WEBVTT 00:00:09.400 --> 00:00:13.400 bell sound 00:00:18.963 --> 00:00:22.963 bell strike and reverberation 00:00:33.767 --> 00:00:45.451 bell strike and reverberation 00:00:45.451 --> 00:01:06.211 bell strike and reverberation 00:01:06.211 --> 00:01:11.448 Dear respected Thay, dear brothers and sisters, 00:01:11.448 --> 00:01:13.064 dear friends and sangha. 00:01:13.064 --> 00:01:14.930 Today is the 24th of January the year 2019 00:01:14.930 --> 00:01:21.480 and we are in the [?] Meditation Hall of the [?] hamlet 00:01:21.480 --> 00:01:30.909 during our Winter Retreat. 00:01:30.909 --> 00:01:34.464 Winter has arrived, yes, 00:01:34.464 --> 00:01:37.509 I think we all agree. 00:01:37.509 --> 00:01:45.614 There is snow in Paris and in 18 other departments in France 00:01:45.614 --> 00:01:48.792 and in other countries 00:01:48.792 --> 00:01:54.928 we can see the beauties of nature and winter 00:01:54.928 --> 00:02:00.180 in all seasons in fact 00:02:00.180 --> 00:02:04.060 the wonders of Mother Earth that she offers us 00:02:04.060 --> 00:02:06.780 the beautiful green grass 00:02:06.780 --> 00:02:11.110 the delicate snowflakes 00:02:11.110 --> 00:02:13.564 the nourshing rain 00:02:13.564 --> 00:02:17.880 We've had rain, wind and cold weather here 00:02:17.880 --> 00:02:20.746 but that's also wonderful 00:02:20.746 --> 00:02:24.314 with our practice of mindfulness 00:02:24.314 --> 00:02:27.365 we celebrate life. 00:02:27.365 --> 00:02:32.498 Every moment of life is precious 00:02:32.498 --> 00:02:36.380 and the energy of mindfulness helps us be 00:02:36.380 --> 00:02:39.748 in touch with ourself 00:02:39.748 --> 00:02:42.596 our body and mind, but also 00:02:42.596 --> 00:02:47.908 in touch with the world around us. 00:02:47.908 --> 00:02:51.297 the other morning a sister said to me, 00:02:51.297 --> 00:02:55.080 did you see the bird in our tree? 00:02:55.080 --> 00:02:57.697 and I...oh, what tree? what bird? 00:02:57.697 --> 00:03:03.781 he pointed in the direction, at a distance 00:03:03.781 --> 00:03:08.114 and then I saw a noble blackbird 00:03:08.114 --> 00:03:12.465 sitting alone on the bare branch 00:03:12.465 --> 00:03:16.248 of a winter tree with the sunrise 00:03:16.248 --> 00:03:18.330 the golden light of the sunrise 00:03:18.330 --> 00:03:23.130 filtering through this beautiful moment. 00:03:23.130 --> 00:03:26.078 So I thanked her very much 00:03:26.078 --> 00:03:29.945 for sharing this beauty with me 00:03:29.945 --> 00:03:32.680 and I said "Please write a poem". 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:36.381 She writes very well. 00:03:36.381 --> 00:03:45.363 In winter the sunrises and sunsets are special 00:03:45.363 --> 00:03:52.597 and I enjoy going out and seeing the sunrise 00:03:52.597 --> 00:03:55.247 and sunset in winter especially 00:03:55.247 --> 00:03:58.429 though all year round we can appreciate the 00:03:58.429 --> 00:04:04.648 sunrise and sunset. 00:04:04.648 --> 00:04:08.914 Mindfulness as an energy is always with us 00:04:08.914 --> 00:04:10.842 it doesn't leave us 00:04:10.842 --> 00:04:16.381 it's a capacity we have that is stored 00:04:16.381 --> 00:04:20.142 within the depths of our consciouness as a seed 00:04:20.142 --> 00:04:22.097 a [?] 00:04:22.097 --> 00:04:27.525 we just have to wake it up, we just have to activate it 00:04:27.525 --> 00:04:32.514 invite it to be present with us 00:04:32.514 --> 00:04:40.680 mindfulness is with us during all seasons of the year. 00:04:40.680 --> 00:04:49.009 it helps us be aware of our internal weather, 00:04:49.009 --> 00:04:54.544 so to speak 00:04:54.572 --> 00:04:57.588 what is happening in our mind 00:04:57.603 --> 00:04:59.710 in terms of our feelings, our thoughts 00:05:00.329 --> 00:05:01.794 our emotions, our mental formations. 00:05:03.565 --> 00:05:08.196 So mindfulness helps us know what is 00:05:08.196 --> 00:05:12.948 the terrain, the paysage, the landscape of our mind 00:05:12.948 --> 00:05:17.240 and that's very helpful 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:19.378 and it's very wonderful 00:05:19.378 --> 00:05:22.433 to know what's actually happening in us 00:05:22.433 --> 00:05:25.709 and around us 00:05:25.709 --> 00:05:30.495 This afternoon we'll have our 00:05:30.495 --> 00:05:32.965 sharing circles called dharma sharing 00:05:32.965 --> 00:05:40.695 and sometimes we begin the sharing circle by 00:05:40.695 --> 00:05:46.603 by inviting everyone to give a internal weather report, metéo, ... 00:05:46.603 --> 00:05:57.328 say their name, where they're from and then what is their internal weather 00:05:57.328 --> 00:06:04.477 and they may use some images, such as 00:06:04.477 --> 00:06:07.880 I feel sunny 00:06:07.880 --> 00:06:11.575 I feel rainy, maybe sad 00:06:11.575 --> 00:06:16.792 I feel happy, I feel cloudy 00:06:16.792 --> 00:06:20.176 that means I have some confusion today 00:06:20.176 --> 00:06:21.898 I'm not real sure 00:06:21.898 --> 00:06:28.357 there's a storm brewing in me 00:06:28.357 --> 00:06:30.230 that means, oh, I'm in touch with some 00:06:30.230 --> 00:06:36.247 strong feelings, anger, et cetera. 00:06:36.247 --> 00:06:41.482 so we have an opportunity connect with our feelings 00:06:41.482 --> 00:06:48.320 to know actually what they are 00:06:48.320 --> 00:06:53.174 feelings are very important, they're part of our daily life 00:06:53.174 --> 00:06:57.681 you know that babies have feelings 00:06:57.681 --> 00:07:02.918 and because they're too young to tell us what their feelings are 00:07:02.918 --> 00:07:06.915 they let us know about their feelings 00:07:06.915 --> 00:07:15.344 when a baby's happy we'll see a baby smile, laugh, gurgle 00:07:15.344 --> 00:07:19.875 you know, baby sounds, they're happy they're doing fine 00:07:19.875 --> 00:07:27.788 when a baby doesn't have a pleasant feeling, the baby lets us know 00:07:27.788 --> 00:07:33.182 they cry, they may be hungry or cold, or wet 00:07:33.182 --> 00:07:37.184 or need more sleep. 00:07:37.184 --> 00:07:40.491 So from the very beginning of our life 00:07:40.491 --> 00:07:44.788 we experienced feelings 00:07:44.788 --> 00:07:51.398 we have many relationships, don't we? 00:07:51.398 --> 00:07:55.245 and relationships usually are formed 00:07:55.245 --> 00:07:58.690 or begin, when there are pleasant feelings 00:07:58.690 --> 00:08:04.174 when there are good feelings that are shared mutually 00:08:04.174 --> 00:08:06.785 and then relationships can end 00:08:06.785 --> 00:08:11.975 when the feelings turn to unpleasant feelings 00:08:11.975 --> 00:08:14.423 there are bad feelings between us 00:08:14.423 --> 00:08:21.310 so if we don't know practices then a relationship can end 00:08:21.310 --> 00:08:25.677 our relationship with our mindfulness is forever 00:08:25.677 --> 00:08:28.213 and that's the good news 00:08:28.213 --> 00:08:33.539 as long as we want to practice and cultivate this energy within us, 00:08:33.539 --> 00:08:35.448 it's always there. 00:08:35.448 --> 00:08:44.853 no matter what's happening with our daily life relationships 00:08:44.853 --> 00:08:47.398 The Buddha gave some wonderful teachings 00:08:47.398 --> 00:08:53.900 in the sutra of the four foundations of mindfulness 00:08:53.900 --> 00:08:59.358 this is an important sutra 00:08:59.358 --> 00:09:04.917 and Thay has written a book based on this sutra, which contains this sutra 00:09:04.917 --> 00:09:08.726 called "Transformation and Healing" 00:09:08.726 --> 00:09:11.802 and Buddha gave some teachings in this way 00:09:11.802 --> 00:09:16.805 he said the first foundation of our mindfulness 00:09:16.805 --> 00:09:19.750 is to be aware of our body 00:09:19.750 --> 00:09:23.327 every morning when we wake up 00:09:23.327 --> 00:09:29.300 we can be aware of how does my body feel? 00:09:29.300 --> 00:09:31.603 The second foundation of mindfulness 00:09:31.603 --> 00:09:34.617 is to be aware of our feelings. 00:09:34.617 --> 00:09:40.333 ok, how am I feeling? 00:09:40.333 --> 00:09:44.719 third foundation: to be aware of our mind 00:09:44.719 --> 00:09:52.608 the thoughts, the objects that we're thinking about 00:09:52.608 --> 00:09:55.226 and then the fourth foundation of mindfulness 00:09:55.226 --> 00:09:57.228 is to be aware of the objects 00:09:57.228 --> 00:10:04.308 of our mind, and that could be the world around us 00:10:04.308 --> 00:10:09.246 now feelings are very interesting 00:10:09.246 --> 00:10:14.632 according to how the Buddha looked at feelings. 00:10:14.632 --> 00:10:17.738 In modern Western psychology, 00:10:17.738 --> 00:10:21.125 we use the word feelings and emotions 00:10:21.125 --> 00:10:23.900 interchangeably, right? 00:10:23.900 --> 00:10:25.983 We could say I'm feeling happy, 00:10:25.983 --> 00:10:29.117 I'm feeling sad, I'm feeling peaceful, 00:10:29.117 --> 00:10:32.407 I'm feeling anxious, I'm feeling depressed, 00:10:32.407 --> 00:10:34.443 et cetera. 00:10:34.443 --> 00:10:38.909 Buddha didn't have modern Western psychology, 00:10:38.909 --> 00:10:45.554 but what he created was a practice of being aware of our feelings 00:10:45.554 --> 00:10:48.521 just in three ways. 00:10:48.521 --> 00:10:52.676 The Buddha said we have pleasant feelings, 00:10:52.676 --> 00:10:58.665 then we have unpleasant feelings, 00:10:58.665 --> 00:11:01.667 and then we have neutral feelings 00:11:01.667 --> 00:11:07.700 that are neither pleasant nor unpleasant. 00:11:07.700 --> 00:11:11.469 And you know for Buddha and his disciples who become Arhats, 00:11:11.469 --> 00:11:16.269 that was enough. 00:11:16.269 --> 00:11:23.461 To be able to identify what we're experience as something pleasant 00:11:23.461 --> 00:11:31.620 or unpleasant has simplified my practice enormously. 00:11:31.620 --> 00:11:37.869 Sometimes I've gotten too caught up or tangled up 00:11:37.869 --> 00:11:45.376 with more "advanced" practice by trying to name the feeling correctly. 00:11:45.376 --> 00:11:48.914 Is it irritation? Is it anger? 00:11:48.914 --> 00:11:52.599 Is it sadness? Is it discouragement? 00:11:52.599 --> 00:11:55.203 I spent so much time trying to get 00:11:55.203 --> 00:11:58.279 the right word to describe my feeling, 00:11:58.279 --> 00:12:05.452 and I discovered that it wasn't necessary, 00:12:05.452 --> 00:12:09.280 and that was good news for me. 00:12:09.280 --> 00:12:14.395 Whenever I'm in touch with a feeling, 00:12:14.395 --> 00:12:16.666 I can just be aware of the feeling. 