into the heart of things.

625
00:51:14,838 --> 00:51:24,598
If you don't stop, if you don't calm,
if you don't concentrate,

626
00:51:24,598 --> 00:51:32,085
you have no energy for looking deeply.

627
00:51:32,085 --> 00:51:39,169
The first part of the practice is called
samatha. Stopping, calming, concentrating.

628
00:51:39,169 --> 00:51:45,069
And that can be done with sitting, 
breathing mindfully.

629
00:51:45,069 --> 00:51:52,401
The second part of the practice is called
vipashyana. It means deep looking.

630
00:51:52,401 --> 00:51:57,336
And these aspects of the practice
help you to discover

631
00:51:57,336 --> 00:52:02,418
the true nature of what is.

632
00:52:02,418 --> 00:52:10,968
And the insight you get will be able
to liberate you from your own suffering.

633
00:52:10,968 --> 00:52:15,784
So misunderstanding is the root of our
suffering.

634
00:52:15,784 --> 00:52:20,070
And when we misunderstand,
we accuse the other person

635
00:52:20,070 --> 00:52:23,218
as the root of our suffering.

636
00:52:23,218 --> 00:52:27,720
The practice, according to the practice
you have to help each other.

637
00:52:27,720 --> 00:52:32,585
You have to come together and
deal with your real enemy,

638
00:52:32,585 --> 00:52:36,155
wrong perceptions.

639
00:52:41,416 --> 00:52:53,431
And in each of us there is a habit
that is the cause of so much difficulties.

640
00:52:53,431 --> 00:52:59,502
I know of a French lady
who left home at the age of seventeen,

641
00:52:59,502 --> 00:53:07,002
who went to England and lived
because she was so angry at her mother.

642
00:53:07,002 --> 00:53:11,819
She wanted to forget France,
to forget her mother.

643
00:53:11,819 --> 00:53:20,219
But thirty years later,
she touched a book on Buddhism,

644
00:53:20,219 --> 00:53:25,815
and she had the desire to go home,
and reconcile with her mother.

645
00:53:25,815 --> 00:53:33,667
The desire to go back and reconcile
was very strong in her.

646
00:53:33,667 --> 00:53:40,388
And that desire, that willingness,
is strong also in the person of the mother

647
00:53:40,388 --> 00:53:45,754
So both sides wanted to reconcile
and to make peace.

648
00:53:45,754 --> 00:53:53,017
But every time they met, there was
an explosion of anger on both sides.

649
00:53:53,017 --> 00:53:57,636
Because the seed of suffering had been
cultivated for a long time.

650
00:53:57,636 --> 00:54:06,917
It has become a kind of habit energy
that dictate both of them.

651
00:54:07,649 --> 00:54:12,502
The willingness to reconcile 
is not enough.

652
00:54:12,502 --> 00:54:15,345
The willingness to make peace
is not enough.

653
00:54:15,345 --> 00:54:17,449
We need to practice.

654
00:54:17,449 --> 00:54:22,652
So I asked her to come to stay in 
Plum Village for a few - where I stay

655
00:54:22,652 --> 00:54:29,303
and practice - to come to Plum Village and 
stay for two months for the practice.

656
00:54:29,303 --> 00:54:33,604
She practiced walking meditation,
sitting and breathing,

657
00:54:33,604 --> 00:54:37,586
eating in mindfulness, 
drinking tea in mindfulness,

658
00:54:37,586 --> 00:54:40,235
flower watering.

659
00:54:40,235 --> 00:54:45,883
The energy of mindfulness
cultivated by that daily practice,

660
00:54:45,883 --> 00:54:50,268
she used to touch the seeds of anger

661
00:54:50,268 --> 00:54:54,654
and to touch the habit energy
of reacting like a machine

662
00:54:54,654 --> 00:54:59,186
every time the seed of anger
is watered.

