1 00:00:05,977 --> 00:00:07,506 (Bell) 2 00:00:12,326 --> 00:00:18,484 (Bell) 3 00:00:45,623 --> 00:00:51,041 (Bell) 4 00:01:19,695 --> 00:01:25,889 (Bell) 5 00:01:49,367 --> 00:01:51,449 Good morning 6 00:01:52,207 --> 00:01:58,758 dear Thay dear sangha, today is the 9th, Sunday, the 9th of December, 2018. 7 00:02:00,016 --> 00:02:03,603 We are in the Assembly of Stars meditation hall in Lower Hamlet, 8 00:02:03,758 --> 00:02:09,023 and this is the last of the Dharma talks 9 00:02:09,542 --> 00:02:15,892 before the end of our three month retreat together. 10 00:02:17,299 --> 00:02:20,804 So I feel a special sense of 11 00:02:25,075 --> 00:02:27,272 speaking to that. 12 00:02:27,571 --> 00:02:32,030 Most of us have been here for the three month retreat together. 13 00:02:37,172 --> 00:02:39,182 We've been 14 00:02:41,572 --> 00:02:44,355 those of you who came 15 00:02:47,506 --> 00:02:51,656 to Plum Village for three months have experienced 16 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,689 going through ups and downs. 17 00:02:57,384 --> 00:02:59,684 And maybe, 18 00:03:00,703 --> 00:03:06,453 some of the time you wondered, 'Why did I come?' 19 00:03:07,691 --> 00:03:10,293 I don't know. Excuse me. 20 00:03:11,954 --> 00:03:14,014 It's a loud blow. 21 00:03:14,217 --> 00:03:15,971 (Laughter) 22 00:03:18,222 --> 00:03:21,998 Maybe you felt, 'Yeah, I'd be better off 23 00:03:23,616 --> 00:03:25,837 in a cave somewhere'. 24 00:03:27,602 --> 00:03:31,539 Maybe in the Pole, or somewhere, 25 00:03:32,309 --> 00:03:34,387 in some mountain. 26 00:03:36,111 --> 00:03:39,306 When we practice together, we really 27 00:03:40,946 --> 00:03:44,134 have to meet each other, 28 00:03:44,799 --> 00:03:47,625 and get along together. 29 00:03:49,367 --> 00:03:51,958 If we don't get along together, 30 00:03:52,586 --> 00:03:56,299 because we are living together 24/7, 31 00:03:56,601 --> 00:04:03,922 it really shows up. It is difficult to stay calm and to enjoy. 32 00:04:08,908 --> 00:04:15,221 So actually, a lot of the practice that you've been learning these three months 33 00:04:15,738 --> 00:04:19,768 is how to live in harmony, how to get along. 34 00:04:20,985 --> 00:04:27,554 How to practise loving speech, 35 00:04:30,622 --> 00:04:35,558 but also you have to communicate when there is a difficulty, 36 00:04:35,976 --> 00:04:38,755 but with loving speech. 37 00:04:40,553 --> 00:04:42,607 How to let go 38 00:04:44,772 --> 00:04:49,312 of your preference and maybe your irritation. 39 00:04:51,955 --> 00:04:57,442 How to see the other person is also suffering. 40 00:05:00,577 --> 00:05:03,012 Maybe see that 41 00:05:03,385 --> 00:05:08,414 try to understand them so you can let go of judgment. 42 00:05:10,878 --> 00:05:17,103 And we have practices, like Beginning Anew that we do regularly. 43 00:05:19,252 --> 00:05:22,614 We do that formally, we sit down 44 00:05:23,031 --> 00:05:28,006 and practise expressing gratitude, noticing the good things in each other, 45 00:05:28,689 --> 00:05:36,009 and also expressing when we have a regret towards each other. 46 00:05:36,842 --> 00:05:42,261 It is a very renewing practice. 47 00:05:47,728 --> 00:05:53,398 We had - It is also, we call it the season of Shining Light. 48 00:05:54,721 --> 00:05:57,819 So because we see each other, 49 00:05:58,374 --> 00:06:02,325 we are rooming together, eating together, working together, 50 00:06:02,700 --> 00:06:07,080 we see each other and we have something called the sangha eye. 51 00:06:09,059 --> 00:06:15,439 Because, ourselves, if we are just practising alone, 52 00:06:16,590 --> 00:06:22,304 there is a number of things that we miss from practising in a community. 53 00:06:23,364 --> 00:06:27,361 One is that because we are not interacting, 54 00:06:27,798 --> 00:06:31,378 things don't maybe come up in the same way. 55 00:06:31,819 --> 00:06:36,526 So when we are interacting we get to see ourselves, 56 00:06:36,805 --> 00:06:39,776 but also we have blind spots. 57 00:06:40,008 --> 00:06:45,221 And so then it's very helpful for us, for the people we trust, 58 00:06:46,250 --> 00:06:49,775 we open ourselves up, we allow ourselves to be 59 00:06:50,403 --> 00:06:56,916 open to receiving their view about us. 60 00:06:57,914 --> 00:07:02,553 And that view is expressed with all of the love and appreciation also 61 00:07:02,767 --> 00:07:08,234 for the whole of us not just pointing to the difficulty. 62 00:07:08,711 --> 00:07:12,548 So we also practise this in the three months retreat, 63 00:07:13,323 --> 00:07:16,921 shining light on each other's practice, 64 00:07:19,745 --> 00:07:24,731 in order to help the other person have more freedom, 65 00:07:28,469 --> 00:07:32,089 more growth in themselves, and more happiness. 66 00:07:35,454 --> 00:07:38,591 Sometimes it can be a bit scary 67 00:07:39,418 --> 00:07:41,715 to allow ourselves 68 00:07:44,084 --> 00:07:47,735 to have people share like that. 69 00:07:49,705 --> 00:07:52,792 I've known people run away. 70 00:07:54,168 --> 00:07:59,380 But when they allow themselves to they only experience the love. 71 00:08:00,408 --> 00:08:03,676 I'm sure there are some exceptions to that. 72 00:08:03,887 --> 00:08:09,153 Sometimes people can get hurt also, and then we also have compassion 73 00:08:09,584 --> 00:08:13,149 that we are learning the practice. 74 00:08:13,765 --> 00:08:19,104 So living together is a practice in itself. 75 00:08:26,636 --> 00:08:29,752 And in a sense, it is - 76 00:08:30,871 --> 00:08:34,884 you can say that learning to live together, 77 00:08:35,808 --> 00:08:41,984 learning to get along is also the fruit of the practice. 78 00:08:43,384 --> 00:08:48,654 Thay has said, brotherhood, sisterhood, there is no religion 79 00:08:48,859 --> 00:08:51,259 that is higher than that. 80 00:08:51,500 --> 00:08:56,606 So we are generating brotherhood and sisterhood. 81 00:08:56,811 --> 00:09:00,810 We are going in that spirit. 82 00:09:11,008 --> 00:09:13,762 There was a Harvard study 83 00:09:14,696 --> 00:09:20,996 done, it was one of the longest ever studies, 75 years. 84 00:09:21,215 --> 00:09:23,816 It is still going on, I think. 85 00:09:25,391 --> 00:09:30,079 And they interview and get also self-information 86 00:09:31,865 --> 00:09:36,080 from standardised groups of men in the States. 87 00:09:39,163 --> 00:09:42,623 Essentially the point is that 88 00:09:42,830 --> 00:09:46,231 they were looking to see what are the conditions 89 00:09:46,841 --> 00:09:50,577 for happiness and health 90 00:09:54,781 --> 00:09:57,942 looking right through the life. 91 00:09:58,858 --> 00:10:02,559 And what they found was if you want to know 92 00:10:03,134 --> 00:10:08,170 what makes a happy octogenarian, that means, if you are 80 years or over, 93 00:10:08,973 --> 00:10:13,351 because these groups they've been following since they were boys, 94 00:10:13,521 --> 00:10:16,770 and now they are in their 80's. 95 00:10:18,759 --> 00:10:23,065 You look back to when they are 50 years old, which is roughly my age, 96 00:10:24,512 --> 00:10:28,800 and you can determine whether 97 00:10:29,784 --> 00:10:33,080 the conditions that seem to be common, 98 00:10:33,255 --> 00:10:37,132 like the ones that are happy, the ones that are healthy, 99 00:10:37,692 --> 00:10:41,483 the result is only one factor. 100 00:10:44,410 --> 00:10:48,269 It is not how much cholesterol in the blood, 101 00:10:48,492 --> 00:10:52,097 it is not many things you might think, 102 00:10:52,273 --> 00:10:56,023 but the one factor that comes out 103 00:10:58,156 --> 00:11:06,231 is those people report that they have good relationships. 104 00:11:07,579 --> 00:11:11,167 Relationships they can trust. 105 00:11:13,723 --> 00:11:15,997 And that seems to be 106 00:11:16,220 --> 00:11:20,989 an essential requisite for a happy life. 107 00:11:22,609 --> 00:11:32,278 So in community we are blessed with having many deep connections to each other. 108 00:11:37,649 --> 00:11:41,939 There is a lot of trust of each other in the community, 109 00:11:43,099 --> 00:11:47,184 which allows us to be open, and allows us to be 110 00:11:48,426 --> 00:11:51,010 free to express. 111 00:12:01,643 --> 00:12:04,825 And, of course, relationships, 112 00:12:05,822 --> 00:12:08,597 when we talk about relationships, 113 00:12:09,820 --> 00:12:14,963 what came to my mind when I heard about this study was, 114 00:12:15,225 --> 00:12:20,423 what about the relationship we have to ourselves? 