This podcast series is aimed at helping us to transcend our fear and anger so that we can be more engaged in the world in a way that develops love and compassion.
Thich Nhat Hanhβs calligraphy βThe Way Out Is Inβ highlights that the way out of any difficulty is to look deeply within, gain insights and then put them into practice.
"The Way Out is In" is co-hosted by Brother Phap Huu, Thich Nhat Hanh's personal attendant for 17 years and the abbot of Plum Village's Upper Hamlet, and Jo Confino, who works at the intersection of personal transformation and systems change.
The podcast is co-produced by the Plum Village App and Global Optimism, with support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation.
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Welcome to episode 73 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanhβs deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives.
Nobody escapes pain, but, for most people, knowing how to handle it remains a mystery. Thatβs why, in this installment, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino discuss ways to cope with painful feelings, both individually and collectively. The two presenters talk about the Buddhist practices of being with pain, and how to handle it, be aware of it, and understand it, in order to start transforming it.Β
The conversation touches upon personal stories of transformation, including snippets from Thich Nhat Hanhβs life; the general fear of being with our suffering; the ability to touch joy in daily life; deep happiness; accessing the wisdom in ourselves; eight practical stages for dealing with our pain, based on Buddhist practices; and much more.Β
The episode ends with a short meditation guided by Brother Phap Huu.
βI think pain is a universal thread that connects all of us human beings, because it is inevitable that each and every one of us experience pain, whether it is physical or emotional. And part of the Buddhaβs journey of spiritual investigation was how he could touch deep freedom and deep awakening.β
βWhen we are taking care of our happiness, we are also taking care of our pain and our suffering. And these emotions coexist. They are like light and darkness, up and down; like all opposites. These two fundamental elements ofΒ life are very important ingredient of spirituality.βΒ
βIf we know how to look deeply into suffering, we will know how to suffer.β
βIn kindness thereβs patience.β
βUnderstanding pain and suffering is a very important element of spiritual growth.βΒ
βSomeone like Thay, who experienced war, would never take a peaceful day for granted. And that became a root of his insight; he went through so much suffering, so much despair, so much killing, that the peace he was able to experience in 24 hours was the greatest gift.βΒ
βWhen we can touch our own pain and our own suffering, that is already mindfulness: just knowing that we suffer.βΒ
βThe path is to be with our suffering in order to generate happiness.βΒ
βAs a practitioner, we have to remember to nourish an important element in our daily life: the ability to experience joy in the present moment. And then recognize that happiness in the present moment.β
βYou are more than your emotions.β
βDonβt think about your breath; feel your breath. Donβt think about your body; feel your body.βΒ
βEach moment is creating a new past. Each moment is creating a new future.β
Finding a Spiritual Path (Episode #72)
Thursday, August 1, 2024 β’ Duration 01:20:43
Welcome to episode 72 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanhβs deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives.
In this installment, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino discuss finding a spiritual path and the conditions that need to exist for someone to feel at home with a spiritual practice. And what is it to find a spiritual practice and truly rest in it and develop it over time? How do we know if weβve found a practice that works for us, and what is it to go deeply into one way of seeing the world?
The conversation touches upon many other ideas and topics such as bringing the sacred into the everyday; to be in service to the past and/or the future; Buddhist practices for people from different religious backgrounds; Dharma sharing and trust; and many more.
Brother Phap Huu also shares stories of many spiritual paths that are being told at the current Plum Village retreat.
The episode ends with a short meditation guided by Brother Phap Huu.
Welcome to episode 63 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanhβs deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives.
In this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino explore βshining lightβ. This deep-looking practice, established in the Plum Village community, allows monastics to share and receive feedback, so that they can learn and grow together, and better understand each other.
Fresh from a shining light session, Brother Phap Huu offers insights into the practice and its evolution over the years, while Jo brings insights from feedback systems in the lay communities. Their conversation touches upon radical transparency, power dynamics, generating joy and happiness in the sangha, the practice of gratitude, the importance of language in the process of growth, bringing this shining light into the everyday, and much more.Β
The Heart of Meditation β Part Two (Episode #62)
Thursday, January 4, 2024 β’ Duration 01:59:02
Welcome to episode 62 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanhβs deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives.
In this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino continue their discussion with Sister True Dedication (Sister Hien Nghiem) about the 16 exercises of mindful breathing which are at the heart of the teachings offered by Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village community.Β
This episode, the second of a two-part special, explains and breaks down the practice of breathing exercises nine to 16. It includes the exercisesβ traditional texts, revised versions, and variations and adaptations, with extensive explanations given by the two monastics about how to apply each to our daily lives. The first eight exercises are also briefly recapped, along with a description of the Three Doors of Liberation.
Also, where do the 16 exercises come from? How do we gladden the mind? What is true strength? What about authenticity? Why is it important to name the mental formations? What does liberation feel like? And how do we integrate the 16 exercises into a busy life? These and many other questions are answered in this installment of the podcast.
The Heart of Meditation β Part One (Episode #61)
Thursday, December 28, 2023 β’ Duration 01:55:20
Welcome to episode 61 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanhβs deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives.