00:12:16.666 --> 00:12:21.332 The feeling may have its origin in my body 00:12:21.332 --> 00:12:24.480 or something outside 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:32.824 a conversation, seeing something. 00:12:32.824 --> 00:12:35.611 In other words, the origin may be through 00:12:35.611 --> 00:12:40.766 the six senses: my eyes, my ears, my nose, 00:12:40.766 --> 00:12:44.524 my tongue, my body, the sense of touch, 00:12:44.524 --> 00:12:46.418 or my thinking. 00:12:46.418 --> 00:12:51.190 So when I'm in touch with a feeling, 00:12:51.190 --> 00:12:54.429 I try to recognize, 00:12:54.429 --> 00:12:56.251 Is it a pleasant feeling 00:12:56.251 --> 00:13:00.516 or an unpleasant feeling? 00:13:00.516 --> 00:13:02.825 A neutral feeling is neither pleasant 00:13:02.825 --> 00:13:04.678 nor unpleasant 00:13:04.678 --> 00:13:09.402 but it has the characteristic of being 00:13:09.402 --> 00:13:16.101 sort of not there. Nothing much is 00:13:16.101 --> 00:13:18.636 happening when we have a neutral feeling. 00:13:18.636 --> 00:13:23.239 For example, when I open the mailbox 00:13:23.239 --> 00:13:26.365 to take out the letters, voila, nothing 00:13:26.365 --> 00:13:31.749 much is there. I buy a magazine, I give 00:13:31.749 --> 00:13:36.257 someone directions to the train station, 00:13:36.257 --> 00:13:38.521 maybe there's a slight feeling, but 00:13:38.521 --> 00:13:42.898 it's neither really pleasant nor unpleasant. 00:13:42.898 --> 00:13:46.540 A neutral feeling can change however and 00:13:46.540 --> 00:13:51.148 become either a pleasant or an 00:13:51.148 --> 00:13:54.995 unpleasant feeling. And I remember 00:13:54.995 --> 00:13:58.974 once Thay said, Neutral feelings can be 00:13:58.974 --> 00:14:02.541 made into pleasant feelings, they can be 00:14:02.541 --> 00:14:06.535 transformed into pleasant feelings 00:14:06.535 --> 00:14:12.002 with mindful breathing. And that is, 00:14:12.002 --> 00:14:16.507 nothing much is happening, but if I sit 00:14:16.507 --> 00:14:20.246 down and relax and breathe, I can bring 00:14:20.246 --> 00:14:24.446 calmness into my body and relaxation 00:14:24.446 --> 00:14:30.503 and that is pleasant. 00:14:30.503 --> 00:14:33.672 So feelings are constantly changing, 00:14:33.672 --> 00:14:37.098 one into another, there's a constant flux 00:14:37.098 --> 00:14:40.776 of feeling because wer'e constantly 00:14:40.776 --> 00:14:44.747 receiving impressions through our nervous 00:14:44.747 --> 00:14:47.503 system, through our sense organs, 00:14:47.503 --> 00:14:55.537 and that is activating feelings. 00:14:55.537 --> 00:14:58.052 Let us a take a moment now to create 00:14:58.052 --> 00:15:02.348 a pleasant feeling, I hope. We will pause 00:15:02.348 --> 00:15:06.420 and come back to ourself and enjoy our 00:15:06.420 --> 00:15:15.114 breathing in and out, gently, naturally. 00:15:15.114 --> 00:15:20.084 bell 00:15:20.084 --> 00:15:40.967 bell 00:15:40.967 --> 00:15:46.726 So then the practice that helps us 00:15:46.726 --> 00:15:52.808 recognize our feelings is called [?] 00:15:52.808 --> 00:15:59.071 recognition. We simply notice what is 00:15:59.071 --> 00:16:01.821 there and what the feeling is, 00:16:01.821 --> 00:16:05.638 without thinking, without adding more 00:16:05.638 --> 00:16:11.866 to the feeling. Sometimes when we have 00:16:11.866 --> 00:16:14.868 a pleasant feeling, we begin to think: 00:16:14.868 --> 00:16:18.533 "Oh, how can I continue to have this 00:16:18.533 --> 00:16:23.458 pleasant feeling?" or sometimes when 00:16:23.458 --> 00:16:27.103 we have an unpleasant feeling, we begin 00:16:27.103 --> 00:16:30.440 to think: "Why did this happen? 00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:31.744 What can I do to stop it?" 00:16:31.744 --> 00:16:32.395 We add thoughts. 00:16:36.676 --> 00:16:41.327 But to simply recognize a feeling, 00:16:41.327 --> 00:16:42.473 all we have to do is notice it, 00:16:42.473 --> 00:16:45.094 breathe with it, and no mental 00:16:45.094 --> 00:16:49.151 commentary. There is a pleasant feeling 00:16:49.151 --> 00:16:53.277 here now, there is an unpleasant feeling 00:16:53.277 --> 00:16:55.108 here now. 00:16:55.108 --> 00:17:04.254 I made a list of some of the objects 00:17:04.254 --> 00:17:08.684 which result in pleasant feeling for me, 00:17:08.684 --> 00:17:11.904 and I invite everyone to do that, 00:17:11.904 --> 00:17:12.663 this afternoon, this evening, 00:17:12.663 --> 00:17:19.595 tomorrow, on your day off. 00:17:19.595 --> 00:17:22.016 Become aware of what gives us 00:17:22.016 --> 00:17:27.542 a pleasant feeling. 00:17:27.542 --> 00:17:30.447 I've already mentioned the sunrise 00:17:30.447 --> 00:17:36.338 and the sunset. Hearing the sound of 00:17:36.338 --> 00:17:43.413 the waterfall, the birds singing in spring, 00:17:43.413 --> 00:17:54.562 singing, soon we will celebrate the lunar 00:17:54.562 --> 00:17:59.699 new year, Tet, and a pleasant feeling 00:17:59.699 --> 00:18:03.942 is almost guaranteed everyday. 00:18:03.942 --> 00:18:07.759 There's happiness, there's friendship, 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:11.290 the delicious taste of the Earth cake, 00:18:11.290 --> 00:18:16.957 and other wonderful Vietnamese food. 00:18:16.957 --> 00:18:21.137 I have pleasant feeling seeing the 00:18:21.137 --> 00:18:24.982 spring flowers, the green grass, 00:18:24.982 --> 00:18:29.797 the bamboo. 00:18:29.797 --> 00:18:36.170 Feeling the warmth of the sun on my face. 00:18:36.170 --> 00:18:39.704 Walking with friends, enjoying 00:18:39.704 --> 00:18:44.403 a cup of tea, sitting down. 00:18:44.403 --> 00:18:47.633 Doing nothing. 00:18:47.633 --> 00:18:49.235 So these are some of the sources 00:18:49.235 --> 00:18:52.795 but not all, of the sources, of pleasant 00:18:52.795 --> 00:18:57.280 feelings. There's one thing 00:18:57.280 --> 00:19:01.939 I want to share about pleasant feelings, 00:19:01.939 --> 00:19:06.570 is sometimes, we want them over and over 00:19:06.570 --> 00:19:10.501 and over again, and more and more and more 00:19:10.501 --> 00:19:13.895 and they can become an addiction. 00:19:13.895 --> 00:19:19.621 So we call it a sweet internal formation. 00:19:19.621 --> 00:19:26.766 It's addiction to drugs, to drinking, 00:19:26.766 --> 00:19:32.753 to smoking, to too much sugar, too much 00:19:32.753 --> 00:19:37.726 whatever. Because we have the seed 00:19:37.726 --> 00:19:41.170 of desire within us, okay? So it's 00:19:41.170 --> 00:19:44.569 alright, there's nothing wrong with that. 00:19:44.569 --> 00:19:46.456 With our practice of mindfulness 00:19:46.456 --> 00:19:50.300 we're aware of pleasant feeling, and 00:19:50.300 --> 00:19:54.593 whether the seed of desire is present, 00:19:54.593 --> 00:19:57.699 okay, I'm aware the seed of desire 00:19:57.699 --> 00:20:00.446 is present. To have a piece of chocolate, 00:20:00.446 --> 00:20:03.002 alright, one piece of chocolate, 00:20:03.002 --> 00:20:07.107 moderation. But if I say, oh another piece 00:20:07.107 --> 00:20:12.053 won't hurt, a second piece, okay, desire 00:20:12.053 --> 00:20:14.763 has grown a litte bit more, it's been watered. 00:20:14.763 --> 00:20:18.234 Well ,a third piece for good luck, 00:20:18.234 --> 00:20:22.352 three pieces of chocolate. Okay. 00:20:22.352 --> 00:20:24.590 Do you understand? 00:20:24.590 --> 00:20:27.308 So the desire grows and grows 00:20:27.308 --> 00:20:29.923 and then we think we need the chocolate 00:20:29.923 --> 00:20:33.437 to have pleasant feelings. 00:20:33.437 --> 00:20:39.051 But not really. So we want to say 00:20:39.051 --> 00:20:43.496 we bring our mindfulness to the 00:20:43.496 --> 00:20:48.172 experience of pleasant feelings 00:20:48.172 --> 00:20:53.664 based on consumption. Okay? But there are 00:20:53.664 --> 00:20:55.729 many ways of consuming. We consume 00:20:55.729 --> 00:21:04.417 with our eyes, our ears, et cetera. 00:21:04.417 --> 00:21:08.946 So, if mindfulness is there it's sort of 00:21:08.946 --> 00:21:13.098 a protection so that the pleasant feeling 00:21:13.098 --> 00:21:18.175 doesn't be absolutely necessary all the 00:21:18.175 --> 00:21:24.507 time without fail. So with my mindfulness 00:21:24.507 --> 00:21:27.964 I say "I'm aware of the pleasant feeling. 00:21:27.964 --> 00:21:30.555 I'm aware of the chocolate," or whatever 00:21:30.555 --> 00:21:35.001 it is that's giving you the pleasant feeling. 00:21:35.001 --> 00:21:36.259 Breathing out, I know my mindfulness 00:21:36.259 --> 00:21:36.936 tells me I've had enough, and that's all. 00:21:40.091 --> 00:21:50.934 So where this goes for anything that 00:21:50.934 --> 00:21:52.787 we consume. And I use a sentence now 00:21:52.787 --> 00:21:55.688 that is very, very helpful to me. 00:21:55.688 --> 00:21:58.889 I say to myself, "I don't want to hurt 00:21:58.889 --> 00:22:03.118 myself." Okay? And if I keep that as 00:22:03.118 --> 00:22:05.638 my mantra, "I don't want to hurt 00:22:05.638 --> 00:22:08.789 myself" then my mindfulness is there 00:22:08.789 --> 00:22:12.870 as the protector. Mindfulness says, 00:22:12.870 --> 00:22:16.266 "Okay, you don't want to hurt yourself? 00:22:16.266 --> 00:22:21.726 Stop now." So we know the mindfulness 00:22:21.726 --> 00:22:26.477 trainings are guidelines that help us 00:22:26.477 --> 00:22:30.597 not hurt ourselves, help us keep us going 00:22:30.597 --> 00:22:34.062 in a good direction, to create more 00:22:34.062 --> 00:22:41.295 happiness and pleasant feelings. 00:22:41.295 --> 00:22:46.483 This afternoon there will be a match, 00:22:46.483 --> 00:22:52.013 Asian World Cup foot, football, and the 00:22:52.013 --> 00:22:56.247 countries are Vietnam and Japan. And 00:22:56.247 --> 00:22:58.914 we know at the end of the match there 00:22:58.914 --> 00:23:02.410 will be some pleasant feelings shared by 00:23:02.410 --> 00:23:07.315 one team, we don't know which team. 00:23:07.315 --> 00:23:10.384 But there will be pleasant feelings. 00:23:10.384 --> 00:23:14.050 There will also be unpleasant feelings. 00:23:14.050 --> 00:23:16.082 And that will be for the team that doesn't 00:23:16.082 --> 00:23:19.507 win, I imagine there will be unpleasant 00:23:19.507 --> 00:23:24.879 feelings, but an ability to accept. 00:23:24.879 --> 00:23:27.501 So, we know that there are also 00:23:27.501 --> 00:23:32.354 unpleasant feelings that occur, and 00:23:32.354 --> 00:23:38.347 accepting them is important. 