Podcasts about full awareness

February 9, 2025 - Sunday PM Sermon   How Jesus Wants to Bless Your Family…  - Matthew 12:46-50   Faith to Withstand Life's Storms - (Matthew 7:24-27) Fun to Enjoy the Journey - (John 15:10-11) Friends to Live Alongside - (John 15:12-14) Focus on Others in Service - (Mark 10:42-45) Full Awareness of Life's Brevity - (Luke 12:19-20) Forgiveness - (Luke 17:1-4) Forever Family - (Matthew 12:46-50) Duration 36:49  

This week Dr. Burton and I talk about how where in the brain anxiety originates and how it manifests. We also talk about how you can rewire your brain to react differently to stress.  References: Alex Korb: Are You Fixing the Cause of Your Anxiety? -  https://www.facebook.com/reel/1298015597805908 Alex Korb Tedx Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjvgATBgjxM Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression - and the Unexpected Solutions by Johann Hari  Breathe, You Are Alive: The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathingby Thich Nhat Hanh Music by AudioLounge  - Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/audioloungemusic - Soundcloud: @audiolounge1 - Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/AudioInstrumentals - Twitter: @audio_lounge - Google+ goo.gl/toKclZ    Our email: mentalhealthpod21@gmail.com

Welcome to episode 61 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's 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 exercises’ 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. 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. 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.Enjoy. Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/ With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources Sister True Dedication https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sister-hien-nghiem/ Songs: ‘The 16 Exercises of Mindful Breathing'https://plumvillage.org/library/songs/the-16-exercises-of-mindful-breathingDharma Talks: ‘The Noble Eightfold Path' https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-noble-eightfold-path The Five Contemplations Before Eatinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjyQVYqr6-U Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing Breathe, You Are Alive!https://plumvillage.org/books/breathe-you-are-alive Mahayanahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana Jo-ann Rosenhttps://www.parallax.org/authors/jo-ann-rosen/ Sister Jinahttps://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sr-dieu-nghiem Dharma Talk: ‘Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing'https://www.parallax.org/mindfulnessbell/article/dharma-talk-sutra-on-the-full-awareness-of-breathing-2/ Quotes “From a more Western background, there’s a goal we need to meet and then we’re 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 we’re finished. But Thay didn't 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.” “Our practice is also learning to befriend the breath, and seeing that the breath is our spiritual foundation, our spiritual home. And it’s mobile, because wherever we go, that breath is with us.” “Meditation 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.” “Meditation is not a fixed point in time or a fixed place; it’s a way to see the world.” “In our deepest tradition, we learn there’s 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.” “It 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 don’t need to be in a temple; we don’t 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 that’s where we really have this direct authenticity of Zen, which is there in the present moment, whatever it contains.” “There is no such thing as sitting for peace. We will sit in peace.” “Sitting meditation is a cultivation of true presence; a practice of learning to be there for yourself.” “In 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, I’d been content to simply gain knowledge, but I didn’t 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.” “By being with our breathing and our breath, we’re 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 – by opening up the door of our body, by opening up the door of our senses – we start to experience the embodied mind.” “With this practice of mindful breathing, we’re establishing a real quality of presence and perception around ways of being in touch with ourselves in the present moment.” “To 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.” “One 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. We’re so convinced that there’s something to do, but that we’re doing it wrong, that we don’t allow ourselves to be as we are. And it’s 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.” “It is a daily practice to live in such a way that we are awake to the joys in life. And it’s a training to actively identify them, and to balance that against our society telling us that we don’t have enough: ‘You can only be happy when you have this, when you have that, when you’ve done this or realized that.' And so this is using our breathing, quietness, and stillness to cultivate, to activate, and to generate a feeling of joy as we’re sitting on the cushion, and then a feeling of happiness that has a little more peace in it.”

Famous Democrat ALMOST gets the Trump phenomena but her bigotry blocks a full awarenessDo you remember when 80 Canadian churches burned down over a 2-year period? You probably don't, as these fires were significantly underreported and misreported. Likewise, you probably have not heard about the Muslim immigrant doctor convicted of planning ISIS attacks in the US and an official in Finland who is on trial for reading from the Bible. In today's episode, we delve into the concept of 'blessed hate,' which represents hate endorsed by the Party, as evidenced by events like these.What does God's Word say? Matthew 5:11-1311 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.Episode 1,063 Links:It was all a HOAX: Over 80 Canadian Christian Churches burned down over a two-year media lie…Muslim immigrant doctor working at Mayo Clinic convicted of planning ISIS attacks inside US…Chat GPT will make fun of Jesus but not Muhammad“God Is Being Abandoned”: Christian Official Faces Hate Speech Trial for Quoting the BiblePro-life rescuers immediately incarcerated following jury's guilty verdict in DC FACE Act trialPolice have confirmed the fire at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Salem this morning was arson. They arrested 48-year-old Billy Sweeten on first-degree arson charges. He was taken to the Marion County Jail. Police have not released a motive:"We are cheating history every single day. The only way back is for regular people to engage."@open_the_books CEO @everydimeonline says democracies historically last about 200 years before they waste, exhaust and murder themselves. Andrzejewski, said, however, that transparency revolutionizes U.S. public policy. He urged Americans to hold their elected officials accountable to help the United States cheat historyGaetz responds to McCarthy pretending Congress is getting it doneNEW: Chicago residents lose their minds as illegal immigrants continue to take over their city. 4Patriots https://4patriots.com Protect your family with Food kits, solar generators and more at 4Patriots. Use code TODD for 10% off your first purchase. Alan's Soaps https://alanssoaps.com/TODD Use coupon code ‘TODD' to save an additional 10% off the bundle price. BiOptimizers https://magbreakthrough.com/todd Use promo code TODD for 10% off your order. Bonefrog https://bonefrog.us Enter promo code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your subscription. Bulwark Capital http://KnowYourRiskRadio.com Find out how Bulwark Capital Actively Manages risk. Call 866-779-RISK or visit KnowYourRiskRadio.com Patriot Mobile https://patriotmobile.com/herman Get free activation today with offer code HERMAN. Visit or call 878-PATRIOT. RuffGreens https://ruffgreens.com/todd Get your FREE Jumpstart Trial Bag of Ruff Greens, simply cover shipping. Visit or call 877-MYDOG-64. SOTA Weight Loss https://sotaweightloss.com SOTA Weight Loss is, say it with me now, STATE OF THE ART! Sound of Freedom https://angel.com/freedom Join the two million and see Sound of Freedom in theaters July 4th. GreenHaven Interactive https://greenhaveninteractive.com Digital Marketing including search engine optimization and website design.

(Te Moata Retreat Center)

(Te Moata Retreat Center)

(San Francisco Insight Meditation Community) The support and functionality of Clarity and Mindfulness

Inspired by our episode 55 with Daillen Culver, we have a forest bathing-inspired meditation. Find a peaceful, natural space and join us in this 8-minute practice where we'll help you fully embrace the present moment, connecting with nature as you would with a dear friend.During our guided meditation, we encourage you to engage all five senses – sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell – as you explore your surroundings. Whether you're drawn to a tree, a leaf, or even a spider web, allow yourself to become attuned to the life force around you. Remember that your breath connects you to the earth and the natural elements supporting us. So, take a deep breath, listen in, and let us guide you through this transformative experience.Support the showFollow @howthewiseonegrows and @hollyzajur on Instagram for more and check out more offerings online.Join the ~*Dream Team*~ and get a shout-out on our next episode as you help make dreams come true!Episode sponsored by Connect Wellness. Connect Wellness empowers people with tools to connect with themselves, others, and the present moment.Be wise-- sign up to be the first to know what's next!