In this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino are again joined by frequent guest Sister True Dedication (Sister Hien Nghiem). Together, they discuss the sixteen exercises of mindful breathing which are at the heart of the teachings offered by Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village community.
This episode, the first of a two-part special, explains and breaks down the practice of breathing exercises one to eight. It includes the exercisesβ traditional texts, revised versions (plus the reasons for their revision), and variations and adaptations, with extensive explanations given by the two monastics about how to apply each one to our daily lives.Β
In addition, stories are shared about Thich Nhat Hanh practicing meditation, as well as the concrete steps taken and challenges faced over time by both Brother Phap Huu and Sister True Dedication.Β
And why is sitting meditation the hardest practice? Is it essential to meditate in order to be a good practitioner of mindfulness? How can one ease oneself into attention? What difference does paying attention to our breathing actually make? These and many other questions are answered in this installment of the podcast.
32 Words to Create Harmonious Relationships (Episode #60)
Thursday, December 14, 2023 β’ Duration 01:30:48
Welcome to episode 60 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanhβs deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives.
In this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach and journalist Jo Confino share 32 words from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh that can make your relationships deal with suffering and create happiness. The Four Mantras, Thayβs beloved teachings, are intended to help create healthy relationships by allowing conversations and enabling people to be truly present for each other.Β
The discussion touches upon generating presence; setting up intentional practices; being a refuge for people; building two-way communication; calligraphy as a way βto change the energyβ; and so much more.
Brother Phap Huu shares the origins of mantras and helps introduce each mantra with practical tips, real stories from his life and from the monastic community, as well as unheard (yet!) insights from Thayβs practice and creation of the mantras. And can you guess which is Thayβs favorite mantra?Β
Jo brings his lay perspective on the mantras and their application in life. A couple of new mantras are discussed, too, but youβd better dive in for some pure essence of Buddhist wisdom.Β
The episode ends with a mindful recap of the mantras discussed.Β
Transforming Generational Suffering and Hatred (Episode #59)
Monday, November 20, 2023 β’ Duration 01:29:03
Welcome to episode 59 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanhβs deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives.
In this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach and journalist Jo Confino discuss conflicts in our world. They focus on the war in the Middle East, through the prism of Thich Nhat Hanhβs teachings, which remain so relevant in the current moment.Β
Exploring Thich Nhat Hanhβs teachings in relation to conflict, pain, and the path to peace, the presenters investigate ways to not take sides during a conflict, and how Thay managed this during the Vietnam War; deep listening, holding space, and transforming the conflict in us; keeping communities together; cultivating nondiscrimination; walking the path of love and understanding in times of war; and gratitude.Β
Brother Phap Huu further shares around Thayβs legacy of dealing with conflict and the joint retreats he organized for Palestinians and Israelis in Plum Village; ways to show love for humanity; right action and enabling healing in the present moment; the importance of small acts of kindness; our own true presence of peace and nondiscrimination.Β
Jo also opens up about what it feels like to go through a βperiod of deconstructionβ; being the child of refugees and the deep connection this can create to generational trauma; dealing with the tensions created in organizations by global conflicts; and fear, and how to not be consumed by despair, but, instead, how to feel it in order to transform it.
The episode ends with offerings of gratitude and a short meditation guided by Brother Phap Huu.Β
Thursday, September 28, 2023 β’ Duration 01:11:55
Welcome to episode 58 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanhβs deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives.
In this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach and journalist Jo Confino talk about healing the body. Brother Phap Huu is back in Plum Village, five weeks after undergoing surgery on one of his knees, ready to discuss dealing with ill health after 21 years as a practitioner of mindfulness. How can we accept what is going on in our bodies but also heal and be present?Β Β
The conversation touches upon many relevant topics, such asdeep endurance of pain and suffering;being mindful of your body and coming home to it; recognizing βthe fearβ; Thich Nhat Hanhβs journey of being in hospital and dealing with health issues (as recalled by his attendants); accepting the present moment; learning to be teachers; impermanence; and more.
Mindful Activism: From Anxiety to Agency (Episode #57)
Thursday, September 14, 2023 β’ Duration 02:02:41
Welcome to episode 57 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanhβs deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives.
In this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach and journalist Jo Confino are joined by Clover Hogan, climate activist and founder of the Force of Nature NGO. Together, they discuss activism in times of emerging polycrisis, dealing with growing anxiety, empowering young activists, and turning despair into fuel for change in the climate movement (and beyond) β at both collective and individual levels.Β
Clover Hogan is a 24-year-old climate activist, researcher on eco-anxiety, and the founding Executive Director of Force of Nature β a youth non-profit mobilizing mindsets for climate action. She has worked alongside the worldβs leading authorities on sustainability, consulted in the boardrooms of Fortune 50 companies, and helped students in more than 50 countries take action. Clover has taken the stage alongside global change-makers such as Jane Goodall and Vandana Shiva, and interviewed the 14th Dalai Lama, while her TED Talk has been viewed almost two million times.Β
In addition, Clover shares about her first retreats in Plum Village (and why it is her favorite place on Earth) and how Thayβs teachings have impacted her activism; the pressure, as a teen activist, βto be optimistic and determinedβ; stepping out of her βbubble of climate privilegeβ; avenues to creating a regenerative organizational culture; the collective consciousness of the youth movement; lessons learnt from running Force of Nature; fear, disillusionment, and despair in the climate movement; working with intentionality; old practices for new activism; why a spiritual practice is essential; and much more.Β
Caring for Children, Caring for the Child Inside (Episode #56)
Thursday, August 24, 2023 β’ Duration 01:36:18
Welcome to episode 56 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanhβs deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives.