663
00:54:59,186 --> 00:55:04,586
And I advised her to write a letter
of reconciliation

664
00:55:04,586 --> 00:55:08,520
from time to time, 
to her mother.

665
00:55:08,520 --> 00:55:15,120
Write it in mindfulness.

666
00:55:15,120 --> 00:55:19,586
During the time of writing that letter,
her seed of suffering and anger

667
00:55:19,586 --> 00:55:21,066
was not watered by her mother.

668
00:55:21,066 --> 00:55:25,318
Her mother was not there,
so it was much easier to write

669
00:55:25,318 --> 00:55:28,335
a letter of reconciliation.

670
00:55:28,335 --> 00:55:33,470
And to write such a letter
is also to practice deep looking

671
00:55:33,470 --> 00:55:41,169
into herself, and into the person
of her mother.

672
00:55:41,169 --> 00:55:47,668
A number of months later,
she was transformed.

673
00:55:47,668 --> 00:55:53,335
And the letter that she wrote,
her mother read, one after one.

674
00:55:53,335 --> 00:55:57,267
And during the time reading this letter,

675
00:55:57,267 --> 00:56:00,436
she got the effect of flower arrangement,

676
00:56:00,436 --> 00:56:03,602
her values were recognised.

677
00:56:03,602 --> 00:56:06,134
She restored the balance.

678
00:56:06,134 --> 00:56:09,817
These things, you can do.

679
00:56:09,817 --> 00:56:13,920
We all can do.

680
00:56:13,920 --> 00:56:30,268
[Bell]

681
00:56:35,001 --> 00:56:41,351
Before I continue, I would like to invite 
you to breathe in and out a few times,

682
00:56:41,351 --> 00:56:51,569
and then tell you how to stretch,
imitating a palm tree.

683
00:57:16,419 --> 00:57:25,102
[Bell]

684
00:57:35,804 --> 00:57:45,386
[Bell]

685
00:57:52,051 --> 00:58:02,536
[Bell]

686
00:58:08,935 --> 00:58:16,003
In our daily life, we are often
distracted.

687
00:58:16,003 --> 00:58:20,738
Our body may be there but
our mind is not there.

688
00:58:20,738 --> 00:58:25,304
So we are not really present.

689
00:58:25,304 --> 00:58:31,354
Our beautiful child may be coming,
our beautiful little boy or girl,

690
00:58:31,354 --> 00:58:35,799
may be coming,
smiling her beautiful smile.

691
00:58:35,799 --> 00:58:39,987
She wants to get some of 
our attention.

692
00:58:39,987 --> 00:58:42,698
But since we are caught in the future,

693
00:58:42,698 --> 00:58:49,634
in our projects, or in our regrets,

694
00:58:50,101 --> 00:58:52,617
we are not available to our child.

695
00:58:52,617 --> 00:58:55,786
And our child is not available to us.

696
00:58:55,786 --> 00:58:58,703
Life is not possible.

697
00:58:58,703 --> 00:59:05,885
That is why, a few mindful breathing
may help us to go back

698
00:59:05,885 --> 00:59:13,218
and to become available to our child,
to life.

699
00:59:13,218 --> 00:59:22,668
And mindfulness of breathing may help you
to be present in order to encounter life.

700
00:59:26,652 --> 00:59:32,865
If you love someone, the greatest gift
that you can make to him or her

701
00:59:32,865 --> 00:59:36,170
is your presence.

702
00:59:36,170 --> 00:59:40,619
If you are not there, how could you love?

703
00:59:40,619 --> 00:59:46,669
And therefore, the most meaningful
declaration, when you are in love, is this

704
00:59:46,669 --> 00:59:51,588
"Darling, I am there for you."

705
00:59:51,588 --> 01:00:00,471
Your presence is very important
for him or for her.

706
01:00:00,471 --> 01:00:04,735
And that cannot be bought with money.

707
01:00:04,735 --> 01:00:10,819
That could only be practiced
by mindfulness.