115 00:12:22,871 --> 00:12:25,888 Do we trust ourselves? 116 00:12:26,459 --> 00:12:29,465 This must also be important. 117 00:12:31,211 --> 00:12:38,168 And the relationship we have to society, to Mother Earth. 118 00:12:42,871 --> 00:12:47,187 This must also count as a relationship. 119 00:12:48,063 --> 00:12:52,792 And it is also clear we know from our experience 120 00:12:58,281 --> 00:13:02,546 that to the extent that we are in a good relationship with ourselves, 121 00:13:03,210 --> 00:13:06,427 our relationship with others goes well. 122 00:13:09,457 --> 00:13:14,459 And when our relationship with ourselves is not so good, 123 00:13:16,276 --> 00:13:22,050 we find things seem to get reflected to us. 124 00:13:23,918 --> 00:13:29,523 The sangha is like a hall of mirrors. We keep seeing ourselves reflected. 125 00:13:33,962 --> 00:13:36,980 So when we have a difficult interaction, 126 00:13:37,192 --> 00:13:40,851 it's always helpful to ask what is going on in me 127 00:13:41,117 --> 00:13:44,489 that is connected with that difficult interaction, 128 00:13:45,283 --> 00:13:49,415 as well as, you know, because there is a tendency maybe 129 00:13:49,626 --> 00:13:52,938 to blame or put it on the other person. 130 00:13:57,552 --> 00:14:02,180 We may see interesting things when we do that. 131 00:14:07,376 --> 00:14:09,553 We may see that, 132 00:14:11,768 --> 00:14:18,488 'Ah! This reaction I had in the meeting, or in this interaction, 133 00:14:20,834 --> 00:14:25,396 brought about quite a strong emotion in me. 134 00:14:25,604 --> 00:14:28,698 It seems a bit more than, 135 00:14:31,950 --> 00:14:35,675 it is disproportionated to what actually happened. 136 00:14:36,405 --> 00:14:38,842 Why did I get so angry? 137 00:14:41,116 --> 00:14:45,499 Why did I feel so anxious?' 138 00:14:57,907 --> 00:15:06,906 I myself found myself in a situation where some anxiety and fear came, 139 00:15:07,575 --> 00:15:10,607 and it started actually as anger. 140 00:15:13,349 --> 00:15:14,969 I was, 141 00:15:21,753 --> 00:15:26,618 I was feeling somehow slightly let down about something, and then 142 00:15:27,701 --> 00:15:31,860 this anxiety came. And I asked that question to myself, 143 00:15:33,903 --> 00:15:36,901 what does this remind me of? 144 00:15:37,071 --> 00:15:43,161 I asked it to my store consciousness. What does this remind me of? 145 00:15:45,008 --> 00:15:48,808 I just waited for something to come, 146 00:15:50,055 --> 00:15:55,379 and I suddenly had an image of myself in kindergarten. 147 00:15:56,065 --> 00:15:59,821 A memory that I didn't have before. 148 00:16:00,043 --> 00:16:03,385 It is not one I could remember, but it's suddenly a flash 149 00:16:04,457 --> 00:16:09,794 of waiting to be picked up. 150 00:16:12,485 --> 00:16:16,146 But my mother was late that day. 151 00:16:18,508 --> 00:16:25,012 And there was a fear in me, I guess. And it was amazing how that 152 00:16:28,015 --> 00:16:31,648 I made the connection just by asking that question. 153 00:16:32,407 --> 00:16:38,516 So it allowed me to, just having that interaction with the other person 154 00:16:39,285 --> 00:16:43,771 allowed me to touch something that needed healing. 155 00:16:45,410 --> 00:16:50,352 And the healing is maybe a continuous 156 00:16:53,266 --> 00:16:56,333 path of healing that we are on. 157 00:16:56,523 --> 00:16:59,685 We are not going to heal everything overnight, 158 00:16:59,858 --> 00:17:03,399 or with one insight. 159 00:17:05,688 --> 00:17:13,232 But we, each time we have a small healing, we get more energy and more confidence. 160 00:17:13,977 --> 00:17:17,788 And we feel, wow! Okay, this is a good path. 161 00:17:20,256 --> 00:17:22,447 And actually, 162 00:17:24,688 --> 00:17:27,238 just understanding ourselves, 163 00:17:27,674 --> 00:17:31,063 understanding that this is where this is coming from, 164 00:17:31,341 --> 00:17:34,184 in a sense it can help so much, 165 00:17:36,014 --> 00:17:42,563 and knowing that we have a practice to also embrace 166 00:17:45,182 --> 00:17:48,124 ourselves in that moment, 167 00:17:48,941 --> 00:17:55,073 embrace maybe the little boy, the little girl in us, 168 00:17:56,585 --> 00:18:00,322 when we see that coming up, 169 00:18:00,727 --> 00:18:06,356 we recognize that there is some suffering there relating to that age 170 00:18:06,690 --> 00:18:09,444 when we were very young, 171 00:18:12,277 --> 00:18:18,331 we have the opportunity to embrace, to smile and with our solidity, 172 00:18:18,534 --> 00:18:24,399 that we generate through the practice, we can breathe with that emotion. 173 00:18:24,828 --> 00:18:28,015 So knowing we have a path, 174 00:18:29,916 --> 00:18:34,894 we have a lot of a kind of - 175 00:18:37,821 --> 00:18:41,487 We have happiness and we have a sense that the suffering 176 00:18:41,679 --> 00:18:44,759 doesn't need to be so much now, 177 00:18:45,911 --> 00:18:50,753 because the biggest suffering is not having a way, having a path. 178 00:18:53,461 --> 00:18:58,825 So we have a lot of gratitude also for having the practice. 179 00:19:03,613 --> 00:19:09,369 Even before we've applied it, but when we apply it, and we get the experience, 180 00:19:10,426 --> 00:19:14,439 every time we are so grateful. 181 00:19:19,371 --> 00:19:24,437 I also had an opportunity in this winter, this three month retreat, 182 00:19:24,578 --> 00:19:28,669 we don't call it the winter retreat now because for the very first time 183 00:19:29,785 --> 00:19:39,037 is more the autumn period. I also had an experience this three month retreat 184 00:19:39,328 --> 00:19:45,043 of connecting with my 14 year old in me. 185 00:19:47,841 --> 00:19:52,420 And, yeah. At that time when he felt very isolated 186 00:19:53,543 --> 00:20:00,259 and not enjoying school, and feeling 187 00:20:03,616 --> 00:20:10,504 pretty in a bit of a hostile environment he found. 188 00:20:15,020 --> 00:20:22,356 I knew, I know about this time, and I know it somehow shows up in my interactions 189 00:20:23,172 --> 00:20:30,728 but I took sometime to try to talk with the boy. And he showed up. 190 00:20:37,056 --> 00:20:39,276 And he said, 191 00:20:43,129 --> 00:20:48,314 he asked, I asked, 'Would you like to spend time with me? 192 00:20:49,342 --> 00:20:53,970 Now I'm an adult'. And he said, 'You are too busy'. 193 00:20:54,374 --> 00:20:56,184 (Laughter) 194 00:20:56,298 --> 00:20:59,642 'You got too many things going on. 195 00:21:00,575 --> 00:21:04,589 And I cause you all sorts of problems anyway, 196 00:21:04,723 --> 00:21:07,740 so I don't want to cause you any more problems. 197 00:21:07,868 --> 00:21:10,728 I don't want to take up your time.' 198 00:21:10,857 --> 00:21:14,497 It was very fascinating to hear this response. 199 00:21:15,906 --> 00:21:21,512 And actually, it gave me quite some insight into myself. 200 00:21:22,816 --> 00:21:26,338 Because, of course, that is part of me. 201 00:21:27,421 --> 00:21:30,270 So I share that because 202 00:21:30,448 --> 00:21:37,815 it is part of our journey that we are on to 203 00:21:41,395 --> 00:21:45,300 heal all the parts of ourselves. 204 00:21:47,201 --> 00:21:52,353 Inside as well as outside. Inside we also have a kind of sangha. 205 00:21:53,896 --> 00:21:56,122 Different voices. 206 00:21:56,450 --> 00:22:01,944 And we also need to bring harmony to those different voices inside ourselves. 207 00:22:03,312 --> 00:22:08,471 But when I was deciding to become a monk, 208 00:22:11,195 --> 00:22:13,233 I remember 209 00:22:14,338 --> 00:22:17,606 the Dharma teacher from the UK Martin Pitt, 210 00:22:18,083 --> 00:22:22,399 he gave me that advice, he said, 'In making the decision, 211 00:22:23,031 --> 00:22:27,162 check with your internal sangha, and make sure everybody -' 212 00:22:27,323 --> 00:22:30,771 So it's a real sangha koan, a real decision. 213 00:22:30,869 --> 00:22:34,667 Because there are these many voices in you. 214 00:22:34,898 --> 00:22:39,352 Some of the voices of doubt, I had to say, 'Please, I hear you, but 215 00:22:39,865 --> 00:22:46,613 we've touched something deeper than doubt at this moment', 216 00:22:47,220 --> 00:22:49,822 and the doubt had to agree. 217 00:22:52,844 --> 00:22:56,222 The Christians say, the doubting Thomas. 218 00:23:04,206 --> 00:23:06,075 So, 219 00:23:08,672 --> 00:23:13,271 isn't a fascinating journey, isn't it? The spiritual path. 220 00:23:13,385 --> 00:23:16,055 And we do it together. 