Beginners Mind Sangha, Community of Mindful Living

01/23/2023

Anniversary of the passing of Thich Nhat Hanh

This movie will premiere on 01:30am Vietnam time on 22 January 2023 / 19:30 Paris CET on 21 January 2023 / 10:30am L.A. PST on 21 January 2023, and will rem...

01/01/2023

12/01/2022

You too are a tree. During a storm of emotion, you should not stay at the level of the head or the heart, which are like the top of the tree. You have to leave the heart, the eye of the storm, and come back to the trunk of the tree. Your trunk is one centimeter below your navel. Focus there, paying attention only to the movement of your abdomen, and continue to breathe. Then you will survive the storm of strong emotion.

Thich Nhat Hanh
You Are Here

11/30/2022

A strong emotion is like a storm. If you look at a tree in a storm, the top of the tree seems fragile, like it might break at any moment. You are afraid the storm might uproot the tree. But if you turn your attention to the trunk of the tree, you realize that its roots are deeply anchored in the ground, and you see that the tree will be able to hold.

Thich Nhat Hanh
You Are Here

11/28/2022

So we begin with simple recognition. Then when the energy of mindfulness is strong and you have concentration, you can practice looking deeply into the nature of whatever is arising, and from that comes insight. Insight liberates you from all negative tendencies.

Thich Nhat Hanh
You Are Here

11/24/2022

Mindfulness is first of all the ability to recognize what is happening in the present moment. It is simple recognition, without judgment or criticism, without suppression or attachment.

Thich Nhat Hanh
You Are Here

11/23/2022

Here is a practice poem that you can use in everyday life, at any time, no matter where you are:

In; out.
Deep; slow.
Calm; ease.
Smile; release.

You can recite this no matter what you are doing as well as during walking or sitting mediation.

Thich Nhat Hanh
You Are Here

11/21/2022

There is a lot that need to be done in society - work against war, social injustice, and so on. But first we have to come back to our own territory and make sure that peace and harmony are reigning there.

Thich Nhat Hanh
You Are Here