708
01:00:10,819 --> 01:00:16,003
So breathe in and breathe out mindfully,
and make yourself available

709
01:00:16,003 --> 01:00:19,703
to your beloved one.

710
01:00:19,703 --> 01:00:23,286
That is a practice of mindfulness.

711
01:00:23,286 --> 01:00:29,418
"Darling, I am there for you."

712
01:00:29,418 --> 01:00:34,605
When you are there,
the energy of mindfulness is there,

713
01:00:34,605 --> 01:00:40,986
and that energy helps you to recognise
the presence of the other.

714
01:00:40,986 --> 01:00:46,851
If you are not there, how can you 
recognise her presence? Or his presence?

715
01:00:46,851 --> 01:00:54,185
That is why mindfulness is the energy that
helps you to recognise the presence

716
01:00:54,185 --> 01:01:00,135
of the other. "Darling, I know that you 
are there, and I am happy."

717
01:01:00,135 --> 01:01:04,851
So you embrace the person you love
with the energy of mindfulness.

718
01:01:04,851 --> 01:01:09,752
That is the most nourishing thing
for him or for her.

719
01:01:09,752 --> 01:01:14,502
Otherwise she will die slowly.

720
01:01:14,502 --> 01:01:17,919
You are there,
but you are not really there.

721
01:01:17,919 --> 01:01:24,005
Your presence is not true, not real
because you are not mindful.

722
01:01:24,005 --> 01:01:27,235
If the person you love
does not get your attention,

723
01:01:27,235 --> 01:01:32,785
your mindfulness,
she dies slowly.

724
01:01:32,785 --> 01:01:38,369
Especially when 
the person you love suffers,

725
01:01:38,369 --> 01:01:42,502
your presence is most important
to her, or to him.

726
01:01:42,502 --> 01:01:47,568
That is why, when you see
the person you love suffer

727
01:01:47,568 --> 01:01:50,697
you have to make yourself available
right away.

728
01:01:50,697 --> 01:01:55,051
"Darling, I know that you suffer."

729
01:01:55,051 --> 01:02:01,870
"I know that you suffer, and that is why
I am there for you."

730
01:02:02,234 --> 01:02:04,554
That is the practice of mindfulness.

731
01:02:04,554 --> 01:02:07,034
And you know how to do it.

732
01:02:07,034 --> 01:02:12,417
You might use sitting, walking, breathing.

733
01:02:13,052 --> 01:02:20,471
All these practices aim
at making you available, present.

734
01:02:21,137 --> 01:02:25,902
And if you yourself suffer,
you have to do the same thing.

735
01:02:25,902 --> 01:02:30,685
You have to practice being there,
by breathing in and out,

736
01:02:30,685 --> 01:02:34,583
holding your suffering
with your mindfulness.

737
01:02:34,583 --> 01:02:41,248
Then you go to the person you love
and trust and tell her, tell him,

738
01:02:41,248 --> 01:02:46,837
"Darling, I suffer. Please help."

739
01:02:46,837 --> 01:02:54,403
These are very simple words to say.

740
01:02:54,403 --> 01:03:02,351
If your love is true, you should be able
to tell him or tell her that you suffer

741
01:03:02,351 --> 01:03:07,051
and that you need her help, or his help.

742
01:03:07,051 --> 01:03:12,816
If you cannot go to him or her,
and say that something is wrong

743
01:03:12,816 --> 01:03:19,818
in your relationship, your love is not
true enough.

744
01:03:19,818 --> 01:03:27,003
In true love, pride does not have a place.

745
01:03:27,003 --> 01:03:30,500
Pride should not prevent you
from going to him or to her

746
01:03:30,500 --> 01:03:39,552
and to tell him or her that you suffer
and you need him or her to help.

747
01:03:45,069 --> 01:03:48,852
We are rooted in each other.

748
01:03:48,852 --> 01:03:52,936
I need you in order to survive.