221 00:23:16,677 --> 00:23:22,554 And somehow, being together as a community brings so much joy and insight, 222 00:23:22,738 --> 00:23:25,039 it is so rich. 223 00:23:25,587 --> 00:23:31,272 Some others are going away, going back to the real world. 224 00:23:33,871 --> 00:23:38,516 I always find slightly ironic to use that term, 225 00:23:39,570 --> 00:23:42,345 because it seems like out in the real world 226 00:23:42,498 --> 00:23:46,504 is where people are busy, very busy, running away from reality. 227 00:23:47,294 --> 00:23:51,583 Whereas the idea here in Plum Village is we touch reality 228 00:23:51,857 --> 00:23:55,286 both in us and in nature. 229 00:23:58,182 --> 00:24:04,006 But we go back out, and we want to maintain our practice. 230 00:24:08,747 --> 00:24:15,987 One of the things we need to draw on is the connections we made here, 231 00:24:16,580 --> 00:24:19,915 to keep them in our heart, and know 232 00:24:20,541 --> 00:24:24,869 when we think we are isolated, and all around out there, 233 00:24:25,026 --> 00:24:30,199 remember that is not true. Because the connections we make 234 00:24:33,355 --> 00:24:35,501 that are real, 235 00:24:36,006 --> 00:24:43,786 they are not subject to dissolving simply because we are in a different place, 236 00:24:44,516 --> 00:24:47,236 they are non-local. 237 00:24:51,248 --> 00:24:56,446 So we always remember the sangha has our back. 238 00:24:56,713 --> 00:24:59,300 They are behind us. 239 00:24:59,498 --> 00:25:02,411 People visualize it in different ways. 240 00:25:09,186 --> 00:25:12,917 Connected with the Harvard study I mentioned, 241 00:25:13,792 --> 00:25:21,681 loneliness is the biggest killer. That is a medical fact, that loneliness kills. 242 00:25:25,958 --> 00:25:29,885 And we are so blessed that we don't - 243 00:25:33,182 --> 00:25:36,372 We have so many conditions to not be lonely 244 00:25:36,662 --> 00:25:41,785 through the practice of being there for ourselves, 245 00:25:42,218 --> 00:25:47,656 and learning how to be there with other people and the connections we make. 246 00:25:47,862 --> 00:25:50,579 The relationships we make. 247 00:25:56,950 --> 00:26:02,030 Because even you can be in a relationship, you can be in a family, 248 00:26:02,218 --> 00:26:09,597 you can be with many people, but, as the 14 year old boy, 249 00:26:10,592 --> 00:26:14,553 in a boarding school, lots and lots of people. 250 00:26:15,998 --> 00:26:20,245 They are not dissimilar to Plum Village's. Living in a dormitory, 251 00:26:21,232 --> 00:26:28,250 sharing rooms. But I felt isolated and lonely at that particular time. 252 00:26:32,166 --> 00:26:36,502 So it's not exactly that you are next to people 253 00:26:36,705 --> 00:26:39,347 that you don't feel lonely. 254 00:26:39,525 --> 00:26:44,620 It can also be that you can feel lonely even in Plum Village. 255 00:26:45,514 --> 00:26:47,601 Again, if you 256 00:26:49,248 --> 00:26:55,452 somehow are not in good relationship with what is going on in you. 257 00:27:02,832 --> 00:27:07,659 And in those cases, where that is happening in Plum Village, 258 00:27:08,789 --> 00:27:12,024 the encouragement is to stay. 259 00:27:13,753 --> 00:27:17,329 And you may feel you don't have 260 00:27:20,204 --> 00:27:22,944 your smile any more. 261 00:27:23,703 --> 00:27:26,330 I'll always remember reading 262 00:27:26,546 --> 00:27:31,446 Thay saying, 'The dandelion keeps your smile.' 263 00:27:32,912 --> 00:27:38,866 You know, the flower you see on the lawn, it has your smile for you. 264 00:27:40,278 --> 00:27:45,404 And like so in the sangha we can feel 265 00:27:46,865 --> 00:27:52,841 not doing well, but we should try to become aware 266 00:27:53,531 --> 00:27:56,598 that there is a lot of love 267 00:27:58,904 --> 00:28:03,503 and care. People are giving us space, but they care. 268 00:28:06,609 --> 00:28:10,515 And sometimes the care comes in a way we don't want, 269 00:28:10,654 --> 00:28:15,181 maybe somebody comes into our space, and tries to shake us up a bit. 270 00:28:15,343 --> 00:28:18,111 And we don't want that. 271 00:28:18,391 --> 00:28:21,847 Maybe it wasn't so skilful of them. 272 00:28:22,025 --> 00:28:27,248 But nevertheless we can recognize it as a good intention, as care. 273 00:28:35,617 --> 00:28:42,138 So we may have taken different themes for this three month period, 274 00:28:42,138 --> 00:28:48,640 as well. I know some of the brothers in Upper Hamlet were studying the Anapanasati 275 00:28:51,136 --> 00:28:53,153 for instance. 276 00:28:56,996 --> 00:29:01,240 Some brothers were studying the 40 tenets of Plum Village. 277 00:29:04,043 --> 00:29:09,466 The Manifestation Only teachings was one subject I was engaged with. 278 00:29:11,062 --> 00:29:16,194 And I think many other topics. But they all, somehow, 279 00:29:17,460 --> 00:29:21,016 connect to the same point 280 00:29:22,758 --> 00:29:31,596 of how to come into relationship with myself, to be there, 281 00:29:33,516 --> 00:29:40,209 and really understand what is going on in my body, in my mind. 282 00:29:44,019 --> 00:29:47,976 And see my nature of interbeing. 283 00:29:49,981 --> 00:29:56,447 And Thay has said that even just practising the first 4 of the Anapanasati, 284 00:29:57,318 --> 00:30:00,408 awareness of the breath, awareness of the body, 285 00:30:01,447 --> 00:30:05,279 we touch all of the other aspects, 286 00:30:05,756 --> 00:30:08,940 because of the nature of interbeing. 287 00:30:09,210 --> 00:30:13,159 So in connection when we are just aware of our body, 288 00:30:13,414 --> 00:30:18,948 as we really realize that, oh, here is my body 289 00:30:19,246 --> 00:30:23,297 and I'm really get to be in my body, 290 00:30:23,549 --> 00:30:26,989 experiencing it with the breath, 291 00:30:27,573 --> 00:30:32,605 I also naturally become aware of my feelings. 292 00:30:33,781 --> 00:30:37,347 They are part of what is going on, 293 00:30:37,909 --> 00:30:41,170 and there is a correspondence in the body. 294 00:30:44,112 --> 00:30:46,882 And also mental formations, 295 00:30:47,182 --> 00:30:50,366 perceptions and consciousness. 296 00:30:54,967 --> 00:30:57,046 I remember, 297 00:30:59,933 --> 00:31:03,224 yes, we'll have one sound of the bell. Thank you. 298 00:31:06,555 --> 00:31:07,869 (Bell) 299 00:31:11,933 --> 00:31:18,040 (Bell) 300 00:32:01,447 --> 00:32:04,008 I was just reflecting 301 00:32:05,370 --> 00:32:10,486 that one of the earliest winter retreat 302 00:32:11,250 --> 00:32:15,442 I can recall, I can't remember specifically which one it was, 303 00:32:16,616 --> 00:32:20,700 but Thay said at the very opening talk of the retreat, 304 00:32:20,886 --> 00:32:24,281 'This retreat is an opportunity 305 00:32:25,259 --> 00:32:31,394 and we should practice to be there for every mental formation 306 00:32:32,372 --> 00:32:34,576 as it arises.' 307 00:32:36,047 --> 00:32:37,860 And this was, 308 00:32:38,469 --> 00:32:42,416 I just remember being astounded by the possibility of that. 309 00:32:42,758 --> 00:32:46,808 Every mental formation that will arise, I will be there, 310 00:32:47,027 --> 00:32:50,306 and embrace, and take care, and recognize. 311 00:32:55,143 --> 00:33:00,441 And I guess that was a very wonderful thing to set 312 00:33:00,788 --> 00:33:05,746 as an aim for myself. 313 00:33:07,585 --> 00:33:12,158 To try to be there for what is going on. 314 00:33:12,812 --> 00:33:18,349 Always being aware what mental formations come and go 315 00:33:18,547 --> 00:33:21,345 and watching the impermanence of them, 316 00:33:21,525 --> 00:33:25,630 and watching them in relation to what is happening in me, 317 00:33:26,750 --> 00:33:28,799 around me. 318 00:33:29,037 --> 00:33:32,107 And in my interactions. 319 00:33:32,375 --> 00:33:42,227 But we sometimes get forgetful and lost, so just like on the cushion, 320 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:46,673 we recognize and we have to keep coming back. 321 00:33:56,880 --> 00:34:00,443 One of the themes of the three month retreat 322 00:34:00,594 --> 00:34:03,880 has been the 14 mindfulness trainings. 323 00:34:05,395 --> 00:34:08,844 And the ones that were left to me to share about 324 00:34:10,851 --> 00:34:13,878 were concerning 325 00:34:15,241 --> 00:34:23,536 right compassion and action, it has to do with right livelihood, reverence for life 326 00:34:35,492 --> 00:34:37,688 and generosity. 327 00:34:37,861 --> 00:34:41,125 So it is 11, 12 and 13. 