“Mindfulness of breathing is the great vehicle used by buddhas to save beings who are drifting.” – Master Khương Tăng Hội Meditation Master Khương Tăng Hội, the first patriarch of Zen in Vietnam, was a great source of inspiration for our teacher Thầy to practice and develop Engaged Buddhism. In this talk by Sr. Hội Nghiêm (English translation by Sr. Lăng Nghiêm) on the master's Memorial Day, we learn how mindful breathing helps us to take care of our body and mind, to gradually let go of all afflictions and views that bind us. Practicing mindfulness in our daily life enables us to keep balance on our path of service. As our hearts become more free, our activism also gains a new, deeper dimension. Sources: Discourse on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness: https://plumvillage.org/library/sutras/discourse-on-the-four-establishments-of-mindfulness/ Discourse on the Full Awareness of Breathing: https://plumvillage.org/library/sutras/discourse-on-the-full-awareness-of-breathing/ Master Tăng Hội, book written by Thầy: https://plumvillage.org/books/master-tang-hoi/ To watch the talk in Vietnamese (xem pháp thoại tiếng việt): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh2Bvs9KcBs

“Mindfulness of breathing is the great vehicle used by buddhas to save beings who are drifting.” – Master Khương Tăng Hội Meditation Master Khương Tăng Hội, the first patriarch of Zen in Vietnam, was a great source of inspiration for our teacher Thầy to practice and develop Engaged Buddhism. In this talk by Sr. Hội Nghiêm (English translation by Sr. Lăng Nghiêm) on the master's Memorial Day, we learn how mindful breathing helps us to take care of our body and mind, to gradually let go of all afflictions and views that bind us. Practicing mindfulness in our daily life enables us to keep balance on our path of service. As our hearts become more free, our activism also gains a new, deeper dimension. Sources: Discourse on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness: https://plumvillage.org/library/sutras/discourse-on-the-four-establishments-of-mindfulness/ Discourse on the Full Awareness of Breathing: https://plumvillage.org/library/sutras/discourse-on-the-full-awareness-of-breathing/ Master Tăng Hội, book written by Thầy: https://plumvillage.org/books/master-tang-hoi/ To watch the talk in Vietnamese (xem pháp thoại tiếng việt): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh2Bvs9KcBs

  In this episode, I spoke to Jewish educator, author, podcaster, and life coach Shlomo Buxbaum. The author of "The Four Elements of an Empowered Life" shared pieces of advice from his journey migrating to the US and how he made a name for himself despite his tribulations.   He goes deep into the reasons why we feel certain things, act in certain ways, and how we can move forward with a more empowered outlook in life.   I hope you enjoy this episode! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review!   What You'll Learn From This Episode:   [6:03] Shlomo defines what it means to have a purpose in life [7:20] The moment Shlomo introduces how one may see their purpose in life and undervalue it [10:10] Debunking “quick self-development rituals” and learning to live with your incomplete missions in life [11:40] The moment Shlomo shares some inspirational words from his peers [12:55] What was the idea behind writing "The Four Elements of an Empowered Life"? [16:50] How do you view yourself and how attached are you to your life? [20:18] The part where Shlomo talks about his personal experience to his realizations in life [23:19] Is that what living an empowered life truly is? [27:30] Surrounding yourself with the right people who will uplift you in life [32:15] Understand the weight of your responsibilities to your community, to your family, and to yourself [36:40] What you can expect and apply from "The Four Elements of an Empowered Life"   EPIC Words of Shlomo Buxbaum :   “We can have one purpose at one point in our life and that becomes our whole world – but then we look at that life of ours and we say, ‘You know what, that's not me anymore', and then we look elsewhere and that becomes our mission. It's a beautiful process…”   “We go through dry spells in our life. They can last a short time, they can last a long time, with anything… I think that the key is to not remain stagnant, but also to realize that you need to give yourself that grace.”   “When your heart is broken, it opens a certain amount of depth to receive and to give.”   “The primary way that we identify ourselves is bigger than all of the tasks, bigger than anything we're attached to… Ultimately, ‘what am I?' I am something that is so much bigger than all of this, and because of that, I can take a step out and look at it from almost this high level place…”   “Even when you're in a dark place, you'll understand that this is really part of that beautiful picture.”   Join our community at www.facebook.com/groups/tribesmen.official and share your thoughts on this episode with other Tribesmen.   Chazak ve'Ematz!

Have you ever felt a sense of deep belonging to a group with a shared aspiration and way of living? Did you feel safe enough to entrust yourself in that group and flow together in the same direction? How can we “go as a river” in a way that brings happiness and helps realize our dream to serve? This talk in our 40 Years of Plum Village Retreat, “Now We Have a Path; We Have Nothing More to Fear”, is offered by our elder sister Định Nghiêm, who spent more than six years alongside of our teacher Thay (zen master Thich Nhat Hanh) after his strokes in 2014. Returning to Plum Village after an absence of several years, Sr Định Nghiêm conveys a deep warmth and understanding of Thay and the community in this intimate sharing. We hope you will be able to offer yourself the time and space to fully savor and enjoy this talk with us. Sr Định Nghiêm tells us that a drop of water may evaporate or lose its way, but if that drop of water can become part of the river, it will reach the ocean. The river of sangha, community that practices the way of non-violence and compassion, has been flowing for a long time. We may fear that by harmonizing with, by becoming one with the river we will lose our individuality and beauty. Yet when we look at the sangha around us and reflect on our experience in the sangha, we may see that it is watering our good seeds and helping bring out the best in each of us; that together, we are much stronger, more able to find healing and joy, to relieve the suffering around us and be of service to the world. With gentleness, skill, and warmth, Sr Định Nghiêm tells us the story of our own sangha river as it has widened and deepened, from Thay's youth, through the crucible of war and violent resistance, to the present day. We listen to a beautiful recording of a brother singing Thay’s poem “Recommendation”. Thay wrote this poem as a young monk in 1965 to offer guidance to the many students continuing his work in Vietnam, shortly before learning that he had been his exiled from his homeland Sr Định Nghiêm shares about the essence of Plum Village practice, Thay's great joy upon discovering such jewels as the “Discourse on the Full Awareness of Breathing”, and how to live happily in the sangha, “as a river”. She concludes by reminding us of all the favorable conditions we have inherited after so much struggle, and by singing the same deeply moving song she sang less than five months ago at Thay’s memorial service near Hue, Vietnam: “Chanson du Bonheur” Discourse on the Full Awareness of Breathing: https://plumvillage.org/library/sutras/discourse-on-the-full-awareness-of-breathing/ Thay’s poem “Recommendation”, with his description of its origins and meaning: https://plumvillage.org/articles/recommendation/

In 2008 Indie had been diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. She was told that she had as little as six months to live. She went to the doctor and discussed her lifestyle from what she ate to what she put on her skin. The later question created the aha moment, she did not know what she was putting on her skin but had found a purpose. If she survived the surgery and recovered she made it her mission to create change and empower other to live their healthiest life. That was when the idea of Indie Lee came to existence.Join us on this episode as Indie shares how she created her brand and skincare line that you may have seen in stores such as Nordstrom, Ulta Beauty, Sephora, and Neiman Marcus.