749
01:03:52,936 --> 01:03:58,186
One day, in the Upper Hamlet 
of Plum Village,

750
01:03:58,186 --> 01:04:04,086
I happened to see
a young lady walking alone.

751
01:04:04,086 --> 01:04:09,418
And I had the feeling 
that she is not a human being.

752
01:04:09,418 --> 01:04:13,085
She was like a ghost.

753
01:04:13,085 --> 01:04:21,351
I knew right away that she was one
of the hungry ghosts of our society.

754
01:04:21,351 --> 01:04:25,486
Coming from a broken family,
coming from a society

755
01:04:25,486 --> 01:04:33,352
that does not recognise you,
that has made you suffer.

756
01:04:33,352 --> 01:04:42,699
Coming from a tradition that
is not capable of nourishing you,

757
01:04:42,699 --> 01:04:46,520
communicate to you.

758
01:04:46,520 --> 01:04:55,768
In the past twelve years, I have met
several hungry ghosts like that.

759
01:04:55,768 --> 01:05:01,903
They are without any root.

760
01:05:01,903 --> 01:05:04,566
They don't believe in their family.

761
01:05:04,566 --> 01:05:07,634
They get angry at their parents.

762
01:05:07,634 --> 01:05:12,203
They get angry at their society.

763
01:05:12,203 --> 01:05:14,234
They get angry at their traditions.

764
01:05:14,234 --> 01:05:17,620
They want to leave everything behind.

765
01:05:17,620 --> 01:05:22,552
And they go around
looking for something to belong to.

766
01:05:22,552 --> 01:05:25,317
Looking for something beautiful.

767
01:05:25,317 --> 01:05:31,168
Something rooted,
something true to believe in.

768
01:05:31,168 --> 01:05:38,151
Many of them have come to
practice centres like Plum Village.

769
01:05:38,151 --> 01:05:41,134
It's very difficult to help these people.

770
01:05:41,134 --> 01:05:44,751
They have no roots. It's very difficult for 
them to absorb the teaching

771
01:05:44,751 --> 01:05:52,881
because they don't trust easily.

772
01:05:52,881 --> 01:06:04,131
You have to do your best in order to
earn their trust before you can help.

773
01:06:10,018 --> 01:06:14,952
Our society is organised in such a way 
that we produce tens of thousands

774
01:06:14,952 --> 01:06:18,234
of hungry ghosts everyday.

775
01:06:18,234 --> 01:06:23,804
They have not received love from
their parents, their society,

776
01:06:23,804 --> 01:06:26,752
their tradition.

777
01:06:26,752 --> 01:06:31,536
Nobody has understood them.
That is why they are very hungry

778
01:06:31,536 --> 01:06:35,935
of love and understanding.

779
01:06:35,935 --> 01:06:41,669
And they are looking for something
to believe in.

780
01:06:41,669 --> 01:06:45,768
And hungry ghosts, even if they have
a big belly like this,

781
01:06:45,768 --> 01:06:49,636
they have a very tiny throat,

782
01:06:49,636 --> 01:06:55,933
as small as a needle, it is described
in the sacred text.

783
01:06:55,933 --> 01:07:01,170
Hungry ghosts have a throat
that is as small as a needle.

784
01:07:01,170 --> 01:07:04,553
So even if you have a lot to offer,

785
01:07:04,553 --> 01:07:11,702
it is very difficult for them to absorb.

786
01:07:11,702 --> 01:07:19,451
Even if you have plenty of food,
plenty of water, plenty of love,

787
01:07:19,451 --> 01:07:22,568
to offer, it is difficult for them
to absorb

788
01:07:22,568 --> 01:07:27,818
because nobody has understood them,
nobody has loved them,

789
01:07:27,818 --> 01:07:35,651
they suspect everything,
they suspect everyone.

790
01:07:35,651 --> 01:07:41,017
We have helped a certain number
of hungry ghosts like that.