In this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach and journalist Jo Confino talk about the annual family retreats at Plum Village (the one time when families visit with their children): how they came about, and how the dharma can touch the lives of children and teenagers. The presenters share their unique experiences of these retreats, and stories of transformation involving parents and children, including ones featuring Thich Nhat Hanh and his deep teachings and special understanding of the youngest practitioners.Β
Going deeper, the conversation delves into ways to remain compassionate and continue to listen deeply when dealing with a child; collective energy and co-creating an environment for children; the insight of nondiscrimination; the art of slowing down and being present for your children; authority and separation; the fourteen mindfulness trainings; and more.Β
Plus, why do people bring their families to a Zen monastery in the south of France? Are mindful practitioners better parents?
Brother Phap Huu further shares how the retreats are run, some popular mindfulness practices, and how monastics work with different age groups. Jo talks about generational pain and the importance of deepening our relationship with our children, at any age.
The episode ends with βPracticing with the Five-Year-old in Me and in My Parentsβ, a recording of a meditation guided by Thich Nhat Hanh.
βTo find a practice, a spiritual practice, Thay says thatβs a treasure in life. And this is why we always have to practice gratitude. Iβm very grateful every day that I have a community, I have a practice, and that Iβm still part of the practice.β
βWhen we say βI take refuge in the Buddhaβ, it means βI take refuge in the seed of awakening inside of meβ.β
βWhat I like about Plum Village is that there are very strong guidelines about sharing: to deeply listen with love; to speak only from the heart; not to cross-talk or answer back. And not to give people advice, but just be present for them, to offer a safe space into which they can pour their pain and let it be released but not to have to justify it, not have to answer questions about it β just know that people are present for them.βΒ
βBuddhist practices are not in conflict with any religion; they actually coexist alongside very beautifully.βΒ
βWhen we lose our sense of being, we donβt touch interbeing, which is the deep connection that comes from us all being interrelated.β
βBuddha means awakening.β
βWhen we donβt know how to take care of our pain, we go and consume. We are ready to create more pain for other people, because we donβt know how to cope with our pain. We donβt know how to transform our pain.βΒ
βWe donβt have the ability to sit with nothing, to sit with the sense of pain in us. Or, sometimes, we donβt have the ability to be there and do nothing.βΒ
βDonβt just do something, sit there.β
βFor those who would really like to be Buddhist, they can be Buddhist. And those who would like to keep their tradition but also be Buddhist and practice mindfulness, go ahead.β
βThe first wing of meditation: stop. Know what you have. Check in. Where are you in your life?β
βThis idea that when you practice, you donβt suffer; we have to review that idea. We have to give a new language to that.βΒ
βSometimes, joy and happiness can coexist at the same time as suffering.β
βMy mantra has been, βThere are other wonderful human beings on this Earth.β And we can even coexist also with humans who are not awakened and who have very dangerous and dogmatic views β to reawaken the seeds of goodness that are available in the present moment.β
βMeditation on offering guidance. Lord Buddha and teachers over many generations, today we have a chance to practice offering guidance to our brothers, sisters, and friends. We know that in spirit, we are all part of one sangha, that our flesh and bones are also part of one sangha. Therefore, we are aware that offering guidance to another is offering guidance to ourselves. We vow to use all of our love and understanding in order to practice offering guidance. We promise that every word we speak will come from the good intention of wanting to have a correct view about the person to whom guidance is being offered. We vow not to let our anger, sadness, and prejudice wrongly influence our opinion. We promise that every word we speak will come from love, because offering guidance to one is also offering guidance to many. We are aware that this practice will offer benefits to each of us. Dear Buddha and ancestral teachers, please support us in our wholehearted effort to successfully offer guidance today.βΒ
βThe essence of this [practice] lies in real friendship or in real relationships. According to my understanding and experience of relationships, they require the time and space to acknowledge the flowers, as well as to support one another when we see a particular negative habit or tendency. This may be a viewpoint, or a recurring action. And if you donβt fix it, or if you donβt support the other person to change it, it will grow.β
βWhen you hear something as simple as, βWhen you smile, brother, you make the whole room smileβ, thatβs a wonderful quality [to be told that you have]. I received this [complement] when I was a young novice. And Iβd never experienced that before: being acknowledged for a simple action that can help brighten the room. And that became one of the threads in the fabric of who I am, and I always remember that [complement] when I smile. So shining light can water the seed that helps the wonderful characteristics of a human being grow and develop.βΒ
ββWhat is going on in my mind?β This phrase is a mental formation. And, especially in our tradition of Buddhism, we love this term βformationβ; it means that everything is made of everything, is composite. Even our happiness, our sorrow, or our depression is made of lots and lots of different elements. There are many threads to them, and that insight, simply the word βformationβ, can help us to not be so scared or overwhelmed by our feelings. Thereβs an inquiry here, an investigation: βWhat is going on in my mind? What has come to be, what has formed in my mind at this moment?ββ