328 00:34:43,871 --> 00:34:47,741 The 14 mindfulness trainings, 329 00:34:50,167 --> 00:34:53,611 Thay wrote them in 1964. 330 00:34:54,596 --> 00:34:58,479 And it seems to me they are as relevant today 331 00:35:00,658 --> 00:35:03,846 as they could ever had been. 332 00:35:04,475 --> 00:35:08,816 They were written in the time of the Vietnam War. 333 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:16,512 And they have been revised. 334 00:35:20,423 --> 00:35:27,541 So that we try to make them more and more relevant and skilful, appropriate 335 00:35:28,129 --> 00:35:34,149 to our time and with the insight that we have. 336 00:35:39,419 --> 00:35:41,249 Ethics 337 00:35:43,603 --> 00:35:48,624 is a big subject, and in a sense, 338 00:35:48,855 --> 00:35:52,528 the trainings, be they the 5 mindfulness trainings or the 14, 339 00:35:52,696 --> 00:36:00,040 they are a contribution to what we hope is a good contribution to a global ethic. 340 00:36:03,243 --> 00:36:07,170 And they do not need to be 341 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:12,659 religious or include Buddhist - 342 00:36:15,310 --> 00:36:19,611 Kind of, things specific to Buddhism. 343 00:36:20,570 --> 00:36:27,003 They can be put into the language that is for anybody can feel comfortable with. 344 00:36:27,268 --> 00:36:31,274 But hopefully, they are universal. 345 00:36:31,518 --> 00:36:34,500 They speak to the universal. 346 00:36:35,849 --> 00:36:38,551 And they are about 347 00:36:40,300 --> 00:36:42,721 they are about love, 348 00:36:42,909 --> 00:36:47,849 they are about the actions and interactions 349 00:36:49,655 --> 00:36:52,419 that come about when we are 350 00:36:52,553 --> 00:36:55,931 coming from a place of true love. 351 00:36:57,596 --> 00:37:01,432 True love we know has a number of ingredients. 352 00:37:03,764 --> 00:37:08,176 True love has brotherhood and sisterhood, 353 00:37:09,263 --> 00:37:13,828 kindness in it, loving kindness. 354 00:37:16,417 --> 00:37:20,153 It has that friendship element. 355 00:37:20,460 --> 00:37:24,964 Spiritual friendship, being there for each other. 356 00:37:25,864 --> 00:37:29,330 True love also has compassion. 357 00:37:31,029 --> 00:37:36,872 We really can have empathy for the other person, 358 00:37:37,149 --> 00:37:42,889 but we don't get overwhelmed by the suffering, 359 00:37:44,602 --> 00:37:47,052 so we can truly be there. 360 00:37:47,185 --> 00:37:50,899 Even when somebody is suffering, we can maintain our stability 361 00:37:51,028 --> 00:37:54,996 and be there for that person and help them. 362 00:37:56,197 --> 00:37:59,145 True love also has joy. 363 00:38:00,421 --> 00:38:05,828 Without joy, we can () so lone. 364 00:38:07,883 --> 00:38:11,703 Joy is something very important. 365 00:38:13,827 --> 00:38:18,840 And it arises from unusual places sometimes. 366 00:38:20,002 --> 00:38:25,446 Sometimes it is the joy that comes when we are able to 367 00:38:27,076 --> 00:38:30,881 be there with our suffering in such a way that we think, oh! 368 00:38:31,566 --> 00:38:35,592 This is a kind of joy, because I get to be with - 369 00:38:36,499 --> 00:38:41,727 I'm in the most important place, where I need to be. 370 00:38:41,893 --> 00:38:45,242 And there is a sort of underlying joy to that, 371 00:38:45,434 --> 00:38:48,659 even though you are maybe experiencing the suffering. 372 00:38:48,810 --> 00:38:52,805 So I'm using that example to show joy doesn't always show up, 373 00:38:54,194 --> 00:38:58,921 it's not always what we think in terms of excitement, joy, 374 00:38:59,076 --> 00:39:04,006 although expressions of joy and smiles is also 375 00:39:07,115 --> 00:39:09,198 very good. 376 00:39:10,908 --> 00:39:15,471 I said to a brother before I came to the talk this morning, 377 00:39:17,163 --> 00:39:23,708 'I need to have a laugh before I go.' I need to generate that joyful energy. 378 00:39:25,156 --> 00:39:27,875 Sometimes we need to - 379 00:39:29,977 --> 00:39:36,156 Sometimes I think of something funny just to generate that joy. 380 00:39:36,768 --> 00:39:42,777 But the real joy coming from friendship, 381 00:39:45,888 --> 00:39:51,297 from insight, from our mindfulness practice, 382 00:39:52,593 --> 00:39:58,772 that is a very deep kind of joy. And we need that. 383 00:39:59,824 --> 00:40:03,106 And then there is inclusiveness. 384 00:40:03,950 --> 00:40:10,540 We include all that is in us and we take care of what is going on, 385 00:40:11,041 --> 00:40:14,638 and we don't set up an internal battle field. 386 00:40:18,393 --> 00:40:23,248 So even we see a part of ourselves is seemingly 387 00:40:25,526 --> 00:40:30,766 causing us suffering, maybe doing something which brings us - 388 00:40:31,828 --> 00:40:36,092 makes us feel ashamed, or it is a bad habit, 389 00:40:38,225 --> 00:40:41,454 or we've spoken to somebody in a bad way, 390 00:40:41,610 --> 00:40:45,733 we somehow have to still have compassion for that part of us too, and say, 391 00:40:45,894 --> 00:40:48,752 Okay, I accept. 392 00:40:49,631 --> 00:40:55,816 I accept everything that is there, I love and accept myself just as I am. 393 00:40:55,912 --> 00:40:59,266 I know that there are causes and conditions 394 00:40:59,408 --> 00:41:05,040 for why it is like this right now. Maybe I'm frustrated with myself. 395 00:41:06,059 --> 00:41:11,792 I also accept my frustration with myself. Okay, I'm frustrated with myself. 396 00:41:12,275 --> 00:41:16,391 So whatever is there, you say, Okay, I get it. If you are there, 397 00:41:16,524 --> 00:41:20,746 you are there for a reason. And I accept you. 398 00:41:20,999 --> 00:41:25,480 It doesn't mean we have to be again overwhelmed, or pushed, 399 00:41:25,690 --> 00:41:30,952 but we accept and we smile to that. And we try to generate our stability 400 00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:39,595 so we can be with that part of ourselves without being carried away. 401 00:41:41,425 --> 00:41:44,642 And so too with our relationships with other people, 402 00:41:44,746 --> 00:41:47,950 and when we get frustrated and upset with other people, 403 00:41:48,130 --> 00:41:55,358 to have this capacity to include and to stay with, to be there for each other. 404 00:41:56,951 --> 00:41:59,937 And there is 405 00:42:02,044 --> 00:42:09,605 in the Discourse on Love, we are invited to extend our love to all beings 406 00:42:10,094 --> 00:42:14,327 across the entire cosmos. It's very grand. 407 00:42:18,133 --> 00:42:25,042 A new chant that Thay Phap Linh has been doing with a group of us 408 00:42:25,245 --> 00:42:28,656 is on the CD, a new chanting CD. 409 00:42:31,259 --> 00:42:35,519 I'm very embarrassed with the video they made to go with that, by the way. 410 00:42:36,113 --> 00:42:41,960 I don't know if anybody saw it, but I got very self-conscious seeing myself, 411 00:42:42,554 --> 00:42:46,780 To look like very, very sincere. 412 00:42:47,403 --> 00:42:52,989 Anyway, on this chant, 413 00:42:55,846 --> 00:43:01,203 there is the line, 'showing love and concern for 414 00:43:01,905 --> 00:43:05,438 one and all as for our very own family'. 415 00:43:07,347 --> 00:43:12,125 So bringing that spirit of being concerned for 416 00:43:13,385 --> 00:43:16,265 anybody we meet 417 00:43:16,921 --> 00:43:20,429 as if they were our own family. That is the spirit. 418 00:43:20,639 --> 00:43:26,088 And it's not totally beyond our capacity. 419 00:43:26,670 --> 00:43:32,041 We know when we are in a good place we can have that openness of heart. 420 00:43:37,424 --> 00:43:42,174 There is a quote I heard about 421 00:43:46,228 --> 00:43:50,857 a husband whose wife came back after being on a Buddhist retreat. 422 00:43:51,403 --> 00:43:55,315 And the husband was asked, 'Sorry, have you seen any change in your wife 423 00:43:55,452 --> 00:44:01,699 since she came back? - Yes, she is in love with the whole universe, 424 00:44:04,034 --> 00:44:06,471 but nobody in particular.' 425 00:44:06,621 --> 00:44:08,389 (Laughter) 426 00:44:08,576 --> 00:44:11,201 And I think that meant 427 00:44:11,532 --> 00:44:15,691 we have to be careful to just be in this place of thinking about 428 00:44:16,502 --> 00:44:21,967 the grand love for everything, but then we don't actually apply it to 429 00:44:22,397 --> 00:44:25,378 what is this relationship going on right now. 430 00:44:25,824 --> 00:44:28,155 Yes, I can't deal with this one, but, 431 00:44:28,277 --> 00:44:29,739 (Laughter) 432 00:44:29,894 --> 00:44:33,525 I love - I feel so much for all the suffering in the world, 433 00:44:33,659 --> 00:44:36,331 but I can't deal with you. 434 00:44:36,679 --> 00:44:40,501 So that is also why a sangha is important. 