This week Dr. Burton and I give you ideas on where to start if you are interested in beginning a daily meditative practice. We also explain the health benefits and define what meditation is. Our email: mentalhealthpod21@gmail.com References: Loving Kindness: Ronald Seigel                             yoga nidra                            healthjourneys.com                            Breath You Are Alive: The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing, by Thick                                       Nhat Hanh                           Calm (meditative app)                           Headspace (meditative app)                           10% Happier (meditative app) Music by AudioLounge  - Facebook: www.facebook.com/audioloungemusic - Soundcloud: @audiolounge1 - Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/AudioInstrumentals - Twitter: @audio_lounge - Google+ goo.gl/toKclZ

All are welcome to join this program live on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:30 – 8:30 am ET in which participants are gently guided through Being Aware of Awareness meditation. This program provides an opportunity to be in community with others who will to find that place of no-place, that attention to our natural attentiveness, that innate, essential presence that can often be overlooked. Listen here to the recorded meditation. OR Come join us live awakening-together.org and discover what Being Aware of Awareness means for you, to you, as you. Excerpts read from Helen Hamilton's, Dissolving the Ego, CH 21, pp 96-99. Excerpts were also read from The Holy Spirit's Interpretation of the New Testament from Regina Dawn Akers. The excerpt was from NTI 2 Peter, Chapter 1. "It is time we speak of abundance, for you do not know what abundance is. As you reach for true abundance, you accept everything as you. In this, there can be nothing that is missing. Abundance is full awareness of your divine nature. Abundance cannot be defined in any other way. Abundance cannot be defined within the limits of the world, because abundance is unlimited and beyond all definitions."

Mindiverse Foundation https://mindiverse.foundation Live meditation sessions: https://live.mindiverse.foundation

Childhood abuse, trauma, and past missteps can complicate your emotional life and trigger feelings of negativity and helplessness during your adult years and have a profound effect on your relationships with others. Visit our website today and download your FREE copy and receive access to the Living an Empowered Life mental health support communityℹ️ https://suziesuttles.com/ This eBook was created to move you From Victim to Victor and help you live an empowered life beyond the abuse and depression of your past. This eBook might be the push you need to redirect yourself toward a more peaceful, happier existence. Are you a difference-maker, life changer, transformation specialist, or all-around empathic badass? If you turned your pain into purpose, I want to showcase your transformational service and you for 30-minute on the Beyond Abuse podcast! If you are interested in learning more, send a TEXT to 336-365-6952 for information. Book a complimentary 30-minute podcast interview for you to showcase your transformational service. Book your 30-minute interview here: https://calendly.com/suziesuttles/30-minute-podcast-interview-with-suzie ***60-minute Podcast Interviews are available for $55*** ✨ **Love offerings are greatly appreciated and accepted** CashApp $amotherztouchinc PayPal amotherztouchinc@gmail.com Venmo @amotherztouch Website www.amotherztouchinc.org ✨

This talk continues a review of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse, focusing on parts of the First Foundation, known as the Four Postures and the Contemplation of Daily Activities with Full Awareness.  There is further reference to what are called the Four Comprehensions: Worthy Goal, Suitable Means, Domain (the Four Foundations) and Non-Delusions; these […]

June 2021 invites the Ascended Heart into FULL AWARENESS! What is your VISION?  Ready to fully illuminate? Now is the time for us all to: Open your mind...more! Expand your vision...infinitely! Ignite your heart...universally! Heal the World...positively! Are you opening your mind to receive that anything is possible? Are you expanding your vision for yourself and our planet? Are you igniting your ascended presence? BEING the presence of the awakened, ascended heart is the awareness of JUNE. Stay the course! BE in your truth! Love your-self...more. Dare to dream big, and then dream bigger! JUNE IS... your mastery moment to say YES and LIVE as the highest vision of YOU. The "5 star generals" are activated. Ready to stand your ground and shine your light no matter what comes forward to try to stop you? Ready to link arms with other generals and say YES to love, expansion, and your highest potentiality? It is your time and you know how to do this..Join us for a lively show that is spot on support for this moment!    ➡ Avesa Breath Practitioner Training starts June 10 and it is FREE!   Registration at  https://namaste.yogaofselfascension.c...  ➡ June 19 Solstice Fire Ceremony Registration Page: https://namaste.yogaofselfascension.c...  ➡ For Articles, Messages from the Archangelic Realm, Ascension Updates, Homestudy Classes for your Mystical Journey & more! Click Below: ➡https://sriandkira.com/

(Gaia House)

An excerpt from the book of Henri Nouwen, Here and Now

This is a 82-minute dharma talk with Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh from Hanoi during the “Engaged Buddhism” retreat. This is the third talk on May 7, 2008 and the talk is offered in English.  Walking Meditation How can we enjoy walking? How can we use breathing? Every step is life. Every step is a miracle. Every step is healing. Every step is freedom.  We learn how to use this gatha with our walking - whether alone or in a group. Photo by Paul Davis Seven Factors of Awakening The Buddha taught of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment. Buddhism is about enlightenment and mindfulness is already enlightenment. Awareness of breathing is already enlightenment.   We explore mindfulness, joy, and ease. How does this link with the Four Noble Truths? Ill-being and well-being. Relaxation, lightness, and peace. We have methods for reducing stress. This is the path - The Path of Well Being. We have very concrete practices to assist.  For example, the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing. In this talk, we touch on several of the methods for breathing. This is a Noble Path. You don’t have to be a scholar, you simply need to be a practitioner. We have all experienced ill-being. How can we do this as practitioners?  Engaged Buddhism in Vietnam About 39-minutes into the talk, we turn back toward the history of engaged Buddhism. In the 1950s, Thay began writing about religious belief and society. In the mid-60s, we established the Order of Interbeing arising out of war and ideologies.  We can look at the precepts of the Order as a direct response. What is the teaching on views from the Buddha? To be free from views is a basic foundation of Buddhism. In 1965, I wrote the book Lotus in a Sea of Fire. The war in Vietnam was raging. Our enemies are not man, it is hate and violence. We needed more international support to hear us say we don’t want this war. The peace movement in Vietnam was the lotus. The book was released underground in Vietnam. Sister Chân Không was arrested for having the book. In 1964, we also establish the School for Youth and Social Service to focus on education, health, economics, and organization.  Thay shares of the creation of a new group for today’s youth - now known as Wake Up!  And there are also new courses coming from the Institute of Applied Buddhism. These are building upon these early days in Vietnam.  If you appreciate this teaching, please consider making a donation to support the ongoing efforts of the online monastery. Please make a note with your donation that it was because of this talk.

A true aspirant waits in the present moment for what the moment reveals to the aspirant about him- or herself. And since that is never-ending and always changing, so is the aspirant's interior life. You have more going on in you than can be described, but you must work to be fully here, fully open, in a conscious remembrance of the whole of yourself.