00:23:38.347 --> 00:23:40.080 Do you know when I breathe in the 00:23:40.080 --> 00:23:45.773 cool morning air, the cold morning air, 00:23:45.773 --> 00:23:49.002 it's minus 1 and I'm breathing it in, it's 00:23:49.002 --> 00:23:52.127 unpleasant, a little bit. 00:23:52.127 --> 00:23:56.901 But my nose accepts it. My nose doesn't 00:23:56.901 --> 00:23:59.829 say "Go away, cold air. I don't want you." 00:23:59.829 --> 00:24:03.071 My nose accepts the cold air. 00:24:03.071 --> 00:24:07.291 And I do, too. 00:24:07.291 --> 00:24:09.330 So, unpleasant feelings can have their 00:24:09.330 --> 00:24:12.903 root in our body. 00:24:12.903 --> 00:24:17.768 There's something maybe not balanced 00:24:17.768 --> 00:24:22.198 in our physiology, and we can have an 00:24:22.198 --> 00:24:25.016 unpleasant feeling, a headache, 00:24:25.016 --> 00:24:29.833 for example, or a toothache. 00:24:29.833 --> 00:24:34.625 An unpleasant feeling can have its source 00:24:34.625 --> 00:24:39.037 not within the body and physiology but 00:24:39.037 --> 00:24:40.969 unpleasant feeling can come from a 00:24:40.969 --> 00:24:47.341 physical event. Let's say you hurt your 00:24:47.341 --> 00:24:52.003 thumb while trying to hammer a nail 00:24:52.003 --> 00:24:55.182 into wood. So you hit your thumb, and 00:24:55.182 --> 00:24:59.609 that was a physical event. The hammer 00:24:59.609 --> 00:25:01.815 and the nail were not part of your body's 00:25:01.815 --> 00:25:05.629 physiology but it contributed to an 00:25:05.629 --> 00:25:12.510 unpleasant feeling. A third source of 00:25:12.510 --> 00:25:16.083 unpleasant feeling would be from our 00:25:16.083 --> 00:25:21.585 mind, a psychological event. So you hear 00:25:21.585 --> 00:25:28.514 some sad news, or you see something 00:25:28.514 --> 00:25:30.698 and you feel very sad on seeing it, so 00:25:30.698 --> 00:25:35.895 something has watered the seed in our 00:25:35.895 --> 00:25:39.667 consciousness, the depths of our 00:25:39.667 --> 00:25:45.682 consciousness, our alaya, and the seed 00:25:45.682 --> 00:25:49.473 will manifest, and we will experience what 00:25:49.473 --> 00:25:52.345 we would call, maybe, an emotion. 00:25:52.345 --> 00:25:55.411 Okay? a separation, an argument, a 00:25:55.411 --> 00:26:01.977 disappointment, losing a credit card, 00:26:01.977 --> 00:26:05.351 things like that, and we will have an 00:26:05.351 --> 00:26:11.246 emotional response. So unpleasant 00:26:11.246 --> 00:26:15.672 feelings can have three sources, but 00:26:15.672 --> 00:26:18.353 also pleasant feelings can have 00:26:18.353 --> 00:26:22.355 three sources: from our body, our mind, 00:26:22.355 --> 00:26:27.837 and then the world around us. 00:26:27.837 --> 00:26:32.440 So, what do I do when an unpleasant 00:26:32.440 --> 00:26:35.259 feeling arises? Breathing in, using my 00:26:35.259 --> 00:26:38.832 mindfulness practice, I'm aware of 00:26:38.832 --> 00:26:42.213 this feeling. Breathing out, I experience 00:26:42.213 --> 00:26:48.270 this feeling as unpleasant, but no 00:26:48.270 --> 00:26:52.133 judgment okay? Unpleasant. Breathing 00:26:52.133 --> 00:26:57.520 in, I embrace and I stay with this 00:26:57.520 --> 00:27:02.668 unpleasant feeling. Breathing out, I 00:27:02.668 --> 00:27:06.299 know I am taking care of this unpleasant 00:27:06.299 --> 00:27:14.654 feeling. One morning not too long ago, 00:27:14.654 --> 00:27:21.405 I had unpleasant feelings. And I realized 00:27:21.405 --> 00:27:25.022 that the source was my body, my 00:27:25.022 --> 00:27:30.699 physiology. Everything seemed too loud. 00:27:30.699 --> 00:27:34.200 Much too loud. But that's very unusual. 00:27:34.200 --> 00:27:37.235 Usually everything is too soft. 00:27:37.235 --> 00:27:41.942 But this morning, everything was too loud. 00:27:41.942 --> 00:27:44.956 In the meditation hall, the chanting 00:27:44.956 --> 00:27:50.201 was beautiful, absolutely inspiring, the 00:27:50.201 --> 00:27:53.054 melody, the words, everything was 00:27:53.054 --> 00:27:57.224 beautiful. However my ears heard it, 00:27:57.224 --> 00:28:01.697 it's too loud. So I had to protect my ears 00:28:01.697 --> 00:28:05.924 and I hope that no one saw that. We do 00:28:05.924 --> 00:28:09.131 that when the jets fly over. You know the 00:28:09.131 --> 00:28:13.352 army, air force, they go over grand speed 00:28:13.352 --> 00:28:18.531 with a great big sound and I do that. 00:28:18.531 --> 00:28:22.523 And then after breakfast in our quarters 00:28:22.523 --> 00:28:26.278 everyone was talking, sharing, just normal, 00:28:26.278 --> 00:28:31.220 hello, and daily talk before the gathering 00:28:31.220 --> 00:28:36.660 it's too loud, again, too loud. And 00:28:36.660 --> 00:28:42.255 instead of trying to correct it, which 00:28:42.255 --> 00:28:45.397 may be a habit, you know we have contact, 00:28:45.397 --> 00:28:49.969 attention, a feeling, perception, and then 00:28:49.969 --> 00:28:54.022 a volition to do something about it. 00:28:54.022 --> 00:28:55.953 A tendency to say, "Oh, could you turn 00:28:55.953 --> 00:28:59.542 down the volume?" et cetera. No, I 00:28:59.542 --> 00:29:02.314 decided I didn't want to do that, 00:29:02.314 --> 00:29:06.100 I didn't want to add anything to anyone 00:29:06.100 --> 00:29:09.062 else's mind, you know, their mental state. 00:29:09.062 --> 00:29:12.767 We never know, when we speak, how 00:29:12.767 --> 00:29:15.539 the words will be received. 00:29:15.539 --> 00:29:17.870 So I was silent through all of this 00:29:17.870 --> 00:29:22.651 too loud experience, So, I said to myself, 00:29:22.651 --> 00:29:25.300 "I'm having an unpleasant feeling 00:29:25.300 --> 00:29:29.172 now." I was overwhelmed with 00:29:29.172 --> 00:29:31.673 unpleasant feelings, you know, strange, 00:29:31.673 --> 00:29:34.358 but okay, unpleasant feeling. 00:29:34.358 --> 00:29:36.734 And the next, most important 00:29:36.734 --> 00:29:39.812 sentence I said to myself was, 00:29:39.812 --> 00:29:43.056 "I'm going to transform this feeling 00:29:43.056 --> 00:29:45.578 into a pleasant feeling. I'm going 00:29:45.578 --> 00:29:49.363 to transform it." Because I remember 00:29:49.363 --> 00:29:51.980 Thay said we can transform an unpleasant 00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:54.446 feeling into a pleasant feeling 00:29:54.446 --> 00:29:57.401 by mindful breathing. 00:29:57.401 --> 00:29:58.964 So I sat down and 00:29:58.964 --> 00:30:02.501 I just sat there, I relaxed, and 00:30:02.501 --> 00:30:07.121 I practiced breathing in and out. 00:30:07.121 --> 00:30:09.529 And I relaxed. 00:30:09.529 --> 00:30:14.177 And it worked, it really worked. 00:30:14.177 --> 00:30:18.854 So, that's how I handled that 00:30:18.854 --> 00:30:23.532 unpleasant feeling that was continuing 00:30:23.532 --> 00:30:24.476 and when I was able to relax, 00:30:24.476 --> 00:30:31.811 calm myself, I was able to see clearly 00:30:31.811 --> 00:30:36.261 why, why it came up. It had to do with my 00:30:36.261 --> 00:30:41.457 physiology, my body, my nervous system 00:30:41.457 --> 00:30:44.681 I did not have enough sleep, 00:30:44.681 --> 00:30:46.925 and because of that I thought, 00:30:46.925 --> 00:30:50.297 "Oh, a nice cup of green tea might 00:30:50.297 --> 00:30:53.141 help me, early this morning." 00:30:53.141 --> 00:30:56.745 So I had a cup of green tea, but 00:30:56.745 --> 00:30:59.247 it was at the same time that my body 00:30:59.247 --> 00:31:03.069 is producing cortisol. We know that 00:31:03.069 --> 00:31:05.744 the body produces cortisol, which 00:31:05.744 --> 00:31:12.689 activates the whole body, the adrenal 00:31:12.689 --> 00:31:15.313 glands, it's a stress hormone, cortisol, 00:31:15.313 --> 00:31:18.539 but it's necessary to get the body moving 00:31:18.539 --> 00:31:21.985 in certain situations. 00:31:21.985 --> 00:31:26.613 However, I drank the tea at the same time, 00:31:26.613 --> 00:31:29.904 and green tea releases cortisol, also. 00:31:29.904 --> 00:31:34.011 So I had a double dose of cortisol. 00:31:34.011 --> 00:31:40.248 And cortisol will act on the adrenal glands 00:31:40.248 --> 00:31:46.235 and secrete adrenaline, and it affects, 00:31:46.235 --> 00:31:49.214 the double dose of adrenaline, 00:31:49.214 --> 00:31:51.957 everything was too loud. 00:31:51.957 --> 00:31:54.389 So now there are better times to drink 00:31:54.389 --> 00:31:57.934 green tea, after the cortisol level 00:31:57.934 --> 00:32:05.620 in the body goes down, if your body is sensitive. 00:32:05.620 --> 00:32:08.363 Maybe the young ones, it's fine, any time, 00:32:08.363 --> 00:32:12.145 green tea, but, at a certain age, we know, 00:32:12.145 --> 00:32:14.733 it's better to drink tea and coffee 00:32:14.733 --> 00:32:18.191 after 9:30 in the morning. I'll give you 00:32:18.191 --> 00:32:21.826 the times, scientists have found it 00:32:21.826 --> 00:32:24.841 between 9:30 and 11:30, cortisol level 00:32:24.841 --> 00:32:29.489 is lower, 1:30 to 5:30, okay? 00:32:29.489 --> 00:32:33.274 time for coffee and tea. 00:32:33.274 --> 00:32:36.142 This is research actually, they have done 00:32:36.142 --> 00:32:41.487 research, and it was posted by someone 00:32:41.487 --> 00:32:50.384 who has her web page is "I love coffee" 00:32:50.384 --> 00:32:52.537 but she found the better time to drink 00:32:52.537 --> 00:32:55.252 the coffee, during coffee break really, 00:32:55.252 --> 00:32:59.252 and that's between 9:30 and 11:30. 00:32:59.252 --> 00:33:04.200 But anyway, let us have a pause 00:33:04.200 --> 00:33:07.290 and we'll listen to a sound of the bell 00:33:07.290 --> 00:33:10.266 and it's after 9:30 so I can enjoy a 00:33:10.266 --> 00:33:37.560 little taste of green tea. 00:33:37.560 --> 00:33:38.601 (bell) 00:33:38.601 --> 00:33:38.851 (bell) 00:33:38.851 --> 00:33:39.101 On Sunday we had a wonderful dharma 00:33:39.101 --> 00:33:40.206 talk that described the four noble truths 00:33:40.206 --> 00:33:42.570 and the eight-fold noble path. 00:33:42.570 --> 00:33:48.520 And I would like to review that 00:33:48.520 --> 00:33:54.828 a little bit in terms of unpleasant 00:33:54.828 --> 00:33:58.997 feelings, because unpleasant feelings 00:33:58.997 --> 00:34:02.922 are not necessarily suffering. 00:34:02.922 --> 00:34:07.745 It depends on the depth of the 00:34:07.745 --> 00:34:11.702 unpleasant feeling or the strength of it. 00:34:11.702 --> 00:34:14.355 It can simply be unpleasant feeling, okay 00:34:14.355 --> 00:34:15.908 it will change. 