435 00:44:41,415 --> 00:44:46,610 We meet the - It is where the rubber hits the road, hits the real, we rub it. 436 00:44:46,969 --> 00:44:51,855 The expression is, the chopsticks we use, to clean chopsticks 437 00:44:52,509 --> 00:44:55,497 you get a bunch and you rub them all together, 438 00:44:55,634 --> 00:44:58,714 rub and then clean them individually. 439 00:44:59,513 --> 00:45:01,758 It is a good image. 440 00:45:11,740 --> 00:45:15,556 Yes, I was going to share something. 441 00:45:15,891 --> 00:45:20,994 I have emailed Christiana Figueres. 442 00:45:22,606 --> 00:45:29,804 She is the lady that brought together 195 countries 443 00:45:30,334 --> 00:45:39,379 for the Paris Climate Change Agreement. Do you remember her? 444 00:45:40,361 --> 00:45:44,551 She has been to Plum Village quite a few times, 445 00:45:44,851 --> 00:45:51,423 and she has spoken quite a few times to young Wake Up groups 446 00:45:52,354 --> 00:45:55,751 that were here when we had a Wake Up retreats. 447 00:45:56,934 --> 00:46:00,363 She has come with her daughter. 448 00:46:02,164 --> 00:46:05,372 And she loves Plum Village. 449 00:46:07,102 --> 00:46:12,530 But when she was doing the work, 450 00:46:13,702 --> 00:46:17,524 I emailed her to just check if she was Okay that I share this story. 451 00:46:18,207 --> 00:46:21,980 Because when she was in the middle of her work 452 00:46:23,707 --> 00:46:26,912 of bringing together these countries 453 00:46:27,196 --> 00:46:31,232 for the Paris, they call it, 454 00:46:32,202 --> 00:46:35,385 is it COP 21? Yes. 455 00:46:35,982 --> 00:46:40,707 COP 24 is going on right now in Poland. 456 00:46:45,620 --> 00:46:52,787 So it is a momentous thing that she achieved, and it sets, 457 00:46:53,263 --> 00:46:56,781 gave everybody quite a sense of Okay, 458 00:46:56,954 --> 00:47:00,818 at least these countries coming together, 459 00:47:00,983 --> 00:47:07,503 there is a certain sangha harmony in the world to take climate change 460 00:47:08,642 --> 00:47:16,532 as an issue to really do something. And it was a great start that was - 461 00:47:16,920 --> 00:47:24,073 In all of the other previous times, we couldn't get to the starting block. 462 00:47:26,741 --> 00:47:30,395 So it was a wonderful thing she was able to achieve, 463 00:47:30,542 --> 00:47:35,523 and she did it with Thay's teachings. And she practised listening. 464 00:47:35,689 --> 00:47:40,174 She said that was the main factor that helped to get to that. 465 00:47:40,706 --> 00:47:46,319 This listening to really understanding what was the situation, 466 00:47:46,673 --> 00:47:51,117 what was the obstacles for these countries, 467 00:47:51,331 --> 00:47:54,986 be they Saudi Arabia, China, etcetera. 468 00:47:58,122 --> 00:48:03,521 But there was a period in that build up of five years leading up to 469 00:48:04,376 --> 00:48:06,914 2015 Paris, 470 00:48:07,128 --> 00:48:13,326 when she had a crisis, a personal crisis. 471 00:48:16,809 --> 00:48:20,454 And she was in Bonn at that time, in Germany, 472 00:48:21,255 --> 00:48:25,502 and she somehow, miraculously found out about Plum Village. 473 00:48:25,685 --> 00:48:28,886 She knew nothing before about Plum Village. 474 00:48:31,870 --> 00:48:37,614 And she knew she needed to go somewhere. She was very, very - 475 00:48:38,530 --> 00:48:41,099 Yeah, in a crisis. 476 00:48:41,705 --> 00:48:48,480 And she found the EIAB, our centre in Germany, it was close enough 477 00:48:51,159 --> 00:48:54,899 and she made an emergency booking. 478 00:48:56,293 --> 00:48:58,572 And she just went. 479 00:48:59,259 --> 00:49:08,629 Nobody knew who she was. She said to us that it saved her. 480 00:49:10,957 --> 00:49:13,746 It really saved her. 481 00:49:14,556 --> 00:49:19,334 And that the Vietnamese sisters, with their kindness, that were there, 482 00:49:19,865 --> 00:49:26,701 she was staying in the sister's place, they don't know what they did for me. 483 00:49:27,325 --> 00:49:33,829 They didn't know who I was. She is a retreatant. What else do you need to know? 484 00:49:34,711 --> 00:49:39,132 It's probably good sometimes we don't know who is here. 485 00:49:40,210 --> 00:49:42,440 I may get scared. 486 00:49:42,604 --> 00:49:44,316 (Laughter) 487 00:49:48,325 --> 00:49:50,381 But it- 488 00:49:53,250 --> 00:49:58,413 So just the simple kindness, and the joy, 489 00:50:00,445 --> 00:50:05,148 was enough to support and get her back into a good place. 490 00:50:05,873 --> 00:50:12,074 And then she was able to bring this amazing result. 491 00:50:15,746 --> 00:50:17,475 Part of - 492 00:50:17,707 --> 00:50:22,904 So we never know, it is part of the story. 493 00:50:23,113 --> 00:50:29,710 We never know our simple connection to people, every action 494 00:50:30,423 --> 00:50:34,186 we don't know what ripple effect there may be. 495 00:50:39,235 --> 00:50:45,908 On the - On one level, we would just being here 496 00:50:46,535 --> 00:50:50,279 and welcoming, and doing our thing, doing our practice. 497 00:50:50,503 --> 00:50:53,671 But that can save somebody. 498 00:50:54,446 --> 00:50:58,313 And it is just everybody, not just Christiana Figueres of course 499 00:50:58,744 --> 00:51:03,025 that is important. Everybody, each person that comes 500 00:51:05,696 --> 00:51:11,188 is precious that they come here and that we can support them. 501 00:51:12,729 --> 00:51:15,497 And what we do for them, we also do for ourselves. 502 00:51:20,866 --> 00:51:23,769 Another element of love is 503 00:51:27,514 --> 00:51:29,431 trust. 504 00:51:30,693 --> 00:51:34,253 Really knowing that we are there for each other. 505 00:51:37,429 --> 00:51:42,336 So even we do have times when we bicker and fall out. 506 00:51:45,371 --> 00:51:48,711 Finally we know that we are there for each other. 507 00:51:49,032 --> 00:51:51,513 That is the important thing. 508 00:51:54,477 --> 00:51:59,966 Sometimes we can't help, we get a bit angry, we say the words that we regret. 509 00:52:00,625 --> 00:52:02,645 We are not perfect. 510 00:52:02,905 --> 00:52:06,555 And in a sense, we shouldn't try to be too perfect. 511 00:52:06,927 --> 00:52:08,716 Sometimes 512 00:52:10,628 --> 00:52:13,395 it's when you lose it a little bit 513 00:52:13,683 --> 00:52:18,747 that you get a real conversation with the person that you needed to have. 514 00:52:19,719 --> 00:52:24,634 Sometimes life is messy like that. It is not always going to go perfectly, 515 00:52:25,389 --> 00:52:30,206 with a loving speech. But we have as the background, 516 00:52:30,501 --> 00:52:36,786 the basic intention is loving speech as the support for our community. 517 00:52:37,281 --> 00:52:39,968 Without that we fail. 518 00:52:40,542 --> 00:52:43,831 And listening, being there for each other. 519 00:52:46,598 --> 00:52:49,142 And reverence is the other one, 520 00:52:49,381 --> 00:52:54,469 which is also the name of one of the trainings that I was given. 521 00:52:54,748 --> 00:53:00,262 Reverence is this quality of wonder, this quality of awe. 522 00:53:02,904 --> 00:53:09,006 If we are to act for Mother Earth, we should be in love with Mother Earth. 523 00:53:13,716 --> 00:53:16,882 We should have that sense of connection 524 00:53:17,099 --> 00:53:21,956 which gives us a feeling of wonder and respect. 525 00:53:27,773 --> 00:53:29,578 And that is 526 00:53:35,562 --> 00:53:41,210 something I hope we all have and we all experience, 527 00:53:41,496 --> 00:53:45,770 but when we are out of connection with Mother Earth, 528 00:53:46,234 --> 00:53:51,017 we may realize I need to give more time, 529 00:53:51,368 --> 00:53:55,424 like my 14 year-old boy said to me, 'Ah! But you are too busy!' 530 00:53:55,982 --> 00:54:01,396 If we say - Just Mother Earth says, 'It seems you are too busy'. 531 00:54:02,655 --> 00:54:05,508 I walked the other day, I had this sense, 532 00:54:05,679 --> 00:54:09,448 I was walking around the lake at Son Ha, 533 00:54:09,601 --> 00:54:12,380 and it was lovely and muddy. 534 00:54:14,916 --> 00:54:18,745 And it was raining, and it reminded me of when I used to walk in Scotland, 535 00:54:18,873 --> 00:54:21,375 it is often raining in Scotland. 536 00:54:21,625 --> 00:54:26,235 But it is a kind of nice memory. And the Earth was there. 