βIn terms of Buddhist psychology, because our mind has different layers and different depths, we can be carrying a feeling in it without knowing that weβre carrying it. And I would say my loneliness is a feeling. Itβs partly in the body, but largely in the mind, because of the way my mind processes my daily life. So, unconsciously, Iβm processing my daily life, and perhaps even without words, non-verbally, Iβm experiencing all sorts of moments as lonely moments. So Iβm feeding the seed of loneliness in myself, without even knowing it.β
βA lot of people feel power in their negative mental formations. If weβre angry or jealous, or whatever the feeling is, sometimes we feel that gives us power. And gladdening the mind at that point feels like disloyalty to our negative feelings. So it feels like a rebellious act to have a strong negative feeling and then to gladden oneβs mind, or bring happiness at that moment when, actually, we often want to feel righteous; we want to believe that that negative feeling is who we are and is justified.β
βHow we cultivate our mind shapes how we interact with the world. So if we have an evil thought, that evil thought can become our speech, can become our action. But if we have a kind thought, that would then become our kind action, our kind speech, our kind attitude.β
βThanks to impermanence, everything is possible.β
βYou are much more than your emotions. Never die because of one emotion.βΒ
βWe may feel completely stuck in the depths of the ocean of our despair and depression, but thanks to impermanence a day will come when that depression will no longer be there. That depression is surviving because it has sources of food. That depression is a mental formation. It is composed of different threads and by identifying the threads that are feeding it, one by one, we can dissolve it. We can find a way through.β
βThe future is not known to us, because of impermanence. And thatβs good news.βΒ
βOne of Thayβs simple teachings is to contemplate the friend or loved one that we are angry with. And in that moment of anger, ask yourself, βWhere will they and I be 200 years from now?β Apply this very simple lens of impermanence, this concentration of impermanence, even in the moment of great fury β because weβre often angry at the people that we love the most because we think, βHow dare they be the ones that hurt us?β And then Thay would say, βYou realize right away that they will be dust. I will be dust. But in this moment, weβre both alive.β And if we really touch the fruit of that insight, then all we want to do is hug that person and cherish the fact that, βWow, in this moment we are both still alive in this human form. How wonderful that we can hug.ββ
βGoing through these exercises, if we found that we were sitting with a specific anger towards a specific person, applying the practice of impermanence can really help us to hold that anger. Throw it away, choose to free yourself from it, and just get on with your life. Thatβs a wonderful aspect of our teaching, and of Zen: to sometimes just cross to the other side of the road and keep going. We donβt need to penetrate every aspect of why we were angry or, βDoes the other person need to do this or that?β Choose a different channel and just proceed; let it go, leave it behind. Set yourself free. Donβt make too much fuss. Move on. Life is new in this moment. Celebrate it. Embrace it. Go forward.βΒ
βA little bit of growth can seem like a good idea. But now itβs become this terrible systemic mechanism thatβs destroying our planet. And thatβs the absolute hook. So you have to reel back. But in these [16 breathing] exercises weβre starting with ourselves, our own bodies, and our own wrong perceptions about what we think we need to be happy.β
βMonastics of 15 or 20 years of meditation might spend 30 minutes only on those first four exercises. So, listen to yourself. And one reason itβs lovely to master these 16 exercises of mindful breathing is that we then have our own internal guided meditation to follow. Because when we listen to a recorded guided meditation, weβre following the pace of the person giving the guidance. The idea with these 16 is that theyβre yours; theyβre yours to keep and take to heart. Theyβre yours to play with, to experiment with, and to take as long as you need for each step, and to feel listened to and really respond to your own body and mind.β
βGladdening our mind is exactly that: a declaration of freedom around the mental formation, around our feelings. Itβs like, βI have the freedom to choose, here. My anger is a seed that has manifested as a formation in my mind consciousness. But I am more than that.β So we trust in something, we have faith. We are claiming freedom by gladdening our mind, like, βI am angry and I have the right to take five breaths in peace and freedom because my anger isnβt all I am in this moment.β So I think thatβs a great affirmation and freedom. And itβs not bypassing, itβs not escaping.βΒ
βThe breath is the rope that brings our mind and our concentration back to the present.β
βEspecially when we look at suffering, it can be very tempting to go down a dark hole and get lost in it. So sometimes we have to remember that we are alive right now; weβre present, breathing. And then, when you have this wonderful habit of knowing how to come back to the body and come back to the present, you can apply this in meetings, gatherings, and big crowds, or when youβre very lonely. So it becomes your friend; itβs a companion for life.βΒ
βFrom a more Western background, thereβs a goal we need to meet and then weβre done. And I think that has also been applied to meditation, mindfulness, or spirituality: we think that there is one aim and if we practice for this long, then we will feel successful and accomplished, and then weβre finished.But Thay didnβt stop practicing, even after being named a Zen Master. The Buddha himself never stopped practicing, even after his enlightenment. So we have to change our view of meditation, to see and understand it as a path of practice. And each step, each breath is a journey, is a continuation. And we will grow in our own understanding of the breath.β