00:34:15.908 --> 00:34:20.852 Or it can be something that is with us 00:34:20.852 --> 00:34:24.395 from childhood even, from our wounded 00:34:24.395 --> 00:34:28.677 child, if we experienced a lot of suffering 00:34:28.677 --> 00:34:34.850 as a child growing up with abuse or 00:34:34.850 --> 00:34:40.826 unhappy family life, unhappy experience 00:34:40.826 --> 00:34:43.789 in the home, so unpleasant feelings 00:34:43.789 --> 00:34:47.235 have their history. 00:34:47.235 --> 00:34:51.316 It could be caused just a few moments ago 00:34:51.316 --> 00:34:56.015 or the roots can be much further back 00:34:56.015 --> 00:35:01.568 in our lives. So I would like to have us 00:35:01.568 --> 00:35:03.996 look at that again, the four noble truths, 00:35:03.996 --> 00:35:08.904 in terms of pleasant feelings, 00:35:08.904 --> 00:35:12.352 so that will be: I recognize the presence 00:35:13.769 --> 00:35:17.317 of an unpleasant feeling. I recognize 00:35:17.317 --> 00:35:21.936 that the unpleasant feeling has its source 00:35:21.936 --> 00:35:29.161 its roots, in the past, in the three 00:35:29.161 --> 00:35:32.089 domains that I mentioned: my 00:35:32.089 --> 00:35:36.005 physiology, a physical event, my mind, 00:35:36.005 --> 00:35:39.132 but we know there are some practices 00:35:39.132 --> 00:35:43.974 we can do to transform unpleasant feelings 00:35:43.974 --> 00:35:47.451 and with the practices we will restore 00:35:47.451 --> 00:35:50.889 the pleasant feeling. 00:35:50.889 --> 00:35:53.997 So we have the noble eight-fold path 00:35:53.997 --> 00:36:01.727 which is right view, right thinking, right 00:36:01.727 --> 00:36:02.930 speech, right action. For the feelings 00:36:02.930 --> 00:36:10.792 we don't have to go through all of the 00:36:10.792 --> 00:36:12.640 eight practices of the eight-fold path, 00:36:12.640 --> 00:36:14.923 but one important thing to remember is 00:36:14.923 --> 00:36:21.527 that when we have an unpleasant feeling 00:36:21.527 --> 00:36:25.336 sometimes our thinking about the feeling 00:36:25.336 --> 00:36:27.952 may make it worse. 00:36:27.952 --> 00:36:31.951 Okay? we add commentary. 00:36:31.951 --> 00:36:34.196 We may know the example of 00:36:34.196 --> 00:36:37.086 the arrow, the Buddha gave this 00:36:37.086 --> 00:36:39.969 example. An arrow is shot 00:36:39.969 --> 00:36:42.917 and a man is hit by an arrow. 00:36:42.917 --> 00:36:45.885 Of course he has pain, he has an 00:36:45.885 --> 00:36:49.976 unpleasant feeling, physical unpleasant feeling 00:36:49.976 --> 00:36:56.173 But for the man to stop and say, "Wait, 00:36:56.173 --> 00:36:58.248 don't take out the arrow yet, 00:36:58.248 --> 00:36:59.831 I want to know who shot it, 00:36:59.831 --> 00:37:03.044 where he came from, why did he do it." 00:37:03.044 --> 00:37:06.050 No, this kind of additional thinking 00:37:06.050 --> 00:37:09.323 is not necessary. Take out the arrow, 00:37:09.323 --> 00:37:12.650 take care of the wound, okay? 00:37:12.650 --> 00:37:17.668 So, with unpleasant feelings sometimes 00:37:17.668 --> 00:37:20.773 we add a lot of thinking and 00:37:20.773 --> 00:37:24.607 questioning when we first recognize 00:37:24.607 --> 00:37:28.773 the unpleasant feeling, so we don't have 00:37:28.773 --> 00:37:34.623 to do that. The Buddha said "If a second 00:37:34.623 --> 00:37:37.510 arrow comes and hits the man in the same 00:37:37.510 --> 00:37:41.679 place, the pain will be ten times, 00:37:41.679 --> 00:37:47.211 a hundred times greater." 00:37:47.211 --> 00:37:54.026 So our response to illness or bad news 00:37:54.026 --> 00:38:00.656 is made much heavier by our added 00:38:00.656 --> 00:38:03.966 thinking about it, our worries, our 00:38:03.966 --> 00:38:08.134 anxiety, everything that we add just 00:38:08.134 --> 00:38:12.515 to the event. There is an illness. Okay, 00:38:12.515 --> 00:38:17.210 the illness is there, we'll take care of it, 00:38:17.210 --> 00:38:19.800 Take care of my diet, my exercise, 00:38:19.800 --> 00:38:24.327 everything. So when there's an 00:38:24.327 --> 00:38:28.963 unpleasant feeling, if we continue to 00:38:28.963 --> 00:38:30.675 think about it, and he did this, 00:38:30.675 --> 00:38:33.541 she did that, why'd it happen, 00:38:33.541 --> 00:38:35.962 why didn't it happen, et cetera, 00:38:35.962 --> 00:38:38.988 that won't help. It's like the second 00:38:38.988 --> 00:38:42.744 arrow. So what we want to do is 00:38:42.744 --> 00:38:46.598 simply practice with an unpleasant feeling 00:38:46.598 --> 00:38:52.264 calm it, relax the unpleasant feeling. 00:38:52.264 --> 00:38:58.374 So, let's have a look now at what I 00:38:58.374 --> 00:39:02.809 mentioned. We'll have a look at the four 00:39:02.809 --> 00:39:06.197 noble truths, just in terms of feelings, 00:39:06.197 --> 00:39:10.142 not suffering as such, and then see that 00:39:10.142 --> 00:39:20.188 we can restore pleasant feelings. 00:39:20.188 --> 00:39:22.922 It's always a little bit of a challenge 00:39:22.922 --> 00:39:27.891 dismounting from the podium, do I 00:39:27.891 --> 00:39:30.852 stand up and walk down the stairs? 00:39:30.852 --> 00:39:34.515 or do I just step down? I prefer 00:39:34.515 --> 00:39:38.529 to just step down. 00:39:38.529 --> 00:39:44.012 These orchids are beautiful, 00:39:44.012 --> 00:39:47.589 they're really very lovely. 00:39:47.589 --> 00:39:49.812 Every moment is a moment for 00:39:49.812 --> 00:40:00.640 a pleasant feeling, even as I have the 00:40:00.640 --> 00:40:01.824 unpleasant task of dismounting. 00:40:01.824 --> 00:40:12.895 But it's been done, thank you. 00:40:12.895 --> 99:59:59.999 Unpleasant feeling. So that's taking the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 place of the presence of suffering, okay? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Cause of my unpleasant feeling, causes. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And that's causes of suffering, the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 second noble truth. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Practices to do with unpleasant feeling, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 what are the practices I can do when 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I have an unpleasant feeling? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Practices to transform the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 unpleasant feeling 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We know one is stopping, just 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 stopping for a minute 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 taking a pause, stopping pause. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Come back to ourself with mindful 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 breathing. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If our whole body can be involved with 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 transforming the energy of an 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 unpleasant feeling, that sometimes 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 works better, at least for me. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So I enjoy walking, I enjoy walking 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 meditation or walking. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You can enjoy jogging, running, or 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 other body movement. Walking. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Looking deeply into the causes 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to have clarity 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Clarity, how this has come to be 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and we know that causation, the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Buddha said, this is like this, because 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that is like that. There's an 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 interdependent causing. Many events 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 come together to create an event or 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 something, it's interdependent 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 origination. Looking into the many 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 causes. We do not have to know the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 causes to change the unpleasant feeling 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 into a pleasant feeling right away. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We don't have to know the causes right 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 away. We can relax, calm our mind, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and when the mind is calm, we will 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 see more clearly. We will have the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 better conditions for understanding. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 What we have learned that when 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 our mind is agitated, when we're 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 very worried, or upset, or angry 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 when there's a lot of mental 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 disruption so to speak, then the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 understanding cannot manifest, it's 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 as if the waves on the ocean are too 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 big, there's too much happening, and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we simply cannot access the deeper 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 wisdom and understanding of why 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 this has happened. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So the calming of the mind makes 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the water clear and we can see, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we can understand better. Okay, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so I'm listing some practices to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 transform the unpleasant feeling. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Don't think about the situation, the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 person, the event. Don't do the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 thinking while changing the feeling, okay? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Don't think at that moment, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 just breathe, just walk, just listen to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 music. So I will add that, because music 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is also a very wonderful healing element 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that is available. It's not something the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 monastics can do all the time, right 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 away, but we chant, that's also healing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the chanting, the singing. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 For all of you who have other conditions 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 music can be very soothing and healing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 an unpleasant feeling. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And I say this from my experience so 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I'm not making it up. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So for me it's Mozart, Mozart piano 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 concerto. For you it may be others. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Or other kinds of music, so 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 many more practices to transform 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 unpleasant feeling. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Please be attentive now because 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 sometimes when we have an unpleasant feeling 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we want to consume, we want to drink 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 something, we want to eat something. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Thay says we go to the refrigerator, we 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 look, is there something that will help 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 me now feel better? So the fifth 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 mindfulness training will help us to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 not consume when we have 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 unpleasant feelings. We do other 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 things. Talk to a friend, or go outside 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 be in touch with what is refreshing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and healing in the present moment. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So for an unpleasant feeling, to transform 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it, the country where we do that is 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the present moment. We don't 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 go to the past to transform our 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 unpleasant feeling. We stay here and now. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So present moment. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Bring yourself out of the past, out of 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the shadows of the past, with 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 everything that contributes to your 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 unpleasant feeling now. Come back 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to what is nourishing and healing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in the present moment. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Let's have a pause and to just bring 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 ourselves to the present moment now 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with our mindful breathing. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (bell) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 (bell) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When we're feeling better, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the unpleasant feeling is no longer there, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 then we have the restoration of the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 pleasant feeling. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So this in terms of the four noble truths 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is "happiness is possible" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So I ask the forgiveness of the Buddha 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 for taking his four noble truths and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 sort of making a re-addition, a little 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 bit of a renewal, but I felt it helped me 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 a lot when I was thinking about how to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 present unpleasant feelings, with the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 good news that they can be transformed 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 into pleasant feelings. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Sometimes we're in an environment 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 where there's a lot of unpleasant feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 could be at work, or when we visit home, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 some other places, you know, it 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 seems as if, that everyone, or almost 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 everyone, has unpleasant feelings, and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the atmosphere is quite heavy. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And in fact, burnout could be the non-stop 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 experiencing of unpleasant feelings. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We just don't know how to stop all 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 of that. The stress, the demands, we're 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 living in a high-octane culture. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 meaning we need to have efficiency, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 do many things at once, no mistake, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 on time, high-octane living. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So for that to help with burnout or just 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 too many unpleasant feelings, in me 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and around me, we need to make a pause 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 by recognizing and then saying, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "I'm going to take care of myself." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "I'm going to do the practices of 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 mindful breathing, body movements: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 yoga, tai chi, chi gong, anything to help 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 move this energy that is unpleasant." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Pay careful attention to my diet, to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 eat...they're recommending now more 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 plant and vegetable sources for a 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 healthy body. You'll know what you 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 will need to change. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We have a new year arriving, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we have a double, two new years, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we have a second chance (laughter) 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 at the new year resolution we made 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 24 days ago, and we're not doing so well 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in keeping them, well we can revise 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the list, and maybe make a shorter list, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 two things, and then continue for the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 rest of the year. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So I just have maybe a few more things 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to share with you this morning, and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that is, I want to talk about how do 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we create pleasant feelings. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So can I erase this? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 or are you [inaudible] 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I was very happy to discover that 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 pleasant feelings are very easy to create 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in a practice center. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We have the practices of communication, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 beginning anew, where we say kind things 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to one another. we appreciate 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 others' presence in our life, and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 say thank you for being here. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Thank you for your smile. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When I see you making the cup of tea, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I feel warm inside. So by using loving 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 speech, we create pleasant feelings in 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 ourself first, and in the other person. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We have gratitude. We have gratitude 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to all of you, our guests, and this 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is the truth. Without your presence, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Plum Village could not be. So we have 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 appreciation and gratitude to all of our 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 retreatants, our lay friends, and to our 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 monastic brothers and sisters for making 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the retreats possible for you to come. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So pleasant feelings are easy to create here 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We also have the possibility of creating a 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 pleasant feeling after there's been an 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 unpleasant feeling. So we've done 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 something out of a mistake, we made 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 a mistake, or we just didn't know enough, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 ignorance, and we see that, it created 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 some unpleasant feeling in someone, so 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in our practice, we can go up and say 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the mistake 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I made. I feel very bad about it." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So just being able to say that, can open 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 up the heart, can clear the slate, turn 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 a new page, by saying I'm sorry. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So it's good for relationships. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We can create pleasant feelings again 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 if we say we're sorry. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Sometimes that never happens. She 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 never said she was sorry. He never 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 said he was sorry. How can I forgive? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 You know? So it's an important 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 step and it will create pleasant feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We have the be-in, and that's where we 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 all get together and we sing, we 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 share experiences, our happiness meeting 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we call it. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Just being together creates 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 pleasant feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The five mindfulness trainings, or 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 our monastic precepts, actually 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 protect the happiness feelings. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 They create pleasant feelings when we 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 practice the five mindfulness trainings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 because we know each training begins 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with aware of the suffering caused. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We could think "aware of the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 unpleasant feeling caused by" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 doing this, saying that 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So there's sort of a contiuum from 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 unpleasant to suffering, okay? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Listening to Thay's dharma talks, the DVD, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 pleasant feelings, I'm always very 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 grateful and I'm very nourished when 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I hear Thay's dharma talks 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 pleasant feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 All of Thay's, almost, a few hundred of 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Thay's dharma talks are available on 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 YouTube, so you have a resource when you 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 go back, to listen and continue your 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 learning of mindfulness practice 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 from Thay 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and that's a pleasant feeling, to hear 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Thay's dharma talks. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So lazy day, is that a day when we have 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 pleasant feelings? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 If you think the schedule is too much, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we get up too early, et cetera, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 lazy day is when we don't have that 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and it's a pleasant feeling. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Just having free time 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 time to do as you wish 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to rest, to relax, to sleep more, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to do more sitting meditation 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So Thay has said that our practice 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 should be enjoyable 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we should not make ourselves suffer 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 our practice is not to give ourself 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 unpleasant feelings, it's not the purpose 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 of practicing. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's to cultivate happiness, pleasant 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 feelings, understanding, love, peace, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 well-being, compassion. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And this is possible with 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 our practice of mindfulness 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So there are many resources for 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 creating pleasant feelings. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 you can seek and find these resources 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to our lay friends when you return 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Find a sangha 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 find a group that practices mindfulness 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it coudl be even your church, your synagogue 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 your temple, but where you know that 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the pleasant feelings are to be found there 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 or at least people who are practicing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with unpleasant feelings, suffering, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but who have the motivation and the wish 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to transform them 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 there are just two more things I want 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to share with you before we end 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we have heard the four words: calm, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 clarity, compassion, and courage 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I'll write the on the board 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 these are wonderful qualities 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that we develop as we continue 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 our practice 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we'll take a minute or two to have a look 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 these are four of my favorite words 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 for practice: calm: I become more calm 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with my mindfulness practice, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 stopping, mindful breathing, eating calmly, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 tasting the food, listening, nourishing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 my happiness feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I can become calmer 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I don't water the unpleasant feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I don't think unpleasant thoughts 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I become more calm 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When I'm more calm 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I have more clarity 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and that means I can see more clearly 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I can see more clearly what I'm doing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I see more clearly what is my lifestyle 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is it contributing to my pleasant feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I have clarity to understand others 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to understand their deepest aspirations 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to understand their difficulties 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and I have more clarity to know what to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 do and what not to do 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so with calmness I'm able to just be calm 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 sometimes we don't have to do too much 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but calmness is already enough 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to give support 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the deep listening, just being there 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so clarity helps us know when we 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 should act and when we should stay 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 calm but present 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 clarity into the sources of happiness and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 suffering 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so when we go home we can make a list: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 what are the sources of pleasant feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in my life now? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 what are the sources of unpleasant feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in my life now? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and where do I experience them? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 what percentage of the time 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 do I have pleasant feelings in each place? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 each situation 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 what percentage of the time do I have 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 unpleasant feelings? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in which place 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and in which situation 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and with what people? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but we're not going to blame or judge, k? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we're just using bare attention 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 okay when I have this more clarity, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 which is understanding, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 naturally more compassion arises in me 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I understand we all have needs, yes? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and sometimes there's suffering in another 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 person because their needs 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 are not being met 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 sometimes I suffer because 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 my needs are not being met 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and what are our needs? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the basic needs are food, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 shelter, clothing, for the monastics 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in the Buddha's time they added 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 medicines, but the medicines were 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 plant-based, they didn't have 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 pharmaceuticals, but we're grateful for the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 pharmaceuticals that are avaialble 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 for some illnesses, of course 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 food, shelter, clothing, medicine, love 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we all need love 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 babies need to be held 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we need to feel loved 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and we also need to love others 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we need love, and play 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I think that's a need, amusement 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we know on our lazy days when we 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we have 10 lazy days, what do the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 monastics do? some of them play 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 others will go to a room and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 look inside and understand and do more 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 sitting, et cetera, but play, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 for some people, is a healthy need 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so, compassion, and that means 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I want to relieve the suffering, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 do everything I can to be present 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 for myself and others 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with understanding and not judgement 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 not blaming 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 okay? then will lead to courage 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 is this the kind of courage where 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I go out and start fighting? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 No, it's not that. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's the courage to continue 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to go through the difficult moments, to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 change my lifestyle if necessary 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to change my way of eating, courage to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 add more things into my life. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So it's the courage to look deeply 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and then to carry on in a beautiful way 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 supported by the mindfulness trainings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and our daily practice of all the other 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 steps: calming, clarity, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 understanding and compassion 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 then I have enough information to be 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 courageous. And sometimes the most 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 courageous thing is to stay and to continue 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to not cause suffering. Continue the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 relationship or if necessary 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 what needs to happen is that you 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 separate. No one has the perfect answer 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 or the right answer. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 But we have the courage to try many 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 possibilities. New work, new lifestyle 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 new friends, we find new friends 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in the practice center, we have new 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 friends in our sangha. Courage just to see 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 alright, let me try something. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Let us try something. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The courage to be in community. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That takes courage, to change a lifestyle 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to live with others. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So we had some sharing this morning 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and I'm going to be very courageous now 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I didn't dare share this 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but I'm going to be courageous 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I'm going to share a favorite song 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but I'm not going to sing it 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 because I can't sing it 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but what is courageous is I'm going to 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 tell you to go online, (laughter) and a dharma talk 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 should never tell people to go online, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 you know, for monastics, we can't 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 do that often, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 [] go online 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and I'm gonna mention two singers 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 one is a Vietnamese, a very popular singer 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 who Thay appreciated very much 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and he knew Thay and appreciated 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Thay very much. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He was [] 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 write his name on the board? okay. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 [laughter] 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 okay, so I will write his name on the board 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 he wrote a song that we sing here 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it's "Everyday I choose a happiness 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to live by" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 [] 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 that means everyday I choose a happiness 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 to live by. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 That means everyday I choose to create a 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 pleasant feeling, yes? 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And Thay has even selected one of his poems 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 or the lyric from one of his verses 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and has used that to teach on the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 eve of Tet. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 He's a very important songwriter 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in Vietnam 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 who I believe has passed away now 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but a very important 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Another important song that I 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 knew about many years ago in the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 70s and it was called 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "I can see clearly now, the rain is gone" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and it was written by Johnny Nash 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but sung by Jimmy Cliff 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we know him as the reggae 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 musician from Jamaica. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And it's a very beautiful song 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it's a song that describes getting 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 through with a positive attitude, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 experiencing unpleasant feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but getting through 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so you can go online and hear it 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and I listened and I thought 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 oh can I play it for everybody 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but I didn't have the technology 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and I don't think that would 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 be acceptable to play this 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 in a dharma talk. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but we have the option, and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the words are: 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I can tell you the words, because 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 they're very beautiful 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "I can see clearly now 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 the rain is gone": clarity 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "I can see all obstacles in my way": 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 causes of unpleasant feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 these were obstacles 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "Gone are the dark clouds that made me blind, I just didn't know": 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Thay has said the rain, all of the tears 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 I have shed have become rain, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it's one of Thay's calligraphy. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 All the tears I have shed 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 from sadness 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 from his experience in the war of course 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 have become rain 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "Gone are those dark clouds. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's gonna be a bright, bright, bright 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 sunshiney day." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's gonna be better 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "Oh yes, I can make it now. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 The pain is gone. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 All of the bad feelings have disappears." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 well we know how to make those bad 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 feelings, unpleasant feelings, disappear. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "Here is the rainbow I've been waiting for 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 It's gonna be a bright, bright, bright 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 sunshiney day." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 When we see a rainbow here it's an event 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we all go outside and we're happy 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we jump up and down. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Also in the summer when the hot air 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 balloons pass over slowly, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 they have the rainbow colors 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so we see the rainbow ballooons 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and we're happy 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 okay. and then look straight ahead 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 look around you, there's nothing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but blue sky 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And so the song has that 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so it's gonna be a bright, bright, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 sunny day. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 A bright, sunny future for all of us 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 We stay with it and we continue 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 with our practice 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and everything will be wonderful 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 There will be unpleasant feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 certainly but we don't have to be a 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 victim of our unpleasant feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and that's the good news. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So I want to find a very wonderful 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 sentence from Thay as the final sharing 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 right now, and he has said, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 first of all, there is a gatha Thay gave 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 us, a little poem, when we have 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 feelings we say, "Feelings 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 come and go, as clouds in a windy sky, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 but mindful breathing is my anchor." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Mindful breathing will keep me in the safe 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 little cover away from the stormy waves 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 it's my anchor for peace and protection 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 when feelings arise like storm 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 we come back to ourself and do belly 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 breathing, calming our whole body, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 breathe from our belly 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 So, Thay has said, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "A meditator is both an artist and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 a warrior" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and that's courage. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "We'll need the creativity of an artist and the 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 courage to cut through what is 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 holding us back 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 from being happy or free." 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 And the first Zen teacher in 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Vietnam and China was 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Zen master Tang Hoy 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and he said, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 "Letting go is the action of heroes" 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 so we want to continue with our 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 mindfulness practice, let go 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 of the unpleasant feeling by 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 transforming them, don't hold on, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 transforming them with mindful 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 breathing, mindful walking, and 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 then every day can be a sunshiney day, 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 or at least part of the day 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 can be sunshiney. 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 Thank you dear friends for listening 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and let us hear three sounds of the bell 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 now to end our time together 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 and then there will be some announcements 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 bell 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 bell 99:59:59.999 --> 99:59:59.999 bell