791
01:07:41,017 --> 01:07:45,234
We know that it is difficult.

792
01:07:45,234 --> 01:07:49,968
We know that we need each other
in order to help.

793
01:07:49,968 --> 01:07:53,268
We have to recognise our society
in such a way that we

794
01:07:53,268 --> 01:07:56,801
stop producing more hungry ghosts.

795
01:07:56,801 --> 01:07:59,485
It is very important.

796
01:07:59,485 --> 01:08:03,899
We should practice looking deeply
in order to be able to understand

797
01:08:03,899 --> 01:08:09,467
these hungry ghosts, and not 
to continue to blame them.

798
01:08:09,467 --> 01:08:13,351
Because they have not received
any understanding,

799
01:08:13,351 --> 01:08:19,619
and therefore, any love.

800
01:08:19,619 --> 01:08:32,752
[Bell]

801
01:08:38,035 --> 01:08:43,319
Each person, in order to be happy
and stable

802
01:08:43,319 --> 01:08:46,819
should have at least two families.

803
01:08:46,819 --> 01:08:53,405
The first is the blood family

804
01:08:53,405 --> 01:09:04,701
in which father and mother represent
the youngest generation of ancestors.

805
01:09:04,701 --> 01:09:08,901
If your parents are happy with each other,

806
01:09:08,901 --> 01:09:17,418
they'll be able to transmit to you
the values of your ancestors.

807
01:09:17,418 --> 01:09:24,736
The love and trust that are in them
in the form of seeds.

808
01:09:24,736 --> 01:09:28,584
And you have roots in your blood family.

809
01:09:28,584 --> 01:09:34,668
If you are on good terms with your parents
you are connected with your ancestors

810
01:09:34,668 --> 01:09:37,086
through your parents.

811
01:09:37,086 --> 01:09:40,734
But if you are not on good terms with your
parents, you get disconnected

812
01:09:40,734 --> 01:09:42,667
with all your ancestors.

813
01:09:42,667 --> 01:09:45,854
You become a person without roots.

814
01:09:45,854 --> 01:09:52,101
And you can become very easily
a hungry ghost.

815
01:09:52,101 --> 01:09:56,539
The other family is the spiritual family.

816
01:09:56,539 --> 01:09:59,534
You also have ancestors.

817
01:09:59,534 --> 01:10:07,803
And if the people who represent
your traditions are not happy enough,

818
01:10:07,803 --> 01:10:14,119
if they have not been lucky enough
in order to receive the jewels

819
01:10:14,119 --> 01:10:17,018
of your tradition,

820
01:10:17,018 --> 01:10:21,135
they would not be able
to transmit them to you.

821
01:10:21,135 --> 01:10:24,701
They could not be able to understand you
and your needs.

822
01:10:24,701 --> 01:10:29,087
They could impose on you
things you don't like.

823
01:10:29,087 --> 01:10:33,720
Communication between them and you
is not possible.

824
01:10:33,720 --> 01:10:41,509
You suffer, and you want to get away
from your own traditions.

825
01:10:41,509 --> 01:10:52,603
And if you are in bad terms 
with your rabbi, with your pastor,

826
01:10:52,603 --> 01:11:00,651
with your priest, you get disconnected
with your spiritual ancestors.

827
01:11:00,651 --> 01:11:05,170
And you become a hungry ghost.

828
01:11:05,170 --> 01:11:10,104
And having so much suffering 
within yourself,

829
01:11:10,104 --> 01:11:12,438
you make the person you love suffer.

830
01:11:12,438 --> 01:11:17,850
And if you have children,
you make them suffer also.

831
01:11:17,850 --> 01:11:21,486
And they too will become hungry ghosts.

832
01:11:21,486 --> 01:11:27,786
That is why it is so important to practise
looking deeply

833
01:11:27,786 --> 01:11:32,502
to find out what is wrong with our family.

