0:00:00.000,0:00:04.000 Bell 0:00:04.396,0:00:12.235 Dear community, we are August [br]the 10th in the year 2023, 0:00:12.238,0:00:19.823 and we are celebrating, savoring[br]the last day of our Wake Up retreat, 0:00:19.823,0:00:24.003 "Love in Action", here [br]in the Upper Hamlet, 0:00:24.012,0:00:28.513 in the Still Water meditation hall. 0:00:32.734,0:00:36.734 I'm having an interesting [br]moment sitting here. 0:00:39.943,0:00:46.851 When we first started creating[br]youth retreats, about 15 years ago, 0:00:46.851,0:00:51.750 it was a real challenge to try and[br]find enough young people 0:00:51.765,0:00:54.545 to have a retreat. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And first there was forty, then[br]the next year there was like 65, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and then I remember [br]the year we hit 100, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we were so excited that[br]we had 100 registrations! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we went to report to Thay.[br]This must have been around 2010. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Thay, there's a hundred [br]young people in Europe 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that want to learn about mindfulness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Can you believe it ? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And he was like - well done! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And then, we started to [br]create the Wake Up movement. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I said (to Thay) it's a little [br]bit overwhelming! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And he said, and his eyes [br]lit up with sparkles, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 he's like "excellent, it should [br]feel overwhelming!" 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and then I'm sitting here and I[br]don't know how many hundreds 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of you there are, but it feels little [br]overwhelming 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so I guess Thay's smiling [br]with a sparkle in his eyes, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and be careful what you wish for, [br]because it may come true. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I hope that's going to make it easier,[br]but hey, I think speaking in front of 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 spiritual friends 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is both challenging and wonderful,[br]because on the one hand 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I feel I want to share my heart[br]with you all, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and on the other, of course, I have the[br]same feeling that we all do. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of whether I can be enough[br]in this moment. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But I will share from my, my joy[br]my experience and my practice 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that is my best, so,[br]we will see. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We had some little flowers here[br]thank you, thank you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Emotional support flowers,[br]we also have an emotional 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 support cello, that we might, that I might[br]need to call on. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was 21 when I first came [br]to Plum Village 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I was one of the people[br]who as soon as there was 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a chance to receive the five[br]mindfulness trainings, I 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 wanted to do it. And I was[br]here for three weeks that summer 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I was also one of the people[br]who was like I am going to wait 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 until the last week. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So I know some of us have[br]been here through the summer 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and have received the five[br]mindfulness trainings 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 this morning, and some of us[br]are here for the first time 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we also made that commitment 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I have to say, [br]getting on the train in Saint-Foy, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with the five mindfulness trainings, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 kinda in my pockets, in my back pack 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 My life was different. It just was! 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I felt that I had a path. I felt that [br]I knew what was important to me. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I felt that what the experience was that[br]I can't fall that far anymore. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It felt like the mindfulness trainings[br]were a safety net or something. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Like, I'm held in their embrace[br]that has been my experience. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And although I was sharing[br]with my dharma discussion family 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like the path of the five mindfulness[br]trainings is not exactly 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like a straight highway, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 its more like this, and thats[br]definitely been my experience. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That it has been an adventure,[br]an experiment, a work in progress 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a challenge and also a training,[br]like really a training. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And as many of us know whatever[br]kind of training we do, we learn 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 by making mistakes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And by trying things out, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and by realizing ... oops, [br]that was not in alignment or 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I have strayed far off my path[br]at this point 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But it was wonderful and [br]has been wonderful to[br]feel that they are part of my life 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I don't know if your facilitators[br]shared with you 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but the dharma name we get[br]with our five mindfulness trainings 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is the dharma name for your life. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So even if you become monastics[br]your monastic name is not as important 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 as your five mindfulness trainings name. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because we are kind of born into our[br]spiritual path with this practice 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and with this training. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And so this morning, definitely[br]more than a hundred of us, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 maybe more than a hundred and fifty[br]possibly closer to two hundred of us 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 across the different hamlets. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 made a passionate, wholehearted[br]commitment to take the insight 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and practises of the five mindfulness[br]trainings 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 into our lives 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and so when we get on the train [br]tomorrow, car or however we'r getting 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 home. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 these mindfulness trainings[br]will be with us 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and even if we didn't make a formal[br]commitment to receive them 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 please take the piece of paper[br]with you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They can penetrate our life[br]because in a way they 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 encapsulate everything we[br]have been experiencing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 together in this retreat. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 these trainings are, I guess, the [br]kind of Plum Village blueprint for 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 changing the world. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They are nothing less than [br]our full vision for the kind of 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 loving action that can transform[br]society and the future. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Someone asked me in the[br]earth retreat earlier in this year 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I find the Plum Village teachings[br]on the earth and climate so 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 fascinating, but do you have[br]some kind of manifesto? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 or something. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I said yeh - we have the[br]five mindfulness trainings. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And the person was like, no I[br]didn't mean that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I was like, oh I mean that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Because they are applied, they live[br]they are kind of mult-dimensional. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Each one of them is about bringing[br]the energy of awakening and love 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 directly into the heart of our daily [br]lives, our relationship and our society. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And so, as we take the practice[br]home, maybe you go home and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 somebody comes up to you and[br]says, how was your retreat? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And you say ... brilliant, great[br]wonderful. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm going to practice meditation[br]every day. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we may have a tendency to[br]think that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the most easily applicable thing[br]we can take from this retreat 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is ten minutes sitting every day. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we may think, that's going to[br]be my aspiration, my intention 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 my volition, I'm going to put [br]it all into that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that is good, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but I feel we can be more ambitious[br]then that, and I say that because 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 if we only do 10 minutes of sitting[br]meditation a day, and then the 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 rest of our life is the same, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the transformation will [br]not be very radical. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But what we can see in each one of[br]these amazingly challenging 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and inspiring trainings in the[br]five mindfulness trainings is 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that they're about far more [br]than sitting meditation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In fact, as a relatively active person, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when I left Plum Village I, found[br]it really hard to do sitting meditation 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I think it was very rare that I made time. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 was able to make time to do sitting[br]meditation in my daily life. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But, my life was utterly transformed. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 by the five mindfulness trainings. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 One thing I learned, I used to[br]sit on public transport and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 be present for the people[br]around me, and present for 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 my feelings. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And honestly, I think I got[br]more kind of shift in my 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 perspective and way of living[br]in the way I sat on buses in 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 central London then I would[br]have done by sitting on my cushion. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because I lived like many of us [br]a very 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 active and hyperstimulated life. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was juggling a job in journalism and[br]a masters degree. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Like too much input, so if [br]I sat on a cushion all I 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 heard or saw was just all[br]the inputs 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but when I was in relation [br]with the world, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 following my breathing and[br]being in contact with my body 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it's like I opened up a whole[br]new way of experiencing life 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that was really transformative[br]for me. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So as we think about what we[br]might want to take away from 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 this retreat, i'm gonna sort of[br]reflect back to some of the 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 things that we've been experiencing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we can see for ourselves[br]which of these elements 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 do I want to incorporate in [br]my daily life. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 One of the things, perhaps[br]the most important thing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we've been doing on this[br]retreat is resting. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 relaxing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and spending time in silence 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 both with people but[br]also with nature 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and so we may ask ourselves 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in my daily life, am I making[br]time to rest 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So resting without screens 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 resting wihtout maybe headphones 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 am I able to rest and listen to [br]my body 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and how might we incorporate[br]a practice of resting in our daily lifes 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So those of us that work from home[br]we have a great chance to do relaxation 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 after lunch. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Because no one can see you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So, you can find the Plum Village App[br]or your favorite relaxation teachers 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and you can listen to a relaxation 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and make it a part of your working day. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We can make a commitment to [br]ourselves, a promise to ourselves 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to spend more time in our [br]nearest park, or to use 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our days off from study or[br]work to actively go out into 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 nature. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we can also , like, [br]learning from this experience of being 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with people, in nature, is great. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 How can we invite our friends [br]and organize to have more time 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in nature together. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That is actively cultivating[br]ourselves, our body and mind 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our awakening and also our resistance. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What I mostly want to talk to you today 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 about is, spiritual resistance. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 How the choices we make about[br]how we live our life 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 are a fundamental, deep [br]form, or resistance. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to collective consciousness [br]and to society. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So choosing to rest in our super busy[br]world is a form of resistance 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we don't need to consume, we don't [br]need to do, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we're gonna be in the way[br]that is the future we would 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like to see. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 more simple, more connected[br]and more whole in ourselves, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 not relying on external things. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 like consuming and doing to be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Another thing we've been doing on[br]this retreat has been stopping 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and looking deeply. We have [br]had a chance to step back 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 from our life, to step outside 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the constant 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 pressures that we are under 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to kind of take stock to reflect [br]a little bit and to listen 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and so the question about how we[br]could take this kind of 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 stopping back with us could be 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is there a practice that you [br]can take in your life where 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 every day has at least [br]one moment of stopping in it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So when I went back from[br]Plum Village, the something 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that I chose was drinking a[br]glass of water from the water 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 cooler at work. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And my work was in a newsroom 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so it was a very overstimulated[br]environment, but I wanted to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 keep this connection to Plum[br]Village into my spiritual life 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the spiritual dimension of[br]my being because being in a - 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was in the politics department[br]of the newsroom - 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so its probably like the [br]least, a very not spiritual place. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But I was determined, I was[br]there for ethical reasons because 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that ethical news was possible 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 thats another story. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So I chose that the moment [br]that I drank water was the moment 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when I would be deeply into[br]touch with my spiritual life 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I recited the poem that[br]we have here in plum village 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for drinking water, many of us 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 know this poem, but if we are[br]here for the first time 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you might have just seen it[br]near a water tap somewhere 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and this poem goes like this 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now, with the collective [br]consciousness I don't have 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the first word. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Water, thank you. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 My brain is a social brain. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Water comes from high[br]mountain sources, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 water runs deep in the earth 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 miraculously water comes to us[br]and sustains all life. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 My gratitude is filled[br]to the brim. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was working in the newsroom[br]in Spring 2003 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was a peace activist and it[br]was at the outbreak of the Iraq war 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And every time I went to the[br]water cooler, I recited this poem. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There were screens all around me[br]that had a live screen from the war 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 zone. And this was my act of [br]resistance. This was my resolve 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 my heart alive, to keep my hear[br]open and to stay in touch with 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the beauty and wonder of life 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so that I could see clearly the [br]destruction and injustice of war. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It is very interesting to practice[br]mindfulness in the workplace 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so I invite you to try it out. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You could choose drinking water,[br]you could choose maybe if you go 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to a place of work or study, you[br]could choose some part of 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the distance when you are transitioning[br]from your home life 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to go int work, you can take [br]200 meteres, and you can say 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to yourself, I will walk as a[br]free person, as my whole 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 self including my spiritual [br]aspect from this lamppost 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to that pedestrian crossing[br]and you make a resolve, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I will do this. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So this was another thing I did. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Across the center of London 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I had my anti-war umbrella.[br]In London it always rains 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 except recently but that's [br]a different story. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Sorry. No diversion. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I had my peace umbrella, in London[br]everywhere. Everyone about 15 years 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ago still wore black in the city[br]and had black umbrellas, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so my umbrellas was white and[br]it had the words peace that I 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 had stencilled on to it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I got lots of reactions as[br]I would walk through the city 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on my way to the newsroom, [br]but that was my almost resistance. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And when I can to a certain place[br]near a cathedral, I chose a stretch 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that was quite nice, right in the[br]heart of the city and I said 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I will walk as a free person, free[br]from my anger about the war 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 free from my fear about the days[br]work ahead, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 free from the fights, I will walk[br]as a free human being on this 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 beautiful planet earth and I [br]did this for 200 meters 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and these were delicious 200[br]meters, and now whenever I 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 think of London, my heart goes[br]right back to this particular stretch 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and whenever I have a chance to [br]go there, I like to revisit 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 my corner of these few hundred[br]yards, that become like a 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 deep refuge for me[br]because when we make 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a commitment to do that[br]what's amazing is 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our whole body remembers[br]the feeling, our whole 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 body remembers, I feel[br]peaceful and free here 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so even if my mind is[br]really stressed, about 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 what was happening or [br]about what I need to do 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that step up onto the pavement[br]those two steps through this 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 gate, the step to the right[br]with the two trees, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 all the signals where, you[br]are peaceful, you are fee 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you are a free person. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So this is another way that[br]we can take the practice 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 home, that we can, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 take something as simple[br]as walking to be an act of 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 resistence and an act of[br]freedom right in the heart 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of our daily life. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was walking in the rush hour[br]the people were often 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 overtaking me, because[br]I had a certain pace. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It wasn't as slow as slow walking[br]but there was a certain pace 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that I found could tasted free[br]to me. And everyone was like 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 overtaking me. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And literally, each step[br]felt like an act of resistance. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I don't agree with the direction[br]that my society is going in and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I will express my resistance with[br]my body, with each step. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I reclaimed my freedom 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 from this rat race, from this[br]collective consciousness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Another thing we have learned[br]to do on this retreat is to be 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 present with discomfort, with[br]discomfort in the body, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 discomfort in our feelings, [br]discomfort in the mind. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I think these things are changing[br]now but at least this was not 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 something that I had a chance [br]to learn at school, it was only 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 something I had a chance to [br]learn at age 21 when I came 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to Plum Village. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Many of you 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 have a lot of emotional maturity.[br]I feel that I'm the kind of - 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm a millenial and I[br]know that many of us here 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 are Gen Z - so we're possibly [br]slightly different generations. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But it's wonderful to see that the[br]emotional intelligence is there 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in the young generation. That we[br]are finding ways to understand 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the landscape of our emotions. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we hope that over the last[br]few days, we've learned something 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 really tangible, felt ways that [br]we can be with a painful feeling 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when it comes up. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We've been learning how to[br]name it, or even beyond naming 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 how to feel it, in the body, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 how it might effect our breathing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Our breathing becomes more tense,[br]or shorter or more jagged. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Our jaw becomes tighter, and [br]we've been learning how to encounter 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and accompany and embrace[br]unconditionally, challenging and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 uncomfortable feelings that come up. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 just that this is a really [br]great skill to have. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I feel that as a human being when[br]we can be with and master some 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of the most painful feelings that[br]we have, it's honestly, close to a 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 superpower, kind of. It allows us[br]to have agency, to have freedom 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to have a way out, of some really[br]difficult situations that we will 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 be encountering in our life. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 To be able to feel the feel, feel[br]the emotions and the painful feelings 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but, not be overwhelmed by them. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Because we have an energy of [br]mindfulness, we hold on to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our breathing, we hold onto [br]our felt sense of our physical body. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Something as simple as feeling our[br]hands, or feeling our toes. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We find a way to be and breathe[br]through difficult feelings. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And what we've found on this retreat[br]I'm thinking, I'm sure in every 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 dharma sharing circle group, is[br]that when we can be with a 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 difficult feeling, it allows us[br]to be authentic. We can be real. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We can share our whole self[br]because we're not afraid of it 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we've been able to speak[br]our truth in our dharma sharing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 circle, and we've been training how[br]to listen to other people's uncomfortable 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 feelings and to accompany and offer[br]that spiritual friendship and support. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And this also a kind of superpower. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 To be able to show up for our friends 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 without fear, but with a real strong,[br]and loving presence. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And that we are also taking home[br]with us tomorrow. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we are with our friends and [br]when they are having a difficult 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 moment, we know how to come[br]back to our breathing, we know how 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to feel the reflection of their suffering[br]in our own body. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Take care of it there and be with[br]them, not to change it in any way 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but to be not alone. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We've been learning how to[br]be together, even in suffering. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And this is so important for our[br]generation, because we know that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the path ahead will be challenging[br]for us. So learning how to suffer is 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a really important skill and training. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And this brings us to something[br]really important, which is, something 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that Br. Phap Huu touched on in the [br]first talk, that mindfulness is not 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 just to make us feel better. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Many of us may have come to [br]mindfulness through some kind 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of wellbeing program or because[br]someone said you can take care 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of your mental health with[br]mindfulness so please practice 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 mindfulness to be well. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And there are some offerings of[br]mindfulness that only go that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 far. But in deep mindfulness, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 authentic mindfulness, original[br]mindfulness, real mindfulness, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I don't know - whatever this[br]thing is that we do here, that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 has ancient roots, more than[br]2,000 years old, in our kind of 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 mindfulness, we don't just practice[br]mindfulness to feel well. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We practice mindfulness to [br]understand our suffering and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to find a way out, for ourselves,[br]for our loved ones, and for our 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 society. So deep in the DNA of[br]our kind of mindfulness, is a kind 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of radical transformation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A way out, changing things. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [Bell] 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We are leaving this retreat with[br]a spiritual path. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Path. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And it has something to do with[br]suffering and it has something to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 do with happiness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Suffering , illbeing, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Happiness, illbeing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We're learning how to handle[br]painful feelings and suffering 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we have been very actively[br]musically, joyfully, learning how to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 generate happiness. These are two[br]really important skills. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Sometimes we may think that[br]happiness only comes from 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 outside. And we may sort of [br]outsource our happiness ... 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 oh you know because the conditions [br]are not enough, I can't be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So we kind of give up our agency,[br]give up our freedome to be happy 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 by making it someone else or something[br]else's responsibility. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And here we reclaim our power, and we[br]say that it is possible to learn to train ~ 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to create a happy moment for ourself[br]and for the people around us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 In Buddhism we are not afraid[br]of suffering. We're ready to name it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 To call it out, to look at it[br]head on. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I think that on this retreat[br]many of you are also 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 deeply aware and awake to[br]suffering in the world. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 One sister reflected to me 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 sometimes it might be that in[br]the collective consciousness 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 right now, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we think that we have the right[br]to suffering 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we have the right to suffering 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because the situation is so bad 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in every aspect. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But we don't think we have the [br]right to be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 It's quite interesting - think[br]about that for a moment. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We allow ourselves to suffer[br]but we don't allow ourselves to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That's a bit of a koan for us.[br]Maybe its' not true. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But we can investigate that [br]a little bit, why we might 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 think it is. And perhaps it [br]has something to do 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 with the collective consciousness[br]that surrounds us and we'll go into 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that in a little bit. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Our teacher said that learning how to [br]suffer is an art and a training and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 yesterday in the Q&A there was[br]a really interesting question 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I think it was the second question[br]about on the one hand we know that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we are enough, and we alrady[br]are what we want to become 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we can feel complete and whole 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but sometimes with the energy of mindfulness[br]or professional settings 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we become aware that we are lacking[br]in some areas. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we want to train or to cultivate 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I really appreciated this [br]question 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because both are true. There is[br]a kind of energy in mindfulness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that when we wake up to[br]for example our habits 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 or the thoughts and feelings[br]that are coming up in us 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we may want right away[br]to do something, to change 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the situation, there's a kind[br]of dynamism. On the one 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 hand we accept it totally[br]on the other hand we see 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the possibility for change. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 things are impermanent - we [br]can effect things. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So actually in Buddhism, the[br]spirit of training, cultivating 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is really, really important, and[br]i think that the one skill 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that I've really got better at[br]in the monastery because 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I was the nearer of the four[br]is how to suffer. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And the immediate result of[br]learning how to suffer 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is that you are also actually[br]directly learning how to be happy 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because for me the obstacle for [br]my happiness was my suffering 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and the compost in my suffering[br]has given me more joy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But it's really interesting, because[br]it's not that my suffering has 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 neccesarily gone away, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But that I've learned to be with it[br]differently. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And this is something our teacher[br]said, to be aware of the misconception 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that we somehow might need to take[br]our suffering out of us 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 put it down or take it out[br]that I've learned that the way 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I can be with it, because my[br]suffering is kind of real 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in some sense, because it's[br]felt, how can I be with it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And ye, for me what I've learned is[br]that my, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 my suffering is not something[br]kind of fixed, it's a bit more like 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 a river. And this is really interesting[br]to kind of unpack a little bit. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So when we talk about taking care[br]of our suffering. The mind is an 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 embodied mind. So we're taking[br]care of our mind and we're taking 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 care of our body at the same time. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 They're not two different things. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is really important. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 How we are living in our body,[br]how we are taking care of body 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 how we're eating, acting, consuming 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 has a direct link also to our [br]suffering. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, our suffering may kind of[br]reflect, reflect the collective, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And this is what I have kind of[br]discovered. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That, my suffering has quite[br]a bit to do with the suffering 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of my family. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 LIke many of us I have a[br]strong seed of despair 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I also have another one of[br]fear and anxiety. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I have another one that's a[br]little more like sorrow, or 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 melancholy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, when I've learned how to suffer[br]with them, I've learned not to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 see them as mine alone. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But to see them as something[br]that belongs to a river of 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 ancestors. And so when I'm taking[br]care of it, I'm taking care of it 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 on behalf of my father, his father,[br]and grandfather and grandmother, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and other grandfather, and other[br]grandmother. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So I would like to give you this[br]image of our emotions being this 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 river, kind of being fed by different[br]inputs, so that the lineage that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 comes from our ancestors and[br]somewhat in the body, and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so from our childhood and our[br]nurturing, and there are also 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the inputs from our society. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 From kind of collective consciousness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And our way of consuming. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So one of the interesting [br]things about this week is that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we have consumed a differend[br]kind of consciousness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I think the kind of screen [br]consumption, has probably 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 gone down by like 90%. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We have been with a lot of [br]non-violence, a lot of compassion 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and good will. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 A lot of presence rather than[br]distraction. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We've had healthy good - very [br]particular kinds of the day 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I don't know if this is normal for[br]you to have three healthy 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 regular meals may be very [br]new for our body and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our body may be feeling[br]good aobut it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 WE've had a different kind of [br]experience about our own 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 consciousness, because our [br]own good seeds, have been 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 triggered, while we've been here[br]they've been kind of activated. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Each of us, our seed of compassion[br]our seed of stillness, our seed of joy 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in different ways. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So what we have been kind of[br]immersing ourselves in 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is what Thay calls, community 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of resistence. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 WE have given ourselves the chance[br]to experience something difference 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 this week, and to see how it feels. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And all the insight that we've[br]had about our own, suffering 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our other's suffering, our families 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 suffering, about different decisions[br]and choices, we have to make, is 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because we have given our [br]consciousness, a really deep 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 kind of bath, in a different[br]environment. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So to recap something we were[br]learning this week, we were learning 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 about the different kinds of fuel[br]that are feeding the river of our body and mind. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, the fuel has something to do[br]with how we feel, so 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we learned about four kinds [br]-food and drink (we used to call 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it edible foods) and i can't write[br]the word edible on the board 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so I'll just say food and drink. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Sense impressions - 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So the screens and the music[br]but also like the noise of the city 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we give ourselves a break from that. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The fourth one (sic) my volition or [br]intention 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we've been exposed to a different[br]kind of volition and intention this 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 week an intention to live differently[br]to build a different future, to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 be with each other in a different way. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And this other one that I am talking[br]about now is consciousnness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 exposing ourselves to a different[br]consciousness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So the inputs this week have[br]been different, and that's 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 why our feeling now is different. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is your power and this[br]is your freedom. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we go home from this[br]retreat, you are the master 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you can choose how you will consume 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 thse different things, how you will [br]guard yourself, how you will 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 protect yourself. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 How you will resist. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We want society to go in[br]a different direction, and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 all ours choices around these[br]things are a chance to resist 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and in our own life to embody[br]the different directions - to claim 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our freedom. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And it takes training, right.[br]We have had it surrounded. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And going out from this retreat[br]we will be encountering a really 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 good intention, and then the[br]absolute reality. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of our habit, how we usuallY 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 spend our evenings, how we[br]usually spend our mornings. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 How we spend our free time. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So there is some organizing[br]going onhere. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 How could we make commitments[br]to organize our life so we are 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 eating in a different way, so [br]we're spending our time 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 differently. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we encounter, like for example[br]in our, many of us this week 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we've touched a deep fear, inside[br]or a deap anger and one piece 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of the Buddhist understanding[br]of consciousness, that we want 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to give you, is that consciousness[br]is both individual and collective. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When you feel angry, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we name our anger, we allow[br]our anger to be there, embrace 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that feeling of anger, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we then have a chance to[br]ask ourselves the question 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and in what way is this anger[br]not only mine? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So to not identify with[br]our anger, to not like 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 put ourselves in a box 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and say I'm angry, I'm angry[br]because of this, and that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but to see, wow, my anger[br]at the fossil fuel companies 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is a generational, societal, collective[br]anger. My anger at inequity and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 racial injustice is a collective anger. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we allow ourselves to recognize 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that our consciosness, also belongs 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to the collective consciosness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Our fear and anxiety for our future[br]also its strong in the collective. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And that is why it is strong in us. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Now what is interesting about this[br]is that with the energy of mindfulness 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because of the deep interbeing,[br]between our consciousness and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the collective, that is exactly where[br]your power lies. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That is where we have agency. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We belong to a collective. We are[br]intrinsic to the collective and when 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we transform ourselves we transform[br]the collective. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 This is one way we can apply[br]the insight of interbeing. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The Insight of Interbeing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Our grief with the destruction[br]of the earth and cultures 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 is also the grief of the earth[br]herself. That is why it 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 feels so big. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we are a part of that 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That we don't need to hold[br]it in. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 identify with it, and kind[br]of imprison ourselves 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 within it, saying me[br]I'm someone,I am angry 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I am in grief and in[br]despair. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we've done quite [br]some work with climate 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 leaders -I'm an activist[br]and we host retreats 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for climate leaders, and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we hosted one recently [br]near Vancouver in Canada 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, it was very interesting[br]because it was the first time 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I realized that climate despair[br]has become a thing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 thata people were identifying[br]with 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I realized that there was[br]a story that went with it, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and that it was really hard,[br]people were finding it hard 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to see that their despair was[br]impermanent and ever changing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and interrelational 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 so I'm a student of despair[br]in practice, and I've realized 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that when I am learning to[br]suffer with my despair 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 it's been really important for me[br]not to identify with it. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 but to recognize it as a seed[br]that has been transmitted to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 me and activated by my environment. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And so I trained to allow my despair 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to like, evolve a little bit, to have 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 different threads to it. To be [br]something fluid, something 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 made of non-despair elements. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Something made of multiple parts, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and this can be - even our despair[br]inter-is, it's not a fixed thing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I've really learned that it has [br]not helped me when I have 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 identified too much with my despair. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Another thing that might belong[br]to the collective consciousnes 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that might - any of us might[br]feel, is like an energy of 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 restlessness, and kind of craving. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But this is very important to know 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 if we come to do sitting meditation[br]and we sit down and we feel 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the restlessness in our body 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and like urges and impulses 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 craving in our feelings and body 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 this is also the result 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of our capitalist, consumerist society 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you are not enough, because[br]you need to consume more. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we've kind of been automated[br]and trained - all of these inputs 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 are telling us that we need [br]more to be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 So when in this retreat, we are[br]sitting in stillness, not reaching 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for the phone, not reaching[br]to eat or drink something 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that is an act of resistance. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we go home, we can[br]do the same, we can take time 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 maybe on the journey home[br]how can I simplify my life. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We've lived so simply this week.[br]We did not need much to be 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 happy. The presence of people[br]was a condition of happiness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Well hopefully for most of us,[br]most of the time. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And hopefully the present of[br]the forest and the trees. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 for quite moments, was a[br]condition of happiness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 But when we can be with[br]our friends in a simple way 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 we don't need a lot to be happy. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Sister Hero has a good insight[br]around the question of striving 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and optimizing, kind of not-enoughness. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And we feel like society is telling us 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the collective consciousness is telling us 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you need to develop yourself more [br]in order to contribute. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 you need to have these skills, this[br]and this diploma, these qualifications 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And, you need to be productive. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 You need to be efficient. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We've created all of these systems[br]a kind of this crazy society 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 all of these screens, these e-mails[br]and we have to learn to be 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 efficient, productive, [br]Siste rHero has this questions. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we feel that pressure, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 that society is asking us to optimize[br]but for whose benefit. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 To give up our time, our energy, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Wwe may end up like losing our[br]life, like literally spending our 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 time to create a skill for a specific[br]economic process, but we may not 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 be living our life in the process. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We may lose our freedom, our[br]contact with nature, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 our time with friends,[br]our ease with our body, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 With the energy of mindfulness[br]we have a chance to stop 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 to look deeply and to[br]deeply reflect on our questions. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 What I'm doing with my time,[br]and energy - is it meaningful for me. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Who benefits? 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Like every hour counts.[br]Our livelihood is important. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and how we spend our time. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Who we're with. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The collective consciousness, [br]we expose ourselves to. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 There was one day in the newsroom[br]when after drinking my glass of water 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I came back round towards my desk 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 my colleagues were cursing and arguing 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and [booging] someone else 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 being very aggressive about[br]the next program. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And I just suddenly realized[br]I'm in a toxic atmosphere. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 And it was literally like that[br]I'd probably been there like 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 18 months by then, drinking[br]my water, 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and I just suddenly was - what[br]am I doing to myself. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 what am I doing to myself. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 Practicing mindfulness in the [br]workplace is really important. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 because you can wake up and[br]you can see 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 honestly, I swear that my path[br]out of the newsroom 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 began in that split second. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 when I woke up to reality 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 of my environment. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 I'm on the sixth floor of this[br]gigantic building in Westminster 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 in London and I'm wasting my life. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 That was quite a punch line. I didn't [br]mean it. Okay. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 The one thing I wanted [br]to say about the path of 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 the five mindfulness trainings 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and we heard it this morning, we read[br]it in the text, they all begin with this 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 really powerful phrase. Aware of the [br]suffering caused by 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 When we wake up to like what is [br]actually going on 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 and what is wrong with what[br]is going on, then immediately 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 there is a release of energy and[br]intention or volition - I want to 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 do something about this. I vow [br]to change my choices, my 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 situation. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 We will now enjoy the sound of a bell. 9:59:59.000,9:59:59.000 [Bell]