βOur practice is also learning to befriend the breath, and seeing that the breath is our spiritual foundation, our spiritual home. And itβs mobile, because wherever we go, that breath is with us.βΒ
βMeditation in the sitting position offers a combination of stillness, alertness, and deep calm, and then deep looking can arise from that stopping and that stillness. And so, each of us may have to be quite creative to find the moment when we can have real stillness.β
βMeditation is not a fixed point in time or a fixed place; itβs a way to see the world.β
βIn our deepest tradition, we learn thereβs nothing to attain. There are fruits that may ripen, which we will get to in the later steps of these 16 exercises of mindful breathing, but ultimately there is no goal.β
βIt was very important to Thay to bring meditation out of the meditation hall and to integrate it into our daily life; for it to be accessible to everyone. So there is a doorway, a pathway to touch peace and stillness in our day. We donβt need to be in a temple; we donβt need to be in a formal setting in front of an altar. But, even at home, that stillness, peace, and presence is available to us. And the doorway which allows each of us to reach it is the breathing and the simplicity around that moment. And thatβs where we really have this direct authenticity of Zen, which is there in the present moment, whatever it contains.β
βThere is no such thing as sitting for peace. We will sit in peace.β
βSitting meditation is a cultivation of true presence; a practice of learning to be there for yourself.β
βIn the sutra on the full awareness of breathing, the Buddha shows us how to transform our fear, despair, anger, and craving. I was so happy the day I discovered this sutra. I thought I had discovered the greatest treasure in the world. Before, Iβd been content to simply gain knowledge, but I didnβt know how to enjoy the present moment, how to look deeply into my life, and how to enjoy the positive conditions that were all around me. This sutra is so basic and so wonderful. There are many great sutras, but approaching them without this one is like trying to reach the top of a mountain without a path to follow.β
βBy being with our breathing and our breath, weβre opening up doors of experience that are not normally available to us in our daily life, especially in the West, where the particular paradigm we live in excludes other modes of perception and ways of being in an embodied, interrelated way in the world. And so, by establishing ourselves in the body β by opening up the door of our body, by opening up the door of our senses β we start to experience the embodied mind.β
βWith this practice of mindful breathing, weβre establishing a real quality of presence and perception around ways of being in touch with ourselves in the present moment.βΒ
βTo be a little bit more flexible and allow myself space to grow in the meditation is also very important, in the body as well as in the breath.βΒ
βOne of the challenges with meditation is that our own ideas about it get in the way of doing it successfully, of having a fruitful time. Weβre so convinced that thereβs something to do, but that weβre doing it wrong, that we donβt allow ourselves to be as we are. And itβs simply the quality of our presence that is the meditation that is embracing, allowing us to be in the present moment in a deeply attentive, curious way.β
βIt is a daily practice to live in such a way that we are awake to the joys in life. And itβs a training to actively identify them, and to balance that against our society telling us that we donβt have enough: βYou can only be happy when you have this, when you have that, when youβve done this or realized that.β And so this is using our breathing, quietness, and stillness to cultivate, to activate, and to generate a feeling of joy as weβre sitting on the cushion, and then a feeling of happiness that has a little more peace in it.β
βThay created these mantras, which are very practical; it sounds very simple, but if done with right mindfulness, it has such impact. The first mantra is the essence of the practice of mindfulness. When we practice mindfulness, it is to generate the energy of awareness, so that we can offer ourselves a presence and know what is going on inside of us and around us. And with that mindfulness, we are in control. We have the agency of the present moment.β
βWhen weβre close to someone, we take each other for granted. We stop noticing the little things. We stop noticing that what someone is doing is generous. That what someoneβs doing is making them happy. We just stop noticing.βΒ
βThe first Dharma seal of Plum Village is, βI have arrived, I am home.β What does it mean to arrive and be home? It is to say, βI am safe here. I can show up as myself and I know that I will be held.ββ
βWe forget how precious things are right in front of us, and we forget to be present for the ones we truly love. So the first mantra is, βI am here for you.β It is as simple as that. But in the word βpresentβ, when we want to give somebody a present, our natural tendency is to think about buying something, to consume in order to offer something that we feel will make them feel loved. And what weβve learned in true love is that to be loved is to be seen. To be loved is to be recognized, is to be heard.β
βThe real practice of true love, first and foremost, is learning to be there for one another.ββΒ
βThe way Thay poured tea, he was the freest person ever. So, in true presence, you are free because youβre not being distracted, youβre not being carried away, and you are just there for the person you love. And in our modern time, this is probably the most advanced training because we are so distracted, there is so much noise, there is so much information. And the seed of fear, anxiety, worries β even worrying for the goodness of life β can make us lose ourselves in the present moment.βΒ
βThe practice of mindfulness is to always shine that light [that says] that youβre not alone and that there is love around you. But if we do close our hearts, we will not be able to tap into the love and the support that is around us.βΒ