The Sangha is gathered together at Magnolia Grove Monastery in Batesville, Mississippi during the 2011 US Teaching Tour with the theme Cultivating the Mind of Love. This 88-minute dharma talk is from September 30, 2011 and both the audio and video are available with this post. We begin with a 23-minute teaching for the children present at the retreat. Of course, everyone can benefit and enjoy this teaching regardless of age. Thay shares a story of bringing a bag of popcorn, but not to pop, to the children at an Italian retreat. The seed of corn that becomes the plant of corn. And how we can nourish our father and mother. https://youtu.be/yHetqgMB8SM After the children leave, we continue with the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing. Yesterday we learned the first eight exercises of mindful breathing - the realm of bodyand the realm of feeling. Today we continue with realm of our mind. Mental formation. 9. Aware of mental formation What is “formation” - comes from samskara. Anything that is formed, is a formation. There are physical formations and mental formation. What are the mental formations? The good ones and the negative ones. Can we name our mental formations? Call it by it’s true name. Store and Mind consciousness. What are the characteristics of these? A teaching on seeds (bija) and how we can use our practice. What is our the ways that we suppress our negative mental formations? The most common is to consume. But what can we do instead? 10. Gladden the mental formation This is equivalent to the practice of Right  Diligence. There are four steps in this practice: First, not to give opportunity for the negative seeds to come up in the first place / in ourselves or in each other. What are the conditions we are creating around us? We should know how to consume. Second, if by chance a negative seed arises then try your best to help it go down as quickly as possible. This is the art of embracing the negative mental formation. We can invite a good seed to come up. Change the CD. Third, give the good seeds plenty of chances to come up. This is the art of flower watering. In ourselves and in the other person. Thay shares the story of the couple who came to Plum Village from the city of Bordeaux. The fourth aspect of the practice, of the good seed has manifested then keep it present as long as you can. If we can do this, then even more good seeds continue to grow. 11. Concentrating the mind / mental formation 12. Liberating the mind / mental formation When we are concentrated, we discover the nature of what is there. We can see the non-flower elements of the flower. Happiness is made of non-happiness elements. Mindfulness can bring concentration. Liberation is the fruit of concentration. There are many forms and teachings in cultivating concentration. What are some examples? There are three kinds of concentration found in every school of Buddhism: emptiness, sighlessness, and aimlessness. These are the Three Doors of Liberation. Insight arrives. Impermanence is another concentration. When we look into the family album, are we the same or different from the baby in the picture. The last four exercises of mindful breathing are about the objects of mind. Reality is not something outside of our mind — it is the object of our mind. These last four help with the practice to release and transform our suffering. 13. Contemplating Impermanence 14. Contemplating non-craving 15. Contemplating the ultimate (nirvana) 16. Contemplating letting go  The talk concludes with an overview and teaching of these last four exercises, particularly our objects of craving. Money, power, sex. The conditions of our happiness are already present and available. If you appreciate this teaching, please consider making a donation to support the ongoing efforts of the online monastery. Please make a note with your donation that it was because of this talk.

“I arise today through the strength of heaven; Light of sun, radiance of moon, splendor of fire, speed of lightning, swiftness of wind, depth of sea, stability of earth, firmness of rock. ~ Saint Patrick Your deepest roots are in nature.  No matter who you are, or what kind of life you lead, you remain irrevocably linked with the rest of creation. ~ Charles Cook Welcome to Day 6! Putting It All Together (Full awareness) Now that you have begun sharpening all your senses, (or at least the ones you are aware of) one by one, in a mindful way out in nature, it’s time to just step back and be aware of what just happened. You willingly chose to focus on one sense a day in nature, sight sound, smell, touch and taste in the present moment.  As this happens, whether you know it or not, you are practicing mindfulness. When we meditate, mindfulness isn’t about shutting thoughts out, but about being aware of them and strengthening your focus muscle. It has been said that trying to keep thoughts from coming into your head is like trying to hold a beach ball under water.  You can only do it for so long until it pops up to the surface again. Today when you’re outside take a minute being mindful of each of your five senses.  Take note of what you are observing with each of your individual senses, and in particular, how you feel about it and what it does to your emotions. As you walk or sit or even run, time yourself for one minute fully use only your eyes to observe everything you see, practicing what we learned on Day 1 – taking notes of shapes, sizes colors, patterns, shadows, hues and light… Then for the next sixty seconds use only your ears as much as possible. Stop and close your eyes to better zoom your hearing radar in on the sounds around you. Next use your nose and take in all the aromas, odors, fragrances and scents available to you at this moment. Then, move on to your sense of touch for a full minute.  Reach out, up, over or down and feel the nearest substance within your reach.  Try to describe in words what each object or substance feels like, texture, temperature, etc. And finally, try to taste the wind.  If you're up for it, find something safe and familiar to put between your teeth like a blade of grass or the stem of a dried weed.  Note the flavor.  Maybe it tastes like "chicken".  (Doesn't everything?)  Maybe it tastes like nothing at all.  Take note of that as well. After you’ve taken five minutes to use all of your senses, use the next fifteen minutes outdoors to put them all together and just soak up the world around you.It’s actually really amazing if you stop to think about it.  It might even put you in sensory overload. It’s sort of the opposite of being in a sensory deprivation tank. You may even begin to feel like a super hero with super powers, knowing that probably less that 1% of the world’s population has even ever tried to be mindful of all of their senses at once.  Seriously, after first trying this I was hyper-sensitive to things I hadn’t really been aware of before, especially sounds.  Birds in particular, but all sounds all around were literally popping out at me in stereo. As you learn to be mindful, your mind becomes like a drone with a camera that can zoom way in and up close on only one thing, or, it can zoom way out to take in a bird’s-eye view of the landscape below.  It’s up to you what you choose to focus on. It’s like that with meditation as well. You can be aware of what is happening around you while focusing on a particular thought or detail. So today, try practicing using each of your senses one at a time and then just relax and absorb the entire world around you.  Your day and life will take on a whole new level of enjoyment and heightened awareness.  Try it and see!  Or hear… or smell or feel or whatever… Checklist for Day 6 ☐ MEDITATION:Day 6 – “Putting It All Together (Full Awareness)” (Listen to this active meditation on iTunes or here at Mountain Zen.) ☐ NATURE WALK: 20 minutes outdoors in a state of full awareness. Try using all of your senses, one at a time for one minute each, and then all at once taking in your surroundings. ☐ JOURNAL: What is the one sense you are most grateful for (and would hate to lose over any other?) Why? How did it feel using them all at once in a very intentional, mindful way? That's it for Day 6! Don't forget to post your pictures, experiences, observations and questions and share them on our 21-Day Nature Challenge Facebook Community Group page. We'll see you back here tomorrow for Day 7!