537 00:54:27,431 --> 00:54:30,756 And it's like she said to me, 'I'm still here!'. 538 00:54:31,038 --> 00:54:34,964 Like if you've gotten - I'm still here, 539 00:54:36,371 --> 00:54:39,254 patient. I'm here for you. 540 00:54:39,505 --> 00:54:43,182 The question is whether we make ourselves available. 541 00:54:45,482 --> 00:54:47,267 So, 542 00:54:48,876 --> 00:54:53,830 building our connection is so important. With Mother Earth. 543 00:54:56,186 --> 00:54:57,804 It is - 544 00:55:05,773 --> 00:55:08,039 For me in Scotland, 545 00:55:08,319 --> 00:55:13,833 I had such a great feeling sometimes hiking in the hills there, 546 00:55:14,620 --> 00:55:17,561 and I would sometimes 547 00:55:18,961 --> 00:55:22,675 really feel like, oh! There is really a relationship, there is really - 548 00:55:22,813 --> 00:55:26,156 It is a non verbal thing, but it really felt like connection, 549 00:55:26,378 --> 00:55:28,366 like there was a - 550 00:55:28,654 --> 00:55:31,898 And I also experienced that in Deer Park. 551 00:55:36,588 --> 00:55:40,322 I sometimes experience it here but maybe a bit less. I don't know. 552 00:55:40,801 --> 00:55:42,671 I think it is - 553 00:55:44,989 --> 00:55:50,123 That is also my responsibility. Because it is also very beautiful here. 554 00:55:51,438 --> 00:55:54,378 But sometimes I made very profound connections 555 00:55:54,551 --> 00:55:57,432 and I think it was also because 556 00:55:58,450 --> 00:56:01,231 there was a sense of wilderness, 557 00:56:01,551 --> 00:56:05,842 when I would be really in the wilderness. I could touch it. 558 00:56:14,201 --> 00:56:19,337 That is something we need a bit more of, a bit more wilderness in the world. 559 00:56:19,852 --> 00:56:22,093 Since I was born, 560 00:56:23,170 --> 00:56:29,482 half the wild animals have disappeared in terms of biomass. 561 00:56:29,853 --> 00:56:33,246 This is the World Wildlife Fund's statistic. 562 00:56:34,377 --> 00:56:38,118 But it is a very sad situation 563 00:56:40,389 --> 00:56:45,757 that we are losing our wilderness, we are losing our wild animals. 564 00:56:47,736 --> 00:56:49,419 And 565 00:56:52,956 --> 00:56:54,559 this is 566 00:56:56,686 --> 00:57:00,477 while I was very inspired to see this - 567 00:57:02,277 --> 00:57:10,662 A couple that had a fairly sizeable part of big land in England, 568 00:57:11,353 --> 00:57:15,630 and for 17 years they tried to do 569 00:57:15,862 --> 00:57:21,147 the regular intensive agriculture and dairy on this farm. 570 00:57:21,752 --> 00:57:24,577 But they couldn't make it a profit. 571 00:57:25,708 --> 00:57:30,077 And then they came across this method, this idea, 572 00:57:30,376 --> 00:57:35,860 this way to rewild their land 573 00:57:37,095 --> 00:57:40,878 introducing old animals that used to roam. 574 00:57:41,093 --> 00:57:45,926 In England there used to be all sorts of animals, and bisons, 575 00:57:47,163 --> 00:57:52,628 and oryxes, and even lions used to be. 576 00:57:52,878 --> 00:57:57,238 It was more like the Serengeti in England. 577 00:57:57,706 --> 00:57:59,560 Or a kind of - 578 00:58:00,127 --> 00:58:06,730 It's amazing when you study these things. 579 00:58:07,287 --> 00:58:11,171 You find out that there were lions in Trafalgar Square, real ones. 580 00:58:17,762 --> 00:58:22,197 So she set about rewilding, basically letting Mother Nature do its thing, 581 00:58:22,428 --> 00:58:27,821 and introducing these animals that also added dynamism and shaped the landscape. 582 00:58:28,237 --> 00:58:31,986 And then there would be water features naturally appearing 583 00:58:32,097 --> 00:58:35,002 and it was a very muddy ground. 584 00:58:37,205 --> 00:58:39,937 It was beautiful to see 585 00:58:41,425 --> 00:58:47,540 the change from intensive agriculture to returning to this wilderness area. 586 00:58:48,106 --> 00:58:51,396 And now I think she runs safaris. 587 00:58:51,574 --> 00:58:54,152 It's actually right where my mother lives, 588 00:58:54,324 --> 00:58:58,691 so I think I'm going to take my mother on a safari to see this place. 589 00:59:00,967 --> 00:59:06,377 But the regeneration of the soil and the land by this, 590 00:59:06,647 --> 00:59:10,542 contributes so much back to the health of the country. 591 00:59:11,114 --> 00:59:14,154 I think we need to do more of that. 592 00:59:14,334 --> 00:59:18,962 And they actually do make a living from the land as well. 593 00:59:20,962 --> 00:59:25,521 If we continue the way we are going with the land use, 594 00:59:25,979 --> 00:59:31,340 in the UK they estimate there will only be a hundred harvests left 595 00:59:31,774 --> 00:59:33,924 because all of the top soil 596 00:59:34,097 --> 00:59:38,229 and all of the richness of the soil is being depleted by the intensive farming. 597 00:59:38,647 --> 00:59:46,652 So this rewilding thing is becoming more and more understood to be a good thing. 598 00:59:51,932 --> 00:59:59,076 So, we look at the 14 mindfulness trainings these three months, 599 00:59:59,668 --> 01:00:04,494 and we see that they all inter-relate. We have to practise them together. 600 01:00:04,727 --> 01:00:09,779 They inter-are. They arise from the insight of interbeing, 601 01:00:10,352 --> 01:00:14,867 and when we practise them we practise them with that spirit. 602 01:00:15,161 --> 01:00:21,019 When we have the awakened kind of view, 603 01:00:23,937 --> 01:00:28,159 naturally we want to go in this direction. 604 01:00:30,075 --> 01:00:34,960 And we practise them from being right in the heart of life, 605 01:00:36,095 --> 01:00:39,619 and also being in love, as I was describing. 606 01:00:41,732 --> 01:00:45,892 So they are also an expression of love and insight. 607 01:00:47,298 --> 01:00:51,589 When we look at the ones that are concerned with 608 01:00:51,871 --> 01:00:55,269 reverence for life and generosity, and right livelihood, 609 01:00:55,691 --> 01:01:01,211 we are also touching a lot of suffering. The damage to the environment, 610 01:01:02,230 --> 01:01:08,203 the suffering caused by war and conflict, by exploitation and social injustice. 611 01:01:09,073 --> 01:01:14,724 And it can be overwhelming when we touch this kind of suffering, 612 01:01:14,952 --> 01:01:17,837 because it seems so vast. 613 01:01:23,149 --> 01:01:32,507 And with the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 614 01:01:33,657 --> 01:01:38,132 saying the next 12 years is very, very crucial 615 01:01:38,434 --> 01:01:43,311 if we are to prevent catastrophic effects of climate change. 616 01:01:43,806 --> 01:01:49,015 We have this - The aim would be 617 01:01:49,746 --> 01:01:55,090 they propose to try to keep the temperature from rising too much, 618 01:01:57,747 --> 01:02:02,588 keep to 1,5 C above the pre-industrial levels. 619 01:02:06,455 --> 01:02:10,473 But the effort we need to do that, the transformation of society 620 01:02:11,826 --> 01:02:15,898 going, switching all the way to renewables 621 01:02:16,124 --> 01:02:19,215 it seems like a massive task. 622 01:02:19,640 --> 01:02:24,993 Actually, technology-wise, we probably can do it. 623 01:02:25,322 --> 01:02:30,312 I saw Elon Musk the guy that makes the Tesla cars saying that 624 01:02:31,029 --> 01:02:35,563 quite easily, for instance China, because it has a lot of free land, 625 01:02:36,383 --> 01:02:40,259 could meet all its energy supplies with solar easily, he said. 626 01:02:40,433 --> 01:02:43,731 So I don't know, but he seems to know. 627 01:02:45,884 --> 01:02:50,245 And I think - But when we get this kind of reports, 628 01:02:51,670 --> 01:02:56,207 there is a sense of urgency that comes up. 629 01:02:57,124 --> 01:02:59,237 And a sense of 630 01:03:00,726 --> 01:03:07,120 we have to name it, there is fear that arises. 631 01:03:08,511 --> 01:03:10,758 Maybe despair. 632 01:03:11,188 --> 01:03:14,200 Because we feel like it is not possible. 633 01:03:20,792 --> 01:03:25,787 And certainly the way the politics are, it doesn't feel so possible, 634 01:03:26,190 --> 01:03:32,529 because the real problem seems to be that the politicians are not able to 635 01:03:34,578 --> 01:03:37,289 take hold of the situation. 636 01:03:37,619 --> 01:03:44,493 In Poland they met, the COP24, 637 01:03:44,779 --> 01:03:49,927 and they couldn't agree to take on this report and act on it. 638 01:03:52,255 --> 01:03:56,652 So if we can't rely on the politicians, 639 01:03:59,001 --> 01:04:03,919 we have to come to a more regional level, perhaps. 