“All activists must have a spiritual practice in order to suffer less, to nourish the happiness in them and to handle their suffering so they can be effective in helping the world. With anger and frustration, you cannot do much and you can make the situation worse,” said Thay in an interview with journalist Jo Confino during a winter retreat in Plum Village in 2011.

There is a lot going on in the world that can make us be angry, especially when it comes to the environment and human destruction of it. In a conversation about our relationship with Mother Earth, Thay prompts us to move beyond the idea of ‘environment,’ and to fall back in love with our life-giving planet. But in order to do that, we must first understand that Mother Earth and the Environment are not separate from us. We are Mother Earth and Mother Earth lives within us. Not understanding this, says Thay, is to live in Wrong View.

Dear friends, 

A few weeks ago OHMC offered an in-person ½ Day of Mindfulness and we watched a short video of a talk with Thich Nhat Hanh. With the day’s theme focusing on finding ease during the holidays, it was fitting to hear Thay answer the question, “What to do when we find another person’s presence not nourishing?” — since we can especially find ourselves in this situation during the holiday season as we celebrate with co-workers, friends, and family.  

We will play the video again on Monday night to hear Thay’s full answer. The short answer as I interpreted it is that the people who do not nourish us are suffering more and need our attention and compassion even more - which for me is very difficult. The more people do not nourish me, the less time I want to spend with them. 

Our sangha explored the 2nd mindfulness training last week - True Happiness. Marie shared the difficulty in holding happiness within us when there is so much suffering in the world. And she questioned if it is possible to hold both at the same time.

I also find this very challenging and as we meet in person on Monday night, I would like to continue to explore this topic a bit more with the help of a video of Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) (see below).

In his book "Being Peace", Thich Nhat Hanh says "Life is filled with suffering, but it is also filled with many wonders, such as the blue sky, the sunshine, and the eyes of a baby. To suffer is not enough. We must also be in touch with the wonders of life. They are within us around us, everywhere, anytime." We have seeds in us for everything, the seeds of sorrow and suffering and the seeds of happiness. When I feel hurt or wounded by a friend or family member - I can also remember that I have seeds of happiness and can take care of my suffering and then help take care of their suffering. Most likely they have not meant to hurt me and I in turn don't want to hurt them.

This week, we will recite the Five Mindfulness Trainings, concentrate on the Second Training, True Happiness and explore the question: How is this moment wonderful?

In The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching, our dear teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh reminds us that "..the seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy."

With all that is going on in and on this earth, sometimes it is difficult for me to touch happiness. And when someone I love is in pain, I suffer more. I understand the concept of “no mud, no lotus”, yet it can be challenging for me to hold both at the same time.

Until last week, when my elderly mother got lost at the airport…

On Monday, we will practice “resting our consciousness”. These days we all have a lot on our minds and hearts. We are awash in unhappy information about the environment, the political situation, war, and more. We have been isolated for more than two years, and are now trying to find our way back to social normalcy. Rather than pushing forward harder, we can take a step back and practice clearing our minds and resting our bodies.

Dear friends,

One of my personal challenges has been to be in touch with my deepest intention to be kind and loving when I am reacting to something that has made me angry or frustrated. Before I met Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) and the sangha, I had not learned how to take responsibility for my own thoughts and feelings and I often assumed that other people were out to hurt me. And so I would dump my hurt back onto them.

One of the things that drew me immediately to the Plum Village community and to Thay’s practice revealed itself on my first retreat. I was there with all four kids ages 6-9, and felt way out of my depth. I was, as they say, a “hot mess.” And yet every single person was kind and nice and helpful. I was truly taken aback by their kindness. And I wanted to be like that.

“The ability to apologize sincerely and express regret for the unskillful things we say or do is an art. A true apology can relieve a great deal of suffering in the other person.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

I apologize frequently, and I hear apologies said around me frequently.

I can’t remember my ancestors saying “sorry” nearly as much as our generation does. It could’ve been considered a sign of weakness. Admitting wrong-doing could have been disastrous to one’s security, reputation, livelihood, family or community. Admitting inaccuracy may have spotlighted an intellectual deficit. But now, I think the sorry pendulum has swung in the opposite direction…

Dear Thay, dear friends,

On Monday night, we will continue with our month-long theme of engaged compassion and explore the intentions that lie behind our engaged practice and the feelings we experience when engaging. We’ll also look at what happens when we decide not to engage. In fact, that’s where I’m going to start.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve not been well and have scaled back on work - including my engaged practice. And, much to my surprise, instead of feeling guilt and “shoulding” myself, I’m grounded and at peace. What happened?

This week, Annie and Bea will facilitate. We will meet in person this week and we will read the Five Mindfulness Trainings together. After that we will focus on the first training, Reverence for Life:

Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating the insight of interbeing and compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, or in my way of life. Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger, fear, greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from dualistic and discriminative thinking, I will cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the world.

This past week on an email listserv, there was a “conversation” (aka conflict) about affinity spaces. A BIPOC member offered news of a BIPOC event happening, and another member replied that he thought spaces for BIPOC only were racist.