Also Available for viewing on YouTube Again, this is a True Testimony. I am Urged by the Holy Spirit to share again! Many don't like to think about or talk about demons… well I would say, good call.. However, we should be commanding them!! Have you looked around? They are running rampant! We are in a Critical time and it calls for Strategic Warfare! It also calls for Full Awareness of Who we are in Christ! The Acceptance and the Application of the Power, Authority and the Keys to the Kingdom we have been given to Bind and Loose! We DO NOT fight as one Boxing the Air (Shadow boxing) ..But we have Definite Targets!! We Declare Skillfully, We Decree Skillfully, We Rebuke Skillfully, We Bind Skillfully, We Loose Skillfully! So Brother and Sisters in Christ Jesus, Arise, Fight and Subdue!! It won't get done without you!! Preach Be a Voice Not an Echo www.preachbvne.webs.com www.preachbvne.blogspot.com Twitter@Preach_BA_Voice Facebook: www.facebook.com/PREACHbeaVoicenotanEcho Podacast: www.preachbeavoicenotanecho.podomatic.com Google+ URL: google.com/+PREACHbeaVoicenotanEchoMinistry Youtube Channel:www.youtube.com/c/PREACHbeaVoicenotanEchoMinistry Mailing: P.O. BOX 606 Goodlettsville, TN 37070 PayPal: Preachbvne@yahoo.com Ambassador Thomas Emmanuel Davis III Ambassador Shawntrell Davis Ambassadors of the Word of Reconciliation Followers of "The Way" Distributors of the Revelation! Distributors of the Truth! Distributors of the Release! S.H.I.F.T Suddenly Heaven Invades Forcing Transformation!! #YesLordIWill #CryLoudAndSpareNot #TheLordMyGodIsWithMe #PartakersofHisGlory #FortifiedBrazenWall #Repent #TheKingdomOfGodIsAtHand Let the Lord be Magnified! Announcing the Coming of the Glorious Kingdom of God! 2 Corinthians 5:20(KJV) 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Dear fellow practitioners and friends on the path. In this talk we learn of the joy and the happiness of the practice. The Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh offered this 107-minute dharma talk on December 11, 2005 from Upper Hamlet at Plum Village (France) during the annual Winter Retreat. We are reminded of the basic practices of walking and sitting followed by a deeper teaching on the Five Dimensions of Reality. Touching paradise. When you practice walking, you involve your body with your practice. We can walk in the ultimate dimension. You turn on every cell in your body. Being completely free with the energy of mindfulness. Each step brings healing and nourishment to you. We use the techniques of mindful breathing. We apply the same techniques to sitting. We turn on all the cells in our body to arrive in a unified state of being. All the cells will sing in unison and we are in a state of concentration. This is the foundation of enlightenment. Thay comments on sleepiness during sitting meditation. We have to make our sitting interesting. There is so much to enjoy. This state of being gives us the capacity to heal. The Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing offers us exercises to touch all the cells of our body. Thay offers some reflections on neuroscience and consciousness and how the Buddhist tradition sees things quite different. The elements of the human are: Form, Feelings, Perceptions, Mental formations and Consciousness. The Five Skandhas. Perceiver and the perceived. We train ourselves in seeing the object of our perception. What is the object of our perception? Our consciousness? The Five Dimensions of Reality in Buddhism. Thay offers a deeper teaching on consciousness and mental formations, including technical terms from Chinese and Sanskrit. One lesson from this talk is we practice with body and mind together. If you appreciate this teaching, please consider making a donation to support the ongoing efforts of the online monastery. Please make a note with your donation that it was because of this talk.

Dear Friends,   In the last podcast of the series on Full Awareness of Breathing, Brother Phap Dang shares the final three exercises.  Our brother gently walks us into the deep teachings of non-self, non-duality, and letting go. We hope you have benefited greatly from the monastics that shared during the Miracle of Mindfulness Tour.   Now enjoy this moment to stop and look deeply.

Dear Friends,   Welcome to the Deer Park Dharmacast -- Dharma flowing from the Ocean of Peace.   This week we share the continuation of Brother Phap Dang's sharing on the thirteenth exercise of Full Awareness of Breathing.  From his personal experiences with impermanence, our brother shows us clearly the value of letting go of our ideas and perceptions.  May this sharing move us to recognize our clinging and suffering.    Now enjoy this moment to stop and look deeply.

Brandon discusses a quote from Carl Jung and a clip from Wayne Dyer on the power of the subconscious mind, and shares his insights into how we can become aware of the unconscious and use it to our benefit. Also Dalien shares a story on an incredible achievement in biology research that would allow us to grow almost any human organ and tissue.

Dear Friends, This week we continue our series on Full Awareness of Breathing with Brother Phap Dang's final talk of the Miracle of Mindfulness Tour.  Before delving into the last four exercises, he shares on both the deception of our perceptions and the bright light of insight. May this sharing lead you to the path of clarity.   Now enjoy this moment to stop and look deeply.  

Dear friends,   Today we continue Sister Tue Nghiem's talk on the mind and the exercises of Full Awareness of Breathing. She shares the next four exercises and the benefits of being aware of our mental formations.  May this dharma rain water the seeds of confidence, strength and liberation for you and all those around you.   Now, enjoy this moment to stop and look deeply.

Dear Friends,   Today, we continue Brother Phap Khoi's talk from the Miracle of Mindfulness Tour.  He shares the seventh and eighth exercises from the Full Awareness of Breathing: awareness of mental formations and calming our mental formations. In addition, our brother speaks about practicing in sanghas and how we can foster harmony.   Now, enjoy this moment to stop and look deeply.

Dear Friends,   Continuing our sharing from the Miracle of Mindfulness Tour, today's dharmacast is from Brother Phap Khoi. Our brother shares the fifth and sixth exercises of Full Awareness of Breathing: cultivating joy and cultivating happiness. May this Dharma taught by the Buddha and our teacher, Thay, water the beautiful flowers in your heart.     Now, enjoy this moment to stop and look deeply.

This talk from the Upper Hamlet of Plum Village is dated Thursday, March 27, 2014. The talk on this day is in English. 14:44 The Breathing Room 22:54 Inviting the Bell 33:10 Conditions of Happiness 43:30 Mindfulness of Suffering Thich Nhat Hanh begins with a recollection of a retreat for children. During walking meditation, we proposed they use "yes, yes" and "thanks, thanks" for each of their steps. We can say yes and feel thankful. There are so many things we can say yes to. We can appreciate these things - our body, our eyes, etc. With our eyes we can see the blue sky and the mountains. The practice is breathing in, I am aware of my eyes and am grateful they are in good condition. We do the same with other parts of our body. Like our heart. With this awareness, we can take better care of our body and allow it to be restored. In the "Sutra on the Contemplations of the Body" the Buddha taught us how to look at all the parts of the body. We use mindfulness to project light onto every part of our body. This can bring us happiness, love, and compassion. Thay provides more instruction on this practice. If you are a leader of a corporation, you may wish to incorporate and offer a session of total relaxation. This is not a loss of time. The same can be done by a school teacher for the students. Parents too, if they know the practice, can offer a session for the family. In a civilized society this can be very good. We can also create a tiny meditation hall in the home; a space where the bell can be located and we can practice in a safe space. Every time you feel restless or confused or irritated, we can walk to that place - the breathing room - and stop all the thinking and calm our body and mind. Thay recalls a story of how to open/close the door when he was a young novice that he then relayed to Thomas Merton. In our small breathing room, we should also have a bell. This is a territory of mindfulness. There are four lines to learn when inviting the bell after we breath in and out three times before Inviting the Bell. Thay teaches us how to invite the bell and why mindful breathing is so important. There are many conditions of happiness. In Buddhism, we have many versus to help us practice mindfulness. For example, for when turning on the water faucet. Are you aware of your conditions of happiness? Teaching continues on how this related to the breathing room and why it's important for the family. This is the art of happiness. This is part of the 7th & 8th mindfulness exercises in the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Mindful Breathing. We should not run away from our suffering. We can learn from our suffering. This ties right into the Four Noble Truths. We can learn to listen to our suffering without fear without running away through consumption. With mindfulness we have the energy to take care of our suffering. The practice of looking and listening deeply. Meditation is the time to look and listen to understand our suffering. This brings about understanding and compassion. If you know how to suffer, you suffer much less. You cannot take happiness out of suffering and cannot take suffering out of happiness.