834
01:11:32,502 --> 01:11:36,202
What is wrong within our blood family.

835
01:11:36,202 --> 01:11:43,935
What is wrong within our spiritual family.

836
01:11:43,935 --> 01:11:51,202
The practice of mindful looking
may be very helpful

837
01:11:51,202 --> 01:11:55,718
in order for you to understand 
your parents

838
01:11:55,718 --> 01:12:00,719
and the people who represent
your tradition.

839
01:12:00,719 --> 01:12:09,235
If your parents cannot embody
the values of your ancestors,

840
01:12:09,235 --> 01:12:16,101
if your priest, your rabbi, your pastor
cannot embody the values

841
01:12:16,101 --> 01:12:22,117
of your tradition, 
there must be causes.

842
01:12:22,117 --> 01:12:24,567
We have to look deeply.

843
01:12:24,567 --> 01:12:30,719
And when we are capable of looking deeply,

844
01:12:30,719 --> 01:12:39,534
the insight will come,
and that will help us to accept,

845
01:12:39,534 --> 01:12:41,935
to have compassion.

846
01:12:41,935 --> 01:12:46,603
And going back home to help our parents.

847
01:12:46,603 --> 01:12:49,902
To help our rabbi, our priest, our pastor,

848
01:12:49,902 --> 01:12:53,368
will become possible.

849
01:12:53,368 --> 01:12:58,435
There is a young American
who came to Plum Village

850
01:12:58,435 --> 01:13:07,866
and told me that he was so angry at his 
father, to the point that even after his

851
01:13:07,866 --> 01:13:16,736
father's passing away, he still
could not reconcile with him.

852
01:13:16,736 --> 01:13:29,884
And I helped him, by the teaching of
the emptiness of transmission.

853
01:13:29,884 --> 01:13:35,300
Emptiness of transmission is a way of
looking deeply in order to recognise

854
01:13:35,300 --> 01:13:38,319
that you are one with your parents.

855
01:13:38,319 --> 01:13:41,519
You are only a continuation
of your parents.

856
01:13:41,519 --> 01:13:47,669
Getting angry at your parents is
to get angry at yourself.

857
01:13:47,669 --> 01:13:50,851
When we talk about transmission,

858
01:13:50,851 --> 01:13:54,102
we talk about the one who transmits,

859
01:13:54,102 --> 01:13:56,884
we talk about the object transmitted,

860
01:13:56,884 --> 01:14:02,635
and we talk about the receiver
of the transmission, three things.

861
01:14:02,635 --> 01:14:06,351
When you have a chance to take a shower,

862
01:14:06,351 --> 01:14:10,102
when you take a shower, you have 
a chance to look at your body

863
01:14:10,102 --> 01:14:14,901
as the object of transmission.

864
01:14:14,901 --> 01:14:20,102
And you think of your parents as
the transmitters.

865
01:14:20,102 --> 01:14:25,184
Your body, your consciousness,
as the object transmitted.

866
01:14:25,184 --> 01:14:31,885
And you are the receiver
of the transmission.

867
01:14:31,885 --> 01:14:36,520
But looking deeply, we see that
three of them are empty

868
01:14:36,520 --> 01:14:39,485
of a separate self.

869
01:14:39,485 --> 01:14:46,918
The question we ask is,
what did your parents transmit?

870
01:14:46,918 --> 01:14:49,585
And if you practice looking deeply,
you see that

871
01:14:49,585 --> 01:14:55,668
your parents transmit themselves to you.

872
01:14:55,668 --> 01:15:01,152
Your body, and all the seeds that you
carry within your consciousness,

873
01:15:01,152 --> 01:15:06,235
are your parents.

874
01:15:06,235 --> 01:15:11,787
They did not transmit anything less
than themselves.

875
01:15:11,787 --> 01:15:16,135
All the seeds of suffering,
all the seeds of happiness and talent

876
01:15:16,135 --> 01:15:23,053
they received from the ancestors,
they have transmitted everything to you.

