Mindfulness in the business world

A day of mindfulness training at Google with Thich Nhat Hanh is the lead for a fascinating and encouraging article in The Guardian.

Please click here to read more ...

Nourishing Mindfulness

Mindful Eating by Thich Nhat Hanh
(from an interview with Oprah on March 9, 2010)

When we can slow down and really enjoy our food, our life and our health, we can take on a much deeper quality.  I love to sit and eat quietly and enjoy each bite, aware of the presence of my community, aware of all the hard and loving work that has gone into my food.  When I eat in this way, not only am I physically nourished, I am also spiritually nourished.  The way I eat influences everything else that I do during the day.  If I can look deeply into my food and take this time as a meditation - just as important as my sitting or walking meditation time - I receive the many gifts of the cosmos that I would not otherwise profit from if my mind were elsewhere.  Because if I eat and am consumed by my worries and projects, I am eating a lot of stress and fear and this is harmful to my body and mind.

I Have Arrived, I Am Home

Wanting To Be Loved, And To Love

Thich Nhat Hanh, from a Dharma Talk on June 6, 2006

Student: I am a little embarrassed to tell you about my problem. What concerns me is the pain that I feel from wanting to share my life with someone, but not having a partner to do this with. The ache of this pain is so deep that it sometimes physically hurts. At the same time, I remind myself about how fortunate I am to have wonderful friends and family. But not having a partner makes me very sad. I don’t know what to do with this feeling of loss I have. I don’t know what to do with the heart ache.

Thich Nhat Hanh: This fear is always with us----that our desire to love and be loved will not be fulfilled. That we will be left lonely. Everyone one of us want to love and be loved. But we are afraid we will not have a chance to love and be loved. We need to recognize this need within ourself. Our practice is to look deeply into this kind of fear, this kind of need.

To love is to offer understanding and comfort. Yes, we do feel miserable if no one understand us. Because when someone does not understand us, he or she can’t love us. Understanding is the proof of love. You can’t say he loves me, but does not understand me. This does not make sense. Without understanding love is impossible.

We are looking for some one who can show us that they understand and love us. Suppose there is such a person. But first we have to ask the question: whether we are capable of generating understanding and love? Are we capable of offering them what they need and what we need? This is the real important question. If we are not capable of generating understanding and love, nothing will happen.

The teachings of the Buddha are to help us generate the energy of understanding and love. And if we can produce that energy we will first be able to help ourself. And with this capacity for understanding and love we can embrace the people who are with us now. We can make them happy while at the same time we make ourself happy. Because the energy of understanding and love is a very positive energy which has the capacity to nourish, heal and bring happiness.

So the question is not whether there is understanding and love around us, but do we have the capacity to generate the energy of understanding and love. If we can, then maybe we can make everyone our partner. This is the love of the Buddha----to want everyone to be your partner. True love is like that.

Sangha Members Deepen Their Practice

Some of the 42 people who received transmission of
the 5 Mindfulness Trainings on March 23 

The Maine sangha, the community that lives in harmony and awareness, blossoms like a lotus. We had a wonderful transmission ceremony for the Five Mindfulness Trainings at the Day of Mindfulness with Joanne Friday in Augusta on Saturday.

The day included  a dharma talk and question and answer period from Joanne, mindful eating of our lunch in noble silence with a children's table, a mindful walk outside, and dharma sharing in the closing circle.  

Radical Compassion Retreat with Joanne Friday

This residential retreat will be held at idyllic Camp Aldersgate in northern Rhode Island and is open to all  sangha members. 

Joanne Friday, a Buddhist practitioner and teacher with over 20 years experience, has a special connection to our Portland, Augusta and Orono sanghas.

Click here to view/download more information and a registration form.

Fall Retreat With Thay at Blue Cliff Monastery

Please visit  http://www.tnhtour.org for more info or to register!



Resource on Mindfulness

Dear friends, This is a wonderful resource on mindfulness practice for all of us and especially for young people. I hope you have the chance to view it.

In loving kindness, Theodate

http://keltymentalhealth.ca/healthy-living/mindfulness

Dharma talks from Deer Park Monastery

A gift from Kenley,  

Chân Niệm Hỷ - True Recollection of Joy

Dharma Teacher

If you are interested in listening to the winter retreat dharma talks from Deer Park Monastery, they are all available using the link below. I have also included most of the sutras that were taught over the winter.

Dharma Talks (mostly audio)
http://tnhaudio.org/tag/2012-2013-winter-retreat/

Sutras
http://bit.ly/11WuqXP

Enjoy.

Awakening the Source of Love

Dear Friends, Here is a message from a dear Dharma Teacher, Chan Phap Tri.

Hello Dear Dharma Friends and Happy Valentine’s Day Greetings to you

one and all.  It is truly wonderful to be part of a community of practice that is based so much on the Heart. I know one of my favorite recitations from the Chanting of the Heart chanting book is “Awakening the Source of Love” which starts on p. 75. I have attached a copy of it for those of you who may not have a chanting book.

AWAKENING THE SOURCE OF LOVE

We bow respectfully to Avalokiteshvara,

to your great vow always to be there for all beings,

your capacity to look deeply at the world with compassionate eyes,

listen deeply to understand and to relieve suffering,

and with your holy willow branch,

to sprinkle the nectar of immortality,

cleansing my mind from all impurities.

I vow to take refuge in you with all my heart

Respectfully, I offer you my vow in thousands of words:

[bell]

Namo Avalokiteshvara, I vow to look deeply into the Five Skandhas.

I vow to see the true nature of emptiness.

I vow soon to reach the shore of awakening.

I vow to overcome all obstacles.

I vow to take the boat of Perfect Understanding.

Namo Avalokiteshvara, I vow to be present in all three bodies.

I vow to realize the fruits of liberation.

I vow to cultivate great compassion.

I vow to understand deeply the Tathagata Store.

I vow to purify my mind.

[bell]

Namo Avalokiteshvara, please help me get out of the abyss of craving.

Please help me dissolve the worries of my mind.

Please give me skillful means.

Please help me build Sangha.

Please help me transform my anger and hatred.

Please help me uproot my ignorance.

Please help me hold the high torch of right faith.

Please give me the clear eyes of understanding.

[bell]

Namo Avalokiteshvara, please place in my hand the golden lotus.

Please allow me to see the Dharma Body.

I vow to build brotherhood and sisterhood.

I vow to show gratitude to my spiritual lineage.

I vow to practice loving speech.

I vow to look with loving eyes.

Namo Avalokiteshvara, I vow to practice deep listening

I vow to live mindfully and with clarity.

I vow to realize meditative concentration.

I vow to walk mindfully night and day.

I vow to abide peacefully in the ground of reality.

I vow to cultivate the five kinds of eyes, and the six miraculous powers.

[bell]

Namo Avalokiteshvara,

Please come with me to the war zones

to stop the killing and bombing.

Please walk with me to the places of sickness and suffering,

bringing compassionate nectar and medicine.

Please walk with me to the realm of the hungry ghosts.

bringing the Dharma food of understanding and love

Please walk with me to the realm of hell

in order to cool the heat of afflictions.

Please walk with me to places of conflict

in order to remove hatred and anger

and help the source of love to flow again.

Homage to the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion

Homage to the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion

Homage to the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion

[bell, bell]