This talk from the New Hamlet of Plum Village is dated Thursday, March 20, 2014. The talk on this day is in English. In this talk we learn about taking refuge and exercises 5-8 from the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing. Thay also teaches on inviting the bell (18-min) and the four qualities of happiness (13-min) - these two topics could be listened to independently from the other parts of the talk. Both the audio download and the video stream are available below. The time stamps listed here are for audio download. 0:00 Chanting 9:30 Inviting the Bell 27:02 Taking Refuge 37:27 Four Qualities of Happiness using Pebble Meditation 50:46 Practical Refuge 1:04:15 Mindful Breathing Exercises 5-8 When we hear the bell, we practice together listening to the bell. We invite the bell to sound. Before we invite, we breathe in and out to prepare three times. There is a verse to learn to be qualified as a bell master. We calm our body and calm our feelings. The sound of the bell is the voice of the Buddha inside calling us to come home to ourselves. If you are a bell master then please be generous. When we come home to ourselves, we can discover the island of self. The Buddha recommended, don't rely on anyone or anything, rely on the island within. Every time we hear the bell, we can practice going home to the island within. We are protected. This is the practice of taking refuge. There is also the practice of deep listening. Every cell of your body can recognize and get in touch with your ancestors within. They can join you in listening to the bell. With this, peace can penetrator every cell. We can feel calm and light. Many people have a bell of mindfulness on their computer. It allows us to stop and breath in and out three times to arrive home in ourselves. Last time we spoke of the mental formation called restlessness. The practice of mindful breathing and walking help us to calm down our feelings. In the Christian tradition, they call this resting in God. This is taking refuge. Taking refuge is an art. If you know how, you can have peace right away. The Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha are something solid. Very much the same idea as the Trinity for Christians. But resting does not mean doing nothing. Many people are looking for someone for refuge but many have chosen someone who is not stable. Rely on the island of yourself. Cultivate stability and solidity and also look for that in the other person. Learn how to breath and walk. We have the practice of pebble meditation to cultivate the four qualities of happiness. The first is freshness - fresh as a flower. The second is stability - solid as a mountain. The third is peace/tranquility - still water. And the fourth is freedom - space. These qualities bring a happy person. The more you can let go, the freer you become. I take refuge in the Buddha. What does that mean? Do we have an dea of the Buddha? Taking refuge in your in breath and out breath - this is much more concrete than an idea. With our breathing, we gain mindfulness, concentration, and insight. Buddha is mindfulness - this is taking refuge. This is the island within yourself. You can also take refuge in your steps. While making that step, you generate concentration and insight. I take refuge in my in breath. I take refuge in my steps. This is not abstract and it is our Buddhanature. Nirvana. No birth and no death. We are nirvana in the here and the now. Review of the first four exercises of mindful breathing. We continue with the next set of exercises. The fifth and sixth exercises are to generate a feeling of joy and happiness. This is the art of happiness. The seventh is to recognize a painful feeling. We should not run away from a painful feeling or emotion. We don't need to be afraid because we can also generate an energy of mindfulness. And the eighth is to calm our painful feeling or emotion. http://youtu.be/wIzIg6EYIZ4

Originally given in Vietnamese, available from Lang Mai, the talk from the Lower Hamlet of Plum Village is dated Sunday, January 26, 2014 and is the twenty first talk of the 2013-2014 Winter Retreat. English translation, available below, is by Sr. Tue Nghiem. The first 45-minutes of the talk focus on connecting our body and mind through our practice of returning. The second half returns to the sutra study and the characteristics of seeds. Every time we have difficulties with another person, what can we do? Why do we have these difficulties? Why can we not communicate? Do we blame the other person or are we able to see that both sides have difficulties? We have to look at ourselves. The most basic difficulty is that we can’t communicate or understand ourselves. It’s so easy to just run away from ourselves through reading novels, watching television, go on the internet, etc. But, there may be loneliness, grief, sadness, anger, and emptiness that we cannot bear. We are not at peace with ourselves. Therefore, we cannot easily communicate with the other person because we cannot communicate with ourselves. We can’t blame the other person or ourselves but we try to understand ourselves. This is a courageous act. We can use a friend, a co-practitioner, a sangha to support us to come back to ourselves and recognize our suffering and despair. Our breathing can help us bring our mind back to our body. This is the practice of returning. The method and practice are really simple. With concentration we can cultivate an inner strength. The third exercise from the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing is bringing our full attention to our body and let go of the tension in our body. Mindfulness of the body. Breathing can be the object of our mind to help us return to our body. How is our breathing? We can use the gatha “In. Out. Deep. Slow.” This is the practice of peace. When Thay taught at university, another professor asked Thay what do we do to sit in meditation? The most basic practice is to harmonize our breathing. When we sit down, the first thing we do is calm down and harmonize the breathing. The second is to harmonize the body with our posture. These two go together - the breathing and the body. This may take a few minutes and then we can go deeper into contemplation. Being aware that we have body and our breathing, this is life. We can see the miracle if our energy and practice is strong. The Mother Earth is present in our body. We carry in our body the presence of all our ancestors. They continue to live in us. If we are peaceful and joyful then our ancestors are also peaceful and joyful. And so this gatha of practice can be a very deep practice. This is awakening and can come today and can come continuously. Freedom of in breath and out breath. If the breathing is peaceful then our body is peaceful. We calm our breathing, our body, and then our feelings. What is that that prevents you from having joy? What is it's true name? How do we let it entangle us? Plum Village practice is very simple. The energy of mindfulness let us see miracles in every moment. Mindful breathing and mindful steps. To calm down. We can have help From fellow practitioners. The characteristics of seeds is Momentary impermance. Moons and stars are the objects of our consciousness. Everything has a mark or sign. It can be either collective or individual. All these phenomenon are from seeds. There are three kinds of conciousmess in manifestation-only teaching. Store consciousness, Manas, and Perception of Reality along with five sense consciousness plus mind. Store consciousness maintains three things: seeds, our body, and our environment. And the seeds manifests as signs or marks. What is the fabric of reality? The fourth characteristic of seeds. And this teaching is a different from the traditional interpretation. The seeds in the store consciousness are neither also door unwholesome because store consciousness is undetermine...