βOne time, walking with Thay, he stopped. It was in the evening. And Thay saw the full moon. And we took a very long pause and we just admired the moon. And in that admiration of the moon that is present is the practice, βI know you are there and I am very happy.ββΒ
βLove is understanding. Because that is true love, being there for our suffering. Because we all suffer, we have multiple sufferings. And if weβre truly there for our suffering and each otherβs suffering, how can that not be love?β
βWhen we have the insight of interbeing, if a person is going through a hard time, there is no way that we cannot be in touch with their suffering, because we are interconnected through a relationship. And so the practice is to have courage. It is to show up for those who suffer and say, βI know you suffer and Iβm here for you.β And βIβm here for youβ doesnβt mean I have the answer. βIβm here for youβ doesnβt mean Iβm going to save you, or that I have the solution. Itβs just, βI want you to know that I see you. I want you to know that I want to acknowledge what you are going through.β By showing up with this openness, if we do it with real presence and a true openness, without expectations and without creating the story of what will happen when I say that, but just showing up and sharing this, we may be able to allow that person to have the courage to also accept what they are going through.βΒ
βDo you want to be happy or do you want to be right?β
βI am here for you.β
βI know you are there, and I am very happy.βΒ
βI know you suffer. Therefore I am here for you.β
βI suffer. Please, help.β
βThis is a Happy Moment.β
βIn true love there is freedom.β
βYou are partially right.β
βI love you to not consume you. I love you to show you that you are enough.β
βThay went through the Vietnam War, or as it is known in Vietnam, the American War, and was constantly under pressure to take sides. And he refused to take sides and advocated for peace, knowing that violence does not end violence, that war does not end war, that killing does not end killing, and that all it creates is generational trauma.β
βThayβs foundation of action was peace, and his foundation of action came from true love and deep mindfulness. To be aware of the suffering, to listen to the suffering, and to look deeply at the suffering will be the way out of the suffering.βΒ
βWhat you can offer is your true presence of peace, your true presence of nondiscrimination, and your true presence of courage to show up where it is needed.βΒ
βThay did not take sides; he took nonviolence as the path and peace as the path. So the voice that we speak, that we use, the actions of body, speech, and mind, is to generate and cultivate peace inside, to bring peace around us.β
βThay always spoke about cultivating inner peace in order to touch true love inside, because love reminds us of our human nature, of our humanity. If there is love in us, there is love in others. If there is suffering in us, there is suffering in others. So these practices are to go deeper, to see the interbeing nature of all that is happening in the here and now.β
βWhen somebody kills somebody, they are also killing themself. Theyβre killing a part of humanity.β
βThay said, βIf you ask me what we want in Vietnam, we want the bombing to stop. We want the fighting to stop, the killing to stop, because only when we get it to stop can we start to listen deeply, to listen to the suffering that is happening and not be carried away by views and ideology that are probably not even true, that are probably based on greed and fear.ββΒ
βWe have learned that the quality of our actions really matter. If we want a world of care, then love and compassion has to be the fabric of every moment. What we do every day is of cosmic importance.βΒ
βWe need to make room for more than one truth.β
βStop the killing. Stop the bombing. Cease fire. I think that these are the main messages and calls for action that I am seeing across the world right now in protests. And this happened also during the Vietnam War. And this is also a way of showing love for humanity. And I feel that if we are taking actions to stop the killing, to stop the bombing, to cease fire, that is the course of right action. Like Thay said, βAs a monk, I am not to go down the path of being a politician. But where there is suffering, I need to shine my light.ββ
βSometimes, itβs powerful just to breathe together and acknowledge weβre all going through something.β
βIf we are to walk the path of peace, the peace has to be cultivated inside. So the way we show up has to be the peace.β
βAnger is not a bad thing. Anger is a bell of mindfulness, a feeling that we experience. But we need to invite peace to hold and embrace anger. Because if we walk with anger, that can lead to destruction. But anger is like a bell of mindfulness that tells us that this is not right, this is injustice. But we also have many other emotions and feelings that are more wholesome, which lead down the path of peace. So we have to invite those energies up to accompany anger and not let it be alone. And so the walk is also peace itself.β
βI remember Thay saying that he would walk so slowly that he created traffic jams in the march, but he was so committed to that because that was his voice. This is what peace is. Itβs to be the peace, the transformation inside.βΒ
βI have a lot of gratitude, because itβs the most important thing in times of pain or suffering or despair to have a light to see in that darkness.β
βNot all the darkness in the world can put out the light of a single candle.β
βPeople donβt dare to listen. That is the problem. They donβt have the capacity and the courage to transform their own suffering, to truly look at the discrimination that is present inside of them. And thatβs why meditation is so scary, for some, because you are learning to look at yourself and to really accept yourself. Acceptance is the first path of transformation. Once you accept that, thereβs transformation already in action.βΒ
βThere is a transmission through actions of kindness, of love and care, that we may not see the fruit of right away. And the fruit of it, for Thay, which he transmitted to us, was that every action counts and not to feel powerless. But every action that we can generate to offer to our loved ones, our community, our nation, the world, starts with each breath, each smile, each loving thought, each prayer, understanding, courage to hold, courage to speak, courage to shine the light. Where there is ignorance, you have to shine the light.β