I had a strong opinion on the email and I wasn’t alone. Several people replied saying how and why he was wrong, and I also believed that he was. And if I’m really honest, I didn’t want to try to understand his point of view because I was so annoyed. Later, when he offered a reason for his initial email, I struggled to believe him or to care. My anger felt justified, and it felt good because I felt I was in the right.

Dear Thay, dear friends,

On Monday night, we will continue with our month-long theme of engaged compassion and explore the intentions that lie behind our engaged practice and the feelings we experience when engaging. We’ll also look at what happens when we decide not to engage. In fact, that’s where I’m going to start.

Over the last few weeks, I’ve not been well and have scaled back on work - including my engaged practice. And, much to my surprise, instead of feeling guilt and “shoulding” myself, I’m grounded and at peace. What happened?

Dear friends, Please join us in mindfulness on Monday, October 10 as we sit and breathe together. We look forward to practicing being in the present moment with you.

Dear friends,

This month, our sangha gatherings will again explore what Engaged Mindfulness means and how we can use the lessons we learn to bring more justice, generosity, compassion and awakening to our world.

On Monday, Magda will facilitate the evening with a guest facilitator, Marisela Gomez.

Dr. Marisela Gomez is one of the organizers of the Village of Love and Resistance (VOLAR), a Dharma teacher and follower of Thay’s teaching for the last twenty years, and has first-hand knowledge of how territorial injustices have affected East Baltimore residents. While acquiring her MD, PhD and MPH at John Hopkins University, she did extensive research in the area surrounding John Hopkins Hospital, one of the poorest in Baltimore.

While we understand that each individual is free to engage in any way they desire, the Engaged Mindfulness working group is emphasizing the theme of territorial justice this month. In keeping with this, we will be supporting VOLAR through OHMC donations.

Please enjoy reading Magda’s essay on engaged mindfulness and VOLAR…

Dear friends,

This Monday at sangha, we will recite the Five Mindfulness Trainings together. The Mindfulness Trainings were suggested by the Buddha for lay (non-monastic) practitioners and modified over the years by Thich Nhat Hanh and Plum Village. They are suggested ways we can practice and live with compassion and understanding; they are not commandments.

This week we will focus on the Fifth training: Nourishment and Healing:

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming.

I will practice looking deeply into how I consume the Four Kinds of Nutriments, namely edible foods, sense impressions, volition, and consciousness. I am determined not to gamble, or to use alcohol, drugs, or any other products which contain toxins, such as certain websites, electronic games, TV programs, films, magazines, books, and conversations.

I will practice coming back to the present moment to be in touch with the refreshing, healing and nourishing elements in me and around me, not letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past nor letting anxieties, fear, or craving pull me out of the present moment.

I am determined not to try to cover up loneliness, anxiety, or other suffering by losing myself in consumption. I will contemplate interbeing and consume in a way that preserves peace, joy, and well-being in my body and consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family, my society and the Earth.

The heart of this training is about not using consumption to distract us from the present moment or cover up suffering. These days we have more distractions than ever and one of the distractions most difficult to refrain from consuming is our technology.

We can use our technology as a bell of mindfulness allowing us to look more deeply at our habit energies. When we reach for our phone, computer, email, or social media, what are we avoiding? Annie tried an experiment with an online journal in which every time she felt the urge to look at her phone she opened the journal app and wrote about it. Most of the time when reaching for her phone she was feeling worried about something or wanting stimulation...

This Monday at sangha Marie will facilitate. She shares:

Dear Thay, dear sangha,

Today, I had blocked time to write this missive, having chosen a different topic that resonated deeply; I was excited to share it with the sangha and learn from you. And then, around 5am, came a migraine. As background, I’ve had chronic migraines for thirty years and have tried numerous ways to preempt and treat them, including a new approach that I started last week. I really did NOT want this migraine, but there it was.

So what did I do? Well, first I tried to deny it and hoped that the new approach was working - despite all appearances to the contrary. When the pain amped up, I yielded and took some medicine, which took the edge off, but not much. Then, I tried several different remedies, from walking meditation to diet coke (talk about contrasts), and none of them worked.

Finally, I surrendered.  I went back to bed, put a cold face cloth on my forehead and tried something different…

This Monday at sangha Camille will facilitate. She shares:

This summer I spent a good amount of time in the North with family and friends enjoying mostly cool and sunny days. For about a week of that time I had a mild case of covid where I quarantined and took time to slow down, and mostly napped and listened to my body - probably more than I have done in a while. I found meditation - sitting and taking slow mindful walks, to be just what my body needed.

Coming home last week I was quickly and easily pulled away from my physical body caught in worry, sadness, anguish and anger with one of my daughters who was sick. I lost sleep and concentration, and wondered if my actions were loving and kind or controlling. I can often be found trying to fix and make things right for others (sometimes when they don't want it) while not taking care of my self.

This Monday at sangha Mary will facilitate. She shares:

Dear Thay, dear Sangha,

As I sat down to write, my mind went to summer 1978. I was volunteering on a cargo boat converted to a hospital ship, “L'île de Lumière/Island of Light”. Its mission was to assist Vietnamese ‘boat people’/refugees fleeing Viêt Nam. My eyes and heart opened wide that summer. I had never witnessed so much suffering.That summer was a turning point in my life.