September 25, 2013. 130-minute dharma talk given by Thich Nhat Hanh from Magnolia Grove Monastery in Batesville, Mississippi during the 2013 Nourishing Great Togetherness teaching tour. This is the first dharma talk for the 6-day retreat with the theme Healing Ourselves, Healing the World. We begin with two chants from the monastics. Try the BetterListen Version of this entire retreat - click the image below We bring our mind and body together and come back to ourselves in order to be truly there and be able to stop our thinking. We can get lost in our thinking. When we are mindful and concentrated of our in breath them our mind only has one object. Just breathing in mindfully we can get freedom from the past l, the future, and our projects. Freedom is possible and the healing can start. Topics: Conditions of happiness Habit of running after fame, power, wealth, sensual pleasures Deep looking - insight can release the tension and bring healing Mindfulness is a method to insight using our in breath and out breath Inviting our ancestors to listen to the bell and practice walking meditation with you. Our presence is the most precious gift for those we love - to be there is a practice. Freshness, beauty Mountain, solid Space, free Sutra on Full Awareness of Breathing Four domains - body, feelings, mind, objects of mind First 8 exercise Sangha - collective energy You are not one emotion The art of happiness and the art of suffering Happiness and suffering interare Happiness is made of non-happiness elements The Four Noble Truths The Four Kinds of Nutriments  

July 16, 2013. 81-minute dharma talk given by Thich Nhat Hanh from Upper Hamlet of Plum Village during the 2013 Summer Opening. This is the sixth talk of the summer and this is an English translation from the French. The recording begins with a talk for the children and then the main talk begins (at 18-minutes). Meditation on the corn seed. Meditation is having the time to look and to listen. There is knowledge in this seed and it is alive. Does the plant remember when it was a little seed? Has the corn seed died? Meditation can help us see things that other people cannot see. Looking into the corn plant we can see the seed. A teaching from the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing. The exercises of breathing are simple yet can be very profound on us. The first is recognizing. Bringing our attention to our in-breath. We can let go of our past, of our projects, etc. and we can immediately be free. Buddhism is made of three kinds of energy: mindfulness, concentration, insight. The second exercise is to follow the breath. We focus entirely on the in-breath and the out-breath. The third is awareness if body and then fourth we calm our body. The next two are giving rise to a feeling of joy and happiness. We can do this anytime. The seventh exercise is recognizing a painful feeling. Then we calm the feeling in the eighth. The art of happiness. The art of suffering. http://youtu.be/IhFARfxOFVo

July 12, 2013. 100-minute dharma talk given by Thich Nhat Hanh from New Hamlet of Plum Village during the 2013 Summer Opening. This is the fourth talk of the summer and this is an English translation from the French. The recording begins with four chants followed by a talk for the children (at 16-minutes) and then the main talk begins (at 28-minutes). You should plant this question in our heart. A question is a seed. It's a lesson from when Thay was a boy. In my hand are five fingers and each finger has it's name. They live in harmony. How are they a able to do that? We continue from a few day ago (July 9) when we learned about the Sutra on the Full Awareness if Breathing.  The last time we covered the first eight exercises. First we review briefly with mind and store consciousness and the role of seeds. The practitioner had to be present I recognize the mental formation. Recognize each mental formation Beautify/Gladden the mind Watering the good seeds, especially in our relationships. Maybe sign a peace and happiness treaty. How do we work with our mental formations to have a happy and healthy life? First, we try not to water the seeds of suffering.  Second, if a seed if suffering exists then we can invite a wholesome seed to manifest. Third, when a good seed is manifesting, we try to maintain the positive energy. Fourth, we try to keep the good seeds alive. This is the practice if right diligence. The art of happiness. The first aspect of the noble eightfold path is right view. The insight of interbeing acquired through meditation. This is followed by right thinking. Free of all notions. No discrimination. The third is right speech. With these we can practice loving speech and deep listening.  The Five Mindfulness Trainings are an expression of the Noble Eightfold Path.

June 12, 2013. 102-minute dharma talk given by Thich Nhat Hanh from the European Institute of Applied Buddhism in Waldbrol, Germany. The talk is given in English with consecutive translation into German. This is the first dharma talk of the German Retreat on the theme Are You Sure? Following two chants by the monastics, the talk begins at 12-minutes into the recording.  We begin immediately with the concept of dualist thinking and Right Thinking. How do we see the interconnection between things? For example, between happiness and suffering or all the elements of a lotus flower. The lotus is made of non-lotus elements. A good gardener knows how to make good use of the mud just as a good mindfulness practitioner knows how to make good use of her suffering. The goodness of suffering. When you understand suffering then understanding and compassion arises - the foundation of happiness. From the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing, we have exercises handed down by the Buddha to help our practice with suffering. Generate a feeling of joy Generate a feeling of happiness  Recognize painful feelings  Calm down the painful feeling  Mindfulness is an energy that helps us know what is going on in our body and our feelings. How do we bring relief to our painful feelings and emotions? Three kinds of energies we should try to generate: mindfulness, concentration, and insight. Four elements of True Love and being present for those we love. Taking care of our suffering and our live we can learn to take care of the world. In the last 10-minutes, we get walking meditation instructions. http://youtu.be/3ghtXf5Djg0

June 9, 2013. 100-minute dharma talk given by Thich Nhat Hanh from the European Institute of Applied Buddhism in Waldbrol, Germany. The talk is given in English with consecutive translation into Dutch. This is the fifth dharma talk of the Dutch Retreat on the theme Understanding Our Emotions. We do not need to call ourselves a Buddhist to practice Buddhism. We can use practice verses, little poems, to help us with our practice. Thay shares a number of these verses for us to memorize. Mindfulness is an energy that lets us do at least two things. The first is to be there - to be truly here in the present moment. The second is to be aware of what is going on - such as your in breath. We can use mindfulness to take care of the body. In the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing, the Buddha gave a set of exercises on mindfulness of the body. Aware of my breath Follow your in breath all the way to the end To beware of your body Release the tension in the body These are simple exercises and anyone can practice. After we take care of our body, we can move on to our feelings. Generate a feeling of joy Generate a feeling of happiness Awareness of the painful feeling Calm the painful emotions After the body and the feelings, we move to taking care of the mind. In particular, working with mental formations. What is a mental formation? Thay also shares a little about the Shining Light Ceremony and how we can use this with our practice. gladdening the mind aware of mental formations concentrating the mind liberating your mind The last four exercises of the sutra have to do with the objects of mind. We conclude with teachings on birth and death, being and non-being. http://youtu.be/vo7tI2LN0TU

May 25, 2013. 87-minute dharma talk given by Thich Nhat Hanh from Hong Kong. The sangha is on the spring Asian Tour and this talk is given in English with consecutive translation into Chinese. The theme of the retreat is Happiness is the Way. To meditate is having the time is to look deeply. We first take the body. This is the object of our meditation. Mindfulness of body. We review briefly the realms of  the exercises on breathing: Breath, Feelings, and Mind. The focus of the talk is on the mind. We start with the concept of mental formations. How do we work with and identify our mental formations. To meditate also means we sit at the river of mental formations and recognize each as they go by. What is store consciousness and mind consciousness? We can water the good seeds in our consciousness. Let us vow to water the good seeds in ourselves and in the other person. The practice of selective watering. The practice of Right Diligence. This brings us through the for ten exercises from the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Mindful Breathing. There are six more but we'll continue another day. The talk shifts to the Fifth Mindfulness Training (35-m) on consumption. The Sutra on the Flesh of the Son illustrates consumption. It speaks on four kinds of Nutriments. The first is edible food. The second is sensory impressions. How do we consume media, products, etc. The third is volition. What is your deepest desire? The fourth food is consciousness. The teaching of Interbeing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pz2TG6SnAE