640 01:04:04,676 --> 01:04:09,669 And more local level, even in Plum Village we need to go solar. 641 01:04:11,655 --> 01:04:17,104 We need to also be the change that needs to happen. 642 01:04:18,357 --> 01:04:23,313 And we already do one of the main things that is recommended, 643 01:04:23,856 --> 01:04:26,589 that can make a massive difference 644 01:04:27,114 --> 01:04:30,722 to empower us as individuals and communities. 645 01:04:30,912 --> 01:04:34,140 But if it is done at societal level all the better, 646 01:04:34,377 --> 01:04:37,154 that is individuals to go vegan. 647 01:04:37,428 --> 01:04:40,617 It's being said to be the plant based diet 648 01:04:40,808 --> 01:04:45,398 is really the biggest contribution we can make as individuals 649 01:04:46,823 --> 01:04:53,064 to reducing the amount of emissions of CO2. 650 01:04:54,633 --> 01:04:57,048 It turns out that the - 651 01:05:00,502 --> 01:05:03,317 The impact of the animal industry, 652 01:05:04,033 --> 01:05:08,127 the livestock is huge. And it's not really surprising 653 01:05:08,489 --> 01:05:12,277 when you consider the numbers involved. 654 01:05:12,837 --> 01:05:17,062 70 billion animals a year. 655 01:05:18,214 --> 01:05:25,042 Our human population is 7.6 billion, but 70 billion is 10 times that. 656 01:05:25,275 --> 01:05:28,451 And it is rising. The demand is rising. 657 01:05:28,757 --> 01:05:32,198 So we really need to bring it in the other direction. 658 01:05:32,714 --> 01:05:35,928 I don't think that the meat industry will disappear, 659 01:05:36,164 --> 01:05:42,316 but without a collective awakening and insight 660 01:05:44,690 --> 01:05:48,177 which needs to be global, 661 01:05:48,854 --> 01:05:51,558 but we do our part. 662 01:05:52,108 --> 01:05:57,484 If you are a meat eater, and you come to Plum Village for say, 663 01:06:00,443 --> 01:06:04,081 10 days, it is a rough calculation, 664 01:06:04,699 --> 01:06:06,509 you save - 665 01:06:07,461 --> 01:06:10,319 Suppose you are eating a steak every night, 666 01:06:11,590 --> 01:06:13,536 I think you would. 667 01:06:14,449 --> 01:06:18,091 But by coming to Plum Village and being eating a vegan diet, 668 01:06:18,271 --> 01:06:22,369 for ten days you would save a ton of carbon dioxide. 669 01:06:22,578 --> 01:06:25,154 That is how significant it is. 670 01:06:25,301 --> 01:06:30,638 We do more by going to the vegan diet than for instance, 671 01:06:30,874 --> 01:06:34,370 by changing our travel methods. 672 01:06:38,794 --> 01:06:44,257 I was talking with a brother, joking about how do we stop Plum Village monks 673 01:06:44,518 --> 01:06:48,900 the flying thing. Because we do fly to places. 674 01:06:50,938 --> 01:06:54,060 But we are doing very good things. So we don't want to stop. 675 01:06:54,266 --> 01:06:58,277 There is a trip going to Uganda in January. 676 01:07:00,474 --> 01:07:04,112 They are going to be dealing with 677 01:07:05,395 --> 01:07:09,164 some serious things going on there with violence in schools 678 01:07:09,327 --> 01:07:12,441 and things like these. So we want to go. 679 01:07:12,786 --> 01:07:15,747 And I was discussing, maybe we - 680 01:07:16,235 --> 01:07:21,691 People that invite us should plant trees for every time monks and nuns go out. 681 01:07:23,137 --> 01:07:26,237 And the brother said, ' Maybe the people invite us out, 682 01:07:26,400 --> 01:07:29,083 they have to go vegan for 10 days'. 683 01:07:30,426 --> 01:07:34,668 But we can get creative, we can look how can we become 684 01:07:35,870 --> 01:07:39,640 zero carbon by 2025, Plum Village. 685 01:07:41,642 --> 01:07:44,972 We can look. See what we can do. 686 01:07:49,814 --> 01:07:54,680 But this sense of fear and urgency is very real. 687 01:07:55,069 --> 01:07:58,324 And it generates a kind of energy, 688 01:07:58,609 --> 01:08:02,346 even those who are already wanting to do something active, 689 01:08:02,549 --> 01:08:04,935 which isn't always 690 01:08:06,854 --> 01:08:10,313 sustainable. There may be anger and fear, 691 01:08:12,050 --> 01:08:14,622 and () always helpful. 692 01:08:15,404 --> 01:08:19,722 Because if we want to practice compassionate action, 693 01:08:19,869 --> 01:08:23,235 we also have to include those who are currently doing harm, 694 01:08:23,387 --> 01:08:27,025 and not excluding them from our compassion. 695 01:08:27,187 --> 01:08:31,097 We know that actually this is a tragedy being played out. 696 01:08:31,564 --> 01:08:36,277 And everybody involved is in the tragedy. 697 01:08:37,692 --> 01:08:42,857 If you are on a flight, and the plain is going to crush, 698 01:08:43,751 --> 01:08:47,341 sorry for this example, it just came to my mind. 699 01:08:49,169 --> 01:08:56,936 But it doesn't matter if you are in a business class or first class, 700 01:08:58,025 --> 01:09:00,580 you are too going to crush. 701 01:09:00,745 --> 01:09:05,264 So everybody, even the ones that are creating that problem, 702 01:09:05,702 --> 01:09:07,654 we would see. 703 01:09:09,580 --> 01:09:13,094 We have to have compassion and there are always causes and conditions 704 01:09:13,255 --> 01:09:17,753 why people are in that situation. And maybe with our loving kindness 705 01:09:18,053 --> 01:09:20,601 as opposed to our anger, 706 01:09:21,293 --> 01:09:23,778 we can touch their hearts. 707 01:09:25,850 --> 01:09:29,584 Apparently, a brother told me that 708 01:09:29,896 --> 01:09:33,679 there was a lawyer from the animal industry, a top lawyer, 709 01:09:33,896 --> 01:09:36,322 he came to Plum Village, 710 01:09:37,016 --> 01:09:40,318 and he spent time with him, and by the end of the time, 711 01:09:40,545 --> 01:09:44,130 he didn't want to be a lawyer for the animal industry any more. 712 01:09:44,264 --> 01:09:47,939 I don't know, I mean, just saying, you know? 713 01:09:48,756 --> 01:09:52,369 You come to Plum Village, you touch some seed inside, 714 01:09:52,585 --> 01:09:56,015 maybe that can be enough to touch the human heart. 715 01:09:56,808 --> 01:10:00,079 I thought it was maybe good that I didn't get to meet him, 716 01:10:00,250 --> 01:10:01,949 because I'd be 717 01:10:02,110 --> 01:10:04,738 quizzing him about all sort of things. 718 01:10:05,706 --> 01:10:09,147 It is better that he came and he just experienced like 719 01:10:09,314 --> 01:10:12,324 nobody knew who he was, but he just got to touch 720 01:10:12,627 --> 01:10:16,173 peace and touch happiness of real connection. 721 01:10:17,040 --> 01:10:20,102 And he no longer wanted to be 722 01:10:20,494 --> 01:10:24,088 defending something that he knew was causing harm. 723 01:10:34,507 --> 01:10:36,349 But yes, 724 01:10:36,650 --> 01:10:38,259 we know that 725 01:10:38,914 --> 01:10:42,571 a big change has to happen. And it can be scary. 726 01:10:43,957 --> 01:10:47,056 And we know that we don't know if we are going to make it, 727 01:10:47,360 --> 01:10:53,427 in the sense of keeping everything Okay. Maybe it is not Okay. 728 01:10:54,863 --> 01:10:58,396 And we have to face a lot of difficulties 729 01:10:59,437 --> 01:11:05,176 in the future and some scary times ahead for ourselves, for our children, 730 01:11:05,427 --> 01:11:09,006 for our grandchildren, for different generations we know 731 01:11:09,309 --> 01:11:14,605 will experience unless we can act very strongly right now. 732 01:11:16,547 --> 01:11:19,613 And this is only on the subject of climate change, 733 01:11:19,830 --> 01:11:22,325 not to mention other subjects. 734 01:11:23,992 --> 01:11:32,866 But this urgency feeling could be good, but we should put it into practice also. 735 01:11:34,501 --> 01:11:40,841 I remember Thay when he was in Singapore, and trying to help the boat people, 736 01:11:41,710 --> 01:11:44,849 and the story there was that 737 01:11:45,114 --> 01:11:50,125 the authorities found out about what he was doing, 738 01:11:50,430 --> 01:11:58,873 trying to help 700, 800 people in boats to go to Australia, I think. 739 01:12:03,409 --> 01:12:06,906 And they told him he had to leave in 24 hours. 740 01:12:08,165 --> 01:12:11,877 And at that time, the sense of urgency of what he could do came up. 741 01:12:12,592 --> 01:12:18,217 And he knew the most important thing he needed at that moment was peace. 