βOnce the deep listening and loving speech happens on both sides, the heart starts to connect and the heart starts to open. Once the heart starts to open, once the heart connects, we have a bridge of communication.And therefore reconciliation is already happening, just by listening.βΒ
βWhat can I do? What I have to do in my current state is to transform the seed of discrimination in me, to transform the fear and the violence inside of me. That is my responsibility.β
βEven if you only have five minutes, that five minutes is for you to cultivate peace so that it contributes to the peace of the world. And if you live for ten years, it is your responsibility to cultivate peace for those ten years so that it starts to transmit that culture into our way of being. And however many years you have, that is your responsibility. That is your practice: transforming war, the wars that have not yet broken out.β
βIn Buddhism, dying is not just the moment when we breathe our last breath. Because dying β the βno birth, no deathβ β is the insight that thereβs always birth and thereβs always death in every moment. And thatβs why we are ever changing and recognizing that we have to learn to let go of everything we hold dear β even our health. Our true belongings are our actions of body, speech, and mind.β
βItβs the cultivation of the practice that allows you β in this difficult time [ill health], when thereβs so much energy in the opposite direction β to pull back and rest in that place.βΒ
βThe only moment we have in life is the present moment. The past will become a memory, will become lessons, will become a legacy. And the future is not yet here. So all we have is the present moment.β
βThe present moment always teaches us to accept, let go, and embrace and dance with what we have.β
Brother Phap Huu and Jo contribute leadership guidance from different perspectives; relevant stories from Thich Nhat Hanhβs own activism; teachings from Buddhism and Engaged Buddhism; advice about accessing the wisdom already inside us all; and mindful ways and practical tools for engaging with βthe other sideβ and showing up in a world in crisis β as an activist, but also in other roles.
βPlum Village is what I want the world to look like. [Experiencing] that was really profound, because I hadnβt found that in a place or in a community. It felt like a distant utopian vision and, frankly, trying to reintegrate back into the world was quite difficult. The place itself is a lesson in what the world can look like and how we can show up for one another.β
βOne of my favorite things about Plum Village is the deep ecology that supports the practice, and the feeling of interbeing and being interconnected with the abundance of life all around you. I never thought about the fact that, yes, the water in my cup of tea was once a cloud. Itβs a very humbling thought.βΒ
βOur practice in Plum Village is learning to reconnect to this simple action: weβre all creating a body, speech, and mind, and seeing its deep impact in the past, present, and future. And this is Engaged Buddhism.β
βAll the wisdom is inside people. Itβs not like Plum Village is here to give you wisdom. Plum Village is here to open up and share the wisdom it knows so that it can resonate like a tuning fork to oneβs own wisdom; itβs only when weβre quiet that we can listen to the quiet voice of our wisdom.βΒ
βIn that pit of grief, I realized that I couldnβt perform these mental gymnastics of βEverythingβs fineβ, βWeβre going to fix thisβ, βWeβre going to save the worldβ, that kind of savior complex. We canβt change everything. And I realized that the only way that I could actually travel through those feelings and not be swallowed by them whole was to talk about them. So I started talking about this terror about the future. And other young people, in particular, started coming forward and saying, βYeah, weβre feeling the same thing. Weβre terrified, and we also feel powerless and we feel a lot of despair in response to this widespread denial.β [Whereas,] people in positions of power, who have every resource and privilege at their disposal to take action in a big way, continue to greenwash and spend money on being seen to do the right thing rather than actually doing it. That has fueled a lot of despair and disillusionment in my generation.β
βA lot of young people feel really hopeless and, at the same time, a lot of people in positions of power are clinging on to this old system, this old way of being, which has created the climate crisis, which continues to perpetuate the climate crisis. This story of separation, this global economic system of extracting from nature, commodifying nature, exploiting people. Theyβre refusing, even as the climate crisis unfolds around us, to really wake up to it, and, critically, to hold space for the really heavy emotions that come with the realization of what weβve done and the communities and people that weβve chosen to sacrifice through our inaction.β
βSpiritual practice is not a nice-to-have, itβs essential. We canβt do this work without that foundation.β
βThe Buddha said, βMy teachings are not to be followed blindly. You have to come and taste it for yourself. You have to come and experience it for yourself.ββΒ
βLove is a verb, right? So we have to learn to generate that love: a seed that we all have, the beginnerβs mind, the mind of love.β
βAs a monk and as leaders and as parents, as friends, sometimes our teacher says all we have to do is touch the seed of wisdom in others. Allow them to touch the love that already exists in them: the ability to be kind, the skillfulness that they can cultivate inside. And sometimes itβs not by words, itβs by action, by how we show up, by how we are present for others. Because thatβs also education, thatβs also transmission.β