Thich Nhat Hanh/Thay wrote the poem below, ‘Please call me by my true names’ in 1976 to help him process his feelings after receiving a letter about a 12 year old Vietnamese girl who was raped on an escaping boat by a Thai “pirate”. She then threw herself overboard to die.

Thich Nhat Hanh shares his thoughts here: Thay’s Poetry / Please Call Me by My True Names (song & poem) | Plum Village :

“When you first learn of something like that, you get angry at the pirate. You naturally take the side of the girl. As you look more deeply you will see it differently. If you take the side of the little girl, then it is easy. You only have to take a gun and shoot the pirate. But we can’t do that. In my meditation, I saw that if I had been born in the village of the pirate and raised in the same conditions as he was, I would now be the pirate. There is a great likelihood that I would become a pirate. I can’t condemn myself so easily. In my meditation, I saw that many babies are born along the Gulf of Siam, hundreds every day, and if we educators, social workers, politicians, and others do not do something about the situation, in twenty-five years a number of them will become sea pirates. That is certain. If you or I were born today in those fishing villages, we might become sea pirates in twenty-five years. If you take a gun and shoot the pirate, you shoot all of us, because all of us are to some extent responsible for this state of affairs.

This Monday at sangha Annie will guide us in a meditation, and Rachel will share a dharma talk on the comparing mind. She shares:

Dear friends,

Most of us have found ourselves in the position where we compare ourselves to others. When I’ve noticed this behavior in myself, it can lead to feelings of shame because it means for that moment I have either a superiority or inferiority complex, depending on the situation. The comparing mind, or mana, is addressed by Sebene Selasse in You Belong: A Call for Connection. Sebene explains that mana is simply human and that it is essentially impossible not to compare ourselves to others. She writes:

Think about it: if you are in a public place (public space includes social media) and observing people, are you not “reading” everyone around you? It might not even be negative: you are simply taking in all the data about someone based on their perceived gender, race / ethnicity, class, accent, size, or other “social location.” You look at their clothes, accessories, vehicles, and contents of their shopping cart. If it’s online, you examine their follower count, posts, and likes. Then all of this information is processed through past experiences of similar people. You then make an evaluation of who they are and also who they are in relation to you: Are they popular? Are they woke? Is she prettier? Are they racist? Is he successful? Are they smarter? Is that someone I would hang out with? Is that post funny? Is it sexist? Typically, we measure on some socially subscribed scale, but we are indeed measuring. This puts everything into the dynamic of domination…

Dear Friends,

Please join us Monday evening when we will recite the Five Mindfulness Trainings. Our focus this month is on the Fourth Mindfulness Training -- Loving Speech and Deep Listening.

One of our Dharma guidelines focuses on intent versus impact. It reads: "Understand what we intend to say and how it is received (impact) may be different."

As we speak with intention, we feel the words form in the body by way of the mind and become a sound. This sound lands on the ears of the audience and is received by the mind, the body; responses form, reactions occur, feelings, memories, unconscious, subconscious and sometimes even conscious. More utterances, more receiving.

It is all happening so fast, and how do we slow it down so we are aware of the intent of the words, and phrases, and aware of the consequences, the impact? We will make mistakes, say the wrong thing, want to take it back, apologize, try again. And words will flow beautifully and change another's life. We speak with intention and our words are impactful…

On Monday, Magda will guide us to practice the Five Touchings of The Earth, a guided meditation to contemplate what has been transmitted to us by our blood and spiritual ancestors. Participants will be able to participate in their chair if they prefer.

Magda will also read some excerpts from Thich Nhat Hanh’s book Love Letter to The Earth. Magda shares,

TALKING TO THE EARTH

HONORING AND FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF CREATURES

Throughout history people have apprenticed themselves to particular earth creatures, mimicking their calls and intricate movements. They often honored these creatures in the form of song and dance.

INCANTATORY ORAL EXPRESSION

Human vocal communication may have begun with attempts to imitate the singing of birds. But at some point, perhaps, we forgot how we are indebted to nature- how, for instance, without air we would not be able to speak. We have also forgotten that human utterances are just one form of expression among many in the natural world.

In Becoming Animal, David Abram writes that humans increasingly neglect the invocational use of oral expression as a way of bringing ourselves into deep rapport with the beings around us, and of calling the living land into resonance with us. Entranced by the denotative power of words to define, order and represent, we overlook the songful dimension of language, the rhythmic, melodic layer of speech by which other earthly creatures overhear us.

One of the aspects of the practice that I’ve missed, over the Covid months and years, is singing together as a sangha. Creating music together - or just listening - felt soooooo good! I’ve adapted, as have we all, in different ways, from early morning chanting with Melina Bondy (all are invited - learn more here), to singing songs to myself throughout the day, to creating playlists of music from different traditions, and this has been wonderful.

And, something in me still yearns to share music in community. So, this week I’d like to try an experiment: let’s share music that supports our practice.