May 19, 2013. 32-minute dharma talk given by Thich Nhat Hanh from the Lotus Pond Temple in Hong Kong. The sangha is on the spring Asian Tour and this talk is given in English with consecutive translation into Chinese. This is a Day of Mindfulness celebrating vesak. Birth story of Siddhartha and the relationships in the family that effected his birth. Siddhartha left shortly after the birth of Rahula, his own son, in her to search for the way. He was doing that for all of us - his father, his mother, his country. When you become a monk or a nun, you do so for more than just yourself. He found a way to reduce tension in his body, to calm down his feelings,  to see the deep roots of suffering in himself and other people, found a way to restore communication, and most importantly the nature of no-birth and no-death. Today we celebrate Siddhartha's birth. The Buddha saw that happiness is possible and it's made of understanding and love. It only takes a short time to learn this path. We can learn to release the tension in our body, to calm our painful feeling and emotions, to learn how to generate a feeling of joy and happiness, and to understand the suffering in oneself and in the other person. We can use the Sutra on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness and the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing. Shakyamuni is a Teacher and not a God. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ46T_OvmLw

Meditation: Noah Levine 10/19/2012

October 21, 2012. 57-minute dharma talk given by Thich Nhat Hanh from Lower Hamlet at Plum Village. The sangha is enjoying the Autumn Retreat and this is a Day of Mindfulness. Thay continues teaching on working with our suffering. The practice of mindfulness has four objects of practice: Body Feelings Mind Mental formations Taught in the context of Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing. Download

August 28, 2012. 130-minute dharma talk given in English, with consecutive translation into Dutch, with Thich Nhat Hanh. This is a public talk given at World Forum Theatre in The Hague, The Netherlands spoknsored by the Mindful Living Foundation. Inner peace is possible and mindfulness helps us take care of our body, feelings, and perceptions. There is a practice called mindfulness of suffering. Mindfulness is always mindfulness of something. Our suffering has often been ignored and the energy of mindfulness can help touch our suffering. The chanting of the name of the bodhissatva of compassion and deep listening - Avalokiteshvara. The monastics chant at 28m into recording. How do we listen to the bell? How do we take care of our body and our feelings? The exercises of mindful breathing as outlined in the sutra in the Full Awareness of Mindful Breathing. A short teaching on the noble truths and Right View. The talk concludes with a song from Sr. Chan Khong.

August 26, 2012. 137-minute dharma talk given in English, with consecutive translation into German, with Thich Nhat Hanh. This is a Day of Mindfulness at the European Institute of Applied Buddhism in Waldbröl, Germany. A day of mindfulness is a day of practice so that we can live each moment of our life very deeply. Anyone can generate the energy of mindfulness, bringing our mind home to our body. There are many wonders of life. And mindfulness is always mindfulness of something - drinking your tea. This can bring freedom and joy and happiness. A couple of sweet moments when a local church bell is ringing and then a rain downpour. Every moment can be a pleasant moment. A miracle happens when you breathe in mindfully. On a day of mindfulness we have time to sit and breathe together. We can stop our thinking every time we hear the sound of the bell. Enjoying the here and the now is the address for the pure land of the Buddha. Instruction on listening to the bell. Walking meditation and the country of the present moment. Instruction on walking meditation. This is followed by true communion and eating meditation. Mindful listening and mindfulness of suffering. Many of the things we do in life are to cover up out suffering. How we help each other to suffer less? The chant of Avalokiteshvara can help touch suffering with mindfulness. When we listen to the chant, we should sit and listen and try to stop our thinking. Allow our body to relax. Chant begins at 1:20m into recording and the talk resumes again at 1:41m. If a relationship had become difficult, there is always a way to transform it. In order to heal a relationship, you must heal yourself. We have Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing to help us heal ourselves.

August 16, 2012. 91-minute dharma talk given in English, with consecutive translation into Dutch (though the Dutch is muted in this recording), with Thich Nhat Hanh. This is the fifth (and final) Dharma talk offered by Thay in the Dutch Retreat on the theme Body and Mind Are One at the European Institute of Applied Buddhism in Waldbröl, Germany. Mindfulness is always mindfulness of something. An object. The first object of mindfulness is our body. Our body includes our in-breath and out-breath. There is a sutra on the contemplation of the body. The second object of our mindfulness is our feelings. Pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral feelings. The third object is our mind. It is comprised of mental formations. The fourth is the objects of our mind. After a brief review of the first 8 exercises on the Full Awareness of Mindful Breathing, Thay moves ahead with the remaining exercises. Also, a teaching on impermanence, non-self, and Interbeing. Contemplating a cloud. The three concentrations. Emptiness. Aimlessness. Signlessness. Also known as the Three Doors of Liberation. Dwelling happily in the present moment.

July 12, 2012. 84-minute recording given at Upper Hamlet, Plum Village by Thich Nhat Hanh. This is the fifth dharma talk of the Summer Opening. We begin with chanting and the talk was originally given in French. This is an English translation. With many questions about anger in yesterday's questions and answers session, Thay offers a lovely 25-minute lesson for the children (and everyone of course!) on helping our friends who may have anger. What can we tell our friends about meditation? Meditation is looking deeply with our eyes, mind, and your heart. Meditation is looking. We can see things other people can't hear. Meditation is listening. Concentration. A person who meditates can see the cloud in the flower. There is much more there in the flower. To see the flower deeply you have to recognize the non-flower elements. The same can be said about people. We all have non-human elements such as anger. We all have the seed of anger. What can we do to help those who suffer from anger and violence? If we practice meditation, we can see the seeds of compassion and kindness in that person. What can we do to water those seeds in him? We can water the seeds of kindness. We can practice selective watering of the good seeds. We can sign a peace and happiness treaty with our friends and our loved ones in order to support each other. After the children leave, Thay reminds us that we need a spiritual dimension to deal with difficulties in our daily life. We need practices to deal with the difficulties. In the Buddhist tradition, we have a spiritual body in addition to our physical body. We are offered a teaching on dharmakaya (dharma body) and buddhakaya (Buddha body). If our dharma body is solid, we can deal with our difficulties. There is also a sangha body (sanghakaya). We should build and participate in a sangha to maintain our practice. Create a living sangha where we can generate mindfulness. We can use our time and energy to build sangha. To be a refuge. We can use the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing to cultivate our Buddha body. Sixteen exercises. We learn the first eight exercises.

June 3, 2012. 103-minute dharma talk by Thich Nhat Hanh from Lower Hamlet in Plum Village during the 21-Day Retreat with the theme The Science of the Buddha. The talk is given in English and this is the second dharma talk (of 15). Topics Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing - exercises 5-8 Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path Three Concentrations  

June 2, 2012. 82-minute dharma talk by Thich Nhat Hanh from Lower Hamlet in Plum Village during the 21-Day Retreat with the theme The Science of the Buddha. The talk is given in English and this is the first dharma talk (of 15). Topics Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing - the first four exercises Walking Meditation - arriving in the here and now Our teacher and the sangha feels very relaxed. In no hurry. We have 3-weeks to practice and learn. 0:00 The Practice of Listening to the Chant 21:30 Namo'valokiteshvaraya Chanting by the Monks and Nuns of Plum Village 43:30 Main Talk

Hi Friends Here is Verse 11 The basic meditation sutras, such as the Full Awareness of Breathing and the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, show us step by step, how to transform the body and the mind. We are encouraged to focus on one set of 4 exercises from the Discourse on Full Awareness of Breathing during our daily sitting meditation. We can also look deeply to reflect on  What is suffering in by body and mind? What noursihes these sufferings? What can help heal these sufferings? Please enjoy this beautiful teaching.