Welcome to episode 53 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 and journalist Jo Confino talk about what they learned and experienced on the recent Plum Village North American Tour, which consisted of retreats (including one for climate leaders and activists) and Plum Village’s first international music tour.
The two presenters reflect on how the Buddhist teachings and lessons offered by this series of public events can help people create a healthier culture of service, and deal with both personal suffering and the collective suffering of climate destruction, biodiversity loss, and social injustice. Also, what is fierce compassion and how can we practice with it?
Brother Phap Huu further shares on “opening new Dharma doors”, the adaptation of old teachings to new cultures; the importance of music in engaged Buddhism and why incorporating the flavors of contemporary music matters; Thay as peace activist and poet; the message of the song ‘Little Star’ (which you get to listen to!); dealing with the energy of anger; deep connection; and more. And what did Thay say when Brother Phap Huu rapped at a Plum Village festivity?
Jo also shares about innovation in the Plum Village tradition; resilience and guilt in the climate movement; novel teachings and itineraries for retreats; the deep spiritual dimension of climate work; radical compassion; forgiveness and transforming the system; nondiscrimination around suffering; and more.
Thank you for listening. 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
Hollyhock
https://hollyhock.ca/
‘Unborn and Indestructible (song)’
https://plumvillage.org/library/songs/unborn-indestructible/
‘Plum Village Announces North American Fundraising Concert Tour with Hip-Hop Artist Born I’
https://www.lionsroar.com/plum-village-announces-north-american-fundraising-concert-tour/
Sister Chan Khong
https://plumvillage.org/about/sister-chan-khong/
Brother Phap Linh (Brother Spirit)
https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/brother-phap-linh/
Sister Trai Nghiem
https://www.parallax.org/authors/sister-trai-nghiem-2/
Christiana Figueres
http://christianafigueres.com/#/
Sister True Dedication https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sister-hien-nghiem/
Sister Lang Nghiem
https://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sr-lang-nghiem
Tupac
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupac_Shakur
Lupe Fiasco
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupe_Fiasco
Djembe drums
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djembe
The Way Out Is In: ‘Engaged Buddhism: Applying the Teachings in Our Present Moment (Episode #9)’
https://plumvillage.org/podcast/engaged-buddhism-applying-the-teachings-in-our-present-moment
Namo’valokiteshvaraya Chant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZkjX_c4hm4
‘Little Star’ (song video with lyrics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3uu_Ru5U1c
Quotes
“The work of a monastic is service and our service is sowing seeds of awakening, or sowing seeds of mindfulness in today’s language.”
“One of my experiences of Plum Village is that there’s a willingness to always innovate. While the core teachings remain present and are at the heart of everything, Thich Nhat Hanh talks about opening new Dharma doors. So there are always new ways, depending on cultural or technological changes, of reaching new audiences with the teachings.”
“Thich Nhat Hanh was an environmental leader and activist for more than 50 years, and he felt deeply around the need to help the environment, to collapse the separation between us and the environment, and the importance of dealing with our suffering so that we can deal with big issues like climate change and social inequality.”
“Spirituality doesn’t mean becoming a Buddhist or following a religion; spirituality is the capacity of awakening which is in everyone: learning to stop our thoughts, our running, and connect to our suffering, taking care of it, transforming. That is spirituality.”
“The way out is interbeing.”
“Mindfulness is a path of understanding and transformation to cultivate nonviolence, peace, awakening, and love.”
“Love is regeneration.”
“With our thoughts, we create the world.”
“Fierce compassion is a deep, deep strength that not only can help change the world, but sustain that change.”
“Anger is not the solution. Anger is an energy to recognize, to practice with; guide it through walking meditation, guide it through being with nature. Because once you realize that your energy, your emotions, are also impermanence, you know that if it goes up, it will have to come down and you can come back to the situation with a different energy. And if you have practiced for a long time, you can channel your anger right away. You make sure that your anger is not the foundation of your words, your mind, and your actions.”
“In Buddhism, the deepest insight of practice is to break free from all views: to touch interbeing so that we can be free and see the truth behind all manifestations, the forms that we meet, whether it is a person, whether it is their energy… Are we meeting just their anger, or can we see beyond their anger and still have compassion and help them out of their suffering?”
“There are always new ways of seeing the world, and if you’re not adapting to that, then the teachings don’t become relevant.”
“Family is not just genetic blood; family is shared aspiration, shared understanding, shared support that we offer for one another, and seeing each other as human beings.”
“Often people chat to hide away from things, so when they’re given silence, it allows other things to emerge.”
“It’s not about forgiving the system, it’s about understanding the system. We can’t forgive a system, but once we understand it, we can transform it. It’s not about forgiving all the time.”
“The present moment is your canvas and your mindfulness, and your body, speech, and mind is the paintbrush that you paint with.”