742 01:12:20,309 --> 01:12:24,463 So he practised through the night walking meditation, 743 01:12:25,587 --> 01:12:29,358 and he said to himself, 'If I cannot have peace in this moment, 744 01:12:29,520 --> 01:12:32,606 then all the peace that I experienced 745 01:12:33,449 --> 01:12:38,379 on the cushion, in the meditation hall, what does it mean? 746 01:12:39,868 --> 01:12:41,997 I need it now.' 747 01:12:42,889 --> 01:12:45,384 And from that, he wrote the calligraphy 748 01:12:45,548 --> 01:12:49,011 'If you want peace, peace is with you immediately.' 749 01:12:49,249 --> 01:12:54,462 Because right in the heart of the urgency, he was able to touch his peace. 750 01:12:54,629 --> 01:12:58,156 And from that peace, he was able to act. 751 01:13:01,991 --> 01:13:07,880 Act with compassion, act with lucidity, from a calm place. 752 01:13:17,794 --> 01:13:22,954 So, because the situation is so urgent, 753 01:13:23,525 --> 01:13:26,954 because the fear is there, we really need to practise. 754 01:13:27,234 --> 01:13:30,891 And we need to come from a place of peace. 755 01:13:32,600 --> 01:13:34,589 And act. 756 01:13:37,540 --> 01:13:41,373 And, of course, we need to come from a place of love. 757 01:13:49,777 --> 01:13:54,667 In terms of the mindfulness training on 758 01:13:56,252 --> 01:14:01,778 suffering caused by war and conflict, somehow we are all touched by that. 759 01:14:03,811 --> 01:14:07,589 And I also mention by way of example 760 01:14:10,379 --> 01:14:15,428 Annie Nushann is a woman of Liberia who during the Liberian Civil War - 761 01:14:18,010 --> 01:14:24,293 She was from a very poor society herself. 762 01:14:24,638 --> 01:14:28,161 Her family was very poor, she had 10 children. 763 01:14:28,967 --> 01:14:31,280 She was a refugee, 764 01:14:31,592 --> 01:14:36,354 she was, I think, in the Ivory Coast during the civil war. 765 01:14:36,809 --> 01:14:40,002 But she came back into the country by foot 766 01:14:40,187 --> 01:14:43,841 there having being - Her house was burned down 767 01:14:43,987 --> 01:14:45,968 and also so terrible things, 768 01:14:46,066 --> 01:14:51,112 but she came back with this intention to call for peace in Liberia. 769 01:14:52,206 --> 01:14:56,927 She became a big part of a movement of women 770 01:14:58,006 --> 01:15:03,480 which included Muslims, and Christians. They got together. 771 01:15:04,589 --> 01:15:07,195 And though they were poor, 772 01:15:07,316 --> 01:15:11,936 they didn't have any resources, they had their voices and they chanted for peace. 773 01:15:13,121 --> 01:15:16,710 And eventually they got international recognition 774 01:15:16,891 --> 01:15:21,250 and were actually able to catalyse peace 775 01:15:21,614 --> 01:15:26,362 after 15 years of civil war. 776 01:15:28,071 --> 01:15:31,056 A seemingly endless situation. 777 01:15:31,225 --> 01:15:34,955 And of course the peace work has continued after the war. 778 01:15:35,366 --> 01:15:39,145 And she has done so many amazing actions. 779 01:15:39,609 --> 01:15:43,445 And one of the recents I mention is because 780 01:15:43,655 --> 01:15:49,671 she didn't know the practice at that time, but somehow, through her Christian roots, 781 01:15:50,747 --> 01:15:53,559 going to church she got in touch with, 782 01:15:54,528 --> 01:15:58,750 asked God for peace in her heart. 783 01:16:00,258 --> 01:16:02,256 For courage 784 01:16:04,034 --> 01:16:05,924 and peace. 785 01:16:06,964 --> 01:16:13,740 And she went to face situations including boys with guns high on drugs, 786 01:16:13,916 --> 01:16:17,066 and all sorts of situations where she was able to 787 01:16:18,661 --> 01:16:21,919 meet them as a mother. That is what she would say, 788 01:16:22,054 --> 01:16:30,313 'I went to them as a mother energy.' As a mother loves her only child 789 01:16:31,896 --> 01:16:35,652 at the risk of her own life. So we cultivate boundless love 790 01:16:36,455 --> 01:16:39,740 for each and everyone of us. 791 01:16:39,920 --> 01:16:42,693 So she went with that spirit. 792 01:16:43,524 --> 01:16:46,701 And she didn't experience fear. 793 01:16:47,703 --> 01:16:49,540 In those times. 794 01:16:50,796 --> 01:16:57,631 So it is another example of how, in a very crazy situation, 795 01:16:59,793 --> 01:17:06,109 when we can touch non-fear and peace we are somehow also, 796 01:17:06,315 --> 01:17:09,948 and there is compassion, we are somehow protected. 797 01:17:15,250 --> 01:17:18,715 Let have one sound of the bell and then I'll wrap up. 798 01:17:22,429 --> 01:17:23,872 (Bell) 799 01:17:28,788 --> 01:17:34,638 (Bell) 800 01:18:07,889 --> 01:18:11,978 So there is also the suffering caused by exploitation. 801 01:18:12,465 --> 01:18:16,822 We are aware of the great poverty many people experience. 802 01:18:18,708 --> 01:18:22,428 And just to mention the connection with the vegan diet, 803 01:18:24,194 --> 01:18:28,113 if all of the land that is used to feed livestock 804 01:18:28,197 --> 01:18:31,091 was to feeding people, 805 01:18:31,844 --> 01:18:34,962 it could feed three billion people. 806 01:18:35,321 --> 01:18:39,185 It is the land that can cover the whole of the European Union. 807 01:18:42,639 --> 01:18:47,155 So, we think there is a pressure on the land 808 01:18:47,965 --> 01:18:50,489 and also water resources. 809 01:18:51,110 --> 01:18:55,579 Many aspects can be helped if we do this. 810 01:18:59,633 --> 01:19:01,968 So I want to emphasize that. 811 01:19:02,223 --> 01:19:10,297 When we go out, we maybe carry the light we've found. 812 01:19:13,521 --> 01:19:17,369 We know that our actions are important. 813 01:19:18,248 --> 01:19:24,519 Mother Teresa said, it is not that you do a great act of love, 814 01:19:27,109 --> 01:19:30,856 like that heroic moment where you save the day, 815 01:19:31,842 --> 01:19:34,079 Superman's suit on, 816 01:19:34,747 --> 01:19:39,483 but she said, it is the small acts but with great love. 817 01:19:40,870 --> 01:19:43,995 So the spirit of bringing a lot of love 818 01:19:45,004 --> 01:19:48,197 into our actions of body, speech and mind. 819 01:19:48,375 --> 01:19:52,862 And trusting that, and letting that lead us 820 01:19:53,576 --> 01:19:58,245 so as we go out into the world, I'm not going to say the real world, 821 01:19:59,008 --> 01:20:02,921 but as we go out from Plum Village, 822 01:20:04,443 --> 01:20:07,418 remember the importance of 823 01:20:10,516 --> 01:20:15,937 spiritual friendship, stay in touch in your heart, 824 01:20:16,227 --> 01:20:19,003 and find a sangha. 825 01:20:20,616 --> 01:20:22,965 Come back when you need, 826 01:20:26,247 --> 01:20:29,786 and know that your actions make a difference. 827 01:20:31,049 --> 01:20:35,442 Even you have one thought that is maybe 828 01:20:35,695 --> 01:20:40,937 hopeless in some situation, 829 01:20:41,530 --> 01:20:43,785 but you do it anyway. 830 01:20:44,700 --> 01:20:47,300 But you do it from love 831 01:20:47,786 --> 01:20:56,875 and from a sense of this is what I want, this is how I want to be. 832 01:21:00,136 --> 01:21:02,971 Because ultimately it is 833 01:21:05,362 --> 01:21:09,353 how we are is 834 01:21:11,636 --> 01:21:14,882 the real thing. 835 01:21:15,440 --> 01:21:17,070 If we - 836 01:21:20,598 --> 01:21:26,180 We don't actually know the ripple effects. 837 01:21:28,665 --> 01:21:36,960 So we somehow just really need to trust in love, trust in the practice 838 01:21:37,761 --> 01:21:44,156 of coming from this place of non-fear and peace actions as we go out, 839 01:21:45,055 --> 01:21:48,350 and know that we also need each other. 840 01:21:52,996 --> 01:21:57,271 When we have each other actually we can do great things together. 841 01:21:57,660 --> 01:22:00,251 And we do them with a lot of joy. 842 01:22:00,428 --> 01:22:02,681 It is not like a chore. 843 01:22:04,337 --> 01:22:07,248 Being vegetarian in Plum Village is easy, 844 01:22:07,725 --> 01:22:11,447 and it can be delicious too, for instance. 845 01:22:12,749 --> 01:22:15,555 So thank you for your practice, 846 01:22:15,721 --> 01:22:17,672 thank you for your 847 01:22:18,854 --> 01:22:21,006 taking care of yourself, 848 01:22:22,267 --> 01:22:30,342 for understanding yourself and being seeing your interbeing nature, 849 01:22:31,069 --> 01:22:35,190 seeing that the suffering of the other is not separate from your own suffering. 850 01:22:36,990 --> 01:22:39,727 Thank you for your inclusiveness, 851 01:22:40,966 --> 01:22:44,560 and your kindness, your non-fear. 852 01:22:47,524 --> 01:22:48,980 (Bell) 853 01:22:53,666 --> 01:22:59,687 (Bell) 854 01:23:20,652 --> 01:23:26,705 (Bell) 855 01:23:46,904 --> 01:23:52,599 (Bell)