877
01:15:23,053 --> 01:15:30,571
So the transmitters and the
transmitted one and you are also one

878
01:15:30,571 --> 01:15:34,485
with the object transmitted.

879
01:15:34,485 --> 01:15:40,818
So you cannot escape the fact
that you are only the continuation

880
01:15:40,818 --> 01:15:46,586
of your father. You are your father.

881
01:15:46,586 --> 01:15:51,085
And to reconcile with your father,
is to reconcile with yourself.

882
01:15:51,085 --> 01:15:53,983
There is no other way.

883
01:15:53,983 --> 01:16:00,352
That young man, he put a picture
of his father on his desk.

884
01:16:00,352 --> 01:16:08,834
And put a little lamp.
Every time he goes to his desk,

885
01:16:08,834 --> 01:16:18,299
he would look in the eyes of his father,
and practise breathing in and out.

886
01:16:18,299 --> 01:16:23,505
And to touch the fact
that he is his father.

887
01:16:23,505 --> 01:16:30,854
He is only a continuation
of his father.

888
01:16:30,854 --> 01:16:37,469
And he realised the fact that his father
was not capable of transmitting to him

889
01:16:37,469 --> 01:16:44,084
the seeds of love and trust
that lie deep in his consciousness.

890
01:16:44,084 --> 01:16:48,721
Because he did not have the 
capacity to do so.

891
01:16:48,721 --> 01:16:53,186
He was not helped by anyone
to touch these seeds

892
01:16:53,186 --> 01:16:56,968
in order to get nourishment.

893
01:16:56,968 --> 01:17:03,018
And of course, the seed of trust and love
in him was covered up by

894
01:17:03,018 --> 01:17:08,884
so many layers of suffering.

895
01:17:08,884 --> 01:17:13,435
And when you have become
aware of that, you can forgive

896
01:17:13,435 --> 01:17:17,836
you can understand.

897
01:17:17,836 --> 01:17:22,351
There is a wonderful guided meditation
on the five year old boy

898
01:17:22,351 --> 01:17:27,570
that we used to offer to hungry ghosts
who come to Plum Village.

899
01:17:27,570 --> 01:17:34,752
"Breathing in, I see myself as a five 
year old boy. Or girl.

900
01:17:34,752 --> 01:17:41,452
"Breathing out, I smile to that five
year old boy or girl, who is me."

901
01:17:41,452 --> 01:17:48,882
And that you practise for one or two
weeks.

902
01:17:48,882 --> 01:17:56,203
A five year old boy or girl
is always very vulnerable.

903
01:17:56,203 --> 01:17:59,403
Very fragile.

904
01:17:59,403 --> 01:18:03,504
A stern look may already 
hurt him or her.

905
01:18:03,504 --> 01:18:07,734
A shout may already 
hurt him or her.

906
01:18:07,734 --> 01:18:12,451
That is why we are very fragile
when we are five.

907
01:18:12,451 --> 01:18:16,219
And if you see yourself as a 
five year old boy like that,

908
01:18:16,219 --> 01:18:18,900
And if you breathe out and smile to you

909
01:18:18,900 --> 01:18:22,154
the smile will be the smile of compassion.

910
01:18:22,154 --> 01:18:24,154
Understanding.

911
01:18:24,154 --> 01:18:32,987
I suffer because, as a five year old 
boy, I was deeply wounded.

912
01:18:32,987 --> 01:18:39,584
And two weeks later, I could give him
the other half of that practice.

913
01:18:39,584 --> 01:18:45,133
"Breathing in, I see my father
as a five year old boy.

914
01:18:45,133 --> 01:18:53,302
"Breathing out, I smile to the
five year old boy that was my father."

915
01:18:53,302 --> 01:19:03,485
Maybe you have not imagined
that your father could be

916
01:19:03,485 --> 01:19:07,540
a five year old boy, but he was
a five year old boy.