βWe think that by not saying anything, weβre not transmitting, but just by listening, youβre also transmitting space for the other person to see and hear themselves. And so, the power of presence is very real, and is not something that we have to wait 20 or 30 years to have; the wisdom of just one breath can be the thread to bring the mind home to the body, so that you can truly be there for yourself and for the ones around you. And by being present, you can offer so much space.β
βIn the wake of [spending time in] Plum Village and trying to maintain the practices as much as possible, I am working with a lot more intentionality. Iβm not saying yes to things from a place of scarcity or obligation; Iβm saying yes to things where I genuinely feel I can contribute in a meaningful way.β
βWe sometimes work with nine- and 10-year-olds who can very eloquently tell you why capitalism is a broken system. They can explain neoliberalism to you. They can explain why an LLC [limited liability company] shareholder model is not fit for purpose within business. These young people are so switched on, and, because they havenβt been around long enough to be indoctrinated into a lot of these systems, have the capacity to stand outside of them and to ask the question, βWhy?β Why do we have a globalized food system that is so disconnected, that exploits people? Why is it, when I go to the supermarket, everything is wrapped in plastic? Why is it that there are people experiencing homelessness in my street when there are entire apartment blocks going empty for investors? Why is it that weβve failed to solve the climate crisis?β
βAsking βWhy?β, and then following that up with βWhat if?β β like, βWhat if we did things differently?β Young people have that disruptive energy. And thatβs why they have been the beating heart of every social justice and environmental movement, whether itβs the civil rights movement or the suffragettes or the Stonewall uprising. And so, helping young people to tend to that passion and realize what a super power it is, thatβs how I can best show up.β
βBuddhism talks a lot about transforming suffering, and people think we only think about suffering. But that is a wrong perception. The balance and the nutriment that helps us is that we cultivate joy and happiness in our community. And this is real. And only by joy and happiness can we have enough well-being to take care of the loads of suffering.β
βTo say βnoβ can be a mantra. But βnoβ with intention, not of ignoring and avoiding; βnoβ when we know our limits, when we know, βIf I do more, Iβm just going to be angry and frustrated.ββ
βWhen suffering is there, the other energy that we need to bring is light, love, and joy.β
βInstead of trying to run away from those emotions, or allowing them to ferment into despair, how do we turn them into the fuel that motivates us? How do we think about those emotions as the compass that tells us where we should be focusing our energy?β
βBeing human isnβt some pursuit of just experiencing happiness, just experiencing joy. Your capacity to experience joy is a reflection of your capacity to experience suffering. And rather than trying to run away from those emotions, itβs about removing judgment from them.βΒ
βHow you are inside is what you create outside.β
βYou canβt swim in the same river as the same person, because weβre always changing.β
βNow that I reflect on my childhood, what were the gems in my upbringing? One that stands out very clearly is when my parents were in Plum Village, because somehow Plum Village energy and the creation of the space was developed together; everybody co-created the retreat and you got to be yourself. We werenβt competing to see who was more mindful, or who was going to become the Buddha first. Then everybody slowly un-layered all of the masks they were wearing, as well as starting to embrace and accept themselves. And that presence has a very deep impact on a child.β
βIt does take a community to help a child grow.β
βWhen the Buddha became enlightened, the first thing he did was to create a community. And I would even say that the Buddhaβs journey goes all the way back to the support of children.β
βEvery action that Thay produced through body, speech, and mind was a transmission.β
βThe baby may not understand the words, but they absorb the collective energy.βΒ
βBe mindful of your thoughts. Be mindful of your speech. Be mindful of your presence, because it gives off an invisible transmission, just like radio signals that one can receive.β
βWhat is the meaning of life? It is to be present enough that we can love, that we can see our interconnectedness with all those around us. Your parents, your brother, your sister: even though, sometimes, they make you angry, deep down inside, you do love them. And maybe our whole life journey is not to learn about that, but to live the message of love.β
βMoments of care, moments for being with others, are also time for oneself. And when you shift that narrative, your energy changes; suddenly, your love becomes boundless. You are channeling and practicing non-self and youβre also practicing selflessness. And that is one of the deepest wisdoms of Buddhism.β
βIβm holding this pebble, and if it represents a good deed and I throw it in the pond, where I know it will create ripples, then it seems that my good deeds will have a similar impact. So it is important to cultivate good deeds.β
βChildren are a wonderful bell of mindfulness, because they press all of our buttons. Because they often break the rules in a way that adults donβt with each other. They sometimes speak truths that are uncomfortable and that we donβt want to hear.βΒ
βUnless something is healed, it gets passed on, because the next child will witness that pain and soak it up. They either think itβs normal behavior, or they try to swallow it to take it away from their parents, because they want their parents to be happy. Thatβs their key wish: for their parents to be happy, not for themselves to be happy. When people recognize that their own healing also heals the past, thatβs a great motivator; theyβre actually healing the wound that was felt in their parents, their grandparents, or their great-grandparents. And then theyβre changing the future, especially for their own children.β
βThe heart of mindfulness is being in the present moment.βΒ
βWe heal the past in the present moment.β
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