917
01:19:07,540 --> 01:19:11,317
He had been a five year old boy.

918
01:19:11,317 --> 01:19:14,235
And if you are capable of breathing in
and seeing your father

919
01:19:14,235 --> 01:19:16,618
as a five year old boy,

920
01:19:16,618 --> 01:19:20,468
you would see that he is also fragile.

921
01:19:20,468 --> 01:19:22,253
Vulnerable.

922
01:19:22,253 --> 01:19:24,582
Easily to get hurt.

923
01:19:24,582 --> 01:19:33,285
And he may be like you, the victim
of your grandpa.

924
01:19:33,285 --> 01:19:36,018
And practise like that.

925
01:19:36,018 --> 01:19:40,999
Smiling to that five year old boy
with compassion.

926
01:19:40,999 --> 01:19:46,385
One day you will understand
that your father is also a victim.

927
01:19:46,385 --> 01:19:50,052
That is why he was not capable
of nourishing himself

928
01:19:50,052 --> 01:19:54,849
with the seed of love and trust.

929
01:19:54,849 --> 01:20:00,218
And if you don't practise,
that seed of love and trust in you

930
01:20:00,218 --> 01:20:03,707
will remain very small.

931
01:20:03,707 --> 01:20:07,620
And tomorrow, when you have a child

932
01:20:07,620 --> 01:20:12,518
you will do exactly like your father.

933
01:20:12,518 --> 01:20:18,672
The wheel of samsara.

934
01:20:18,672 --> 01:20:23,616
And many have profited
from that exercise.

935
01:20:23,616 --> 01:20:28,735
They have gone back
to help their own parents.

936
01:20:28,735 --> 01:20:33,083
And through their parents,
they get connected again

937
01:20:33,083 --> 01:20:38,216
with their ancestors.

938
01:20:38,216 --> 01:20:41,702
And the same practice can be directed
to your tradition.

939
01:20:41,702 --> 01:20:45,150
Your spiritual family.

940
01:20:45,150 --> 01:20:51,019
If you understand, by the practice
of mindfulness,

941
01:20:51,019 --> 01:20:57,147
you may discover that there are values
in your own tradition.

942
01:20:57,147 --> 01:21:03,218
I always tell my students that the
equivalent of mindfulness

943
01:21:03,218 --> 01:21:10,484
could be seen in the tradition of
Judaism and Christianity.

944
01:21:10,484 --> 01:21:15,186
And when you have practised mindfulness
in a Buddhist centre,

945
01:21:15,186 --> 01:21:21,217
you may discover that these jewels
are also in your own tradition.

946
01:21:21,217 --> 01:21:25,250
And you are urged to go back 
in order to help out,

947
01:21:25,250 --> 01:21:31,216
to rediscover these values
for your own nourishment

948
01:21:31,216 --> 01:21:36,468
and the nourishment
of your children.

949
01:21:36,468 --> 01:21:43,568
Because, a person without roots
cannot be a happy person.

950
01:21:43,568 --> 01:21:51,316
Getting back and touch our roots
and rediscover the positive seeds

951
01:21:51,316 --> 01:21:56,935
the jewels within our tradition,
blood or spiritual,

952
01:21:56,935 --> 01:21:59,302
is a very important practice.

953
01:21:59,302 --> 01:22:06,503
And the practice of mindfulness can help.

954
01:22:07,105 --> 01:22:21,153
[Bell]

955
01:22:21,153 --> 01:22:23,735
My dear friends, it's 9.30.

956
01:22:23,735 --> 01:22:26,736
I like to ask Sister Chan Khong,
True Emptiness

957
01:22:26,736 --> 01:22:30,103
to offer you a song on
mindfulness practice.

958
01:22:30,103 --> 01:22:39,534
Thank you for being there,
mindful.

959
01:22:39,534 --> 01:26:26,430
[singing in Vietnamese]