Lotus Buds Sangha, Sydney, Australia I n late 1986, Thay was invited by the Buddhist Peace Fellowship to lead retreats in Australia. During his visit in Sydney, the Vietnamese community had a rare opportunity to enjoy mindfulness practice with him. During that five-day retreat, many of us tasted true peace and joy for…
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Dharma Talk: A Peaceful Heart
Just before the land offensive in the Gulf, the Soviet Union proposed a six-point peace plan to end the war. The first point was that Iraq consent to withdraw all its troops from Kuwait within twenty-one days. But President Bush said that Iraq must evacuate Kuwait in just seven days,…
Dharma Talk: True Happiness
Good morning, dear Sangha, today is the twenty-third of June, 2005 and we are in the Lovingkindness Temple in the New Hamlet. Happiness is a practice. We should distinguish between happiness and excitement, and even joy. Many people in the West, especially in North America, think of excitement as happiness.…
A Lotus Blooms in the Catholic Church
By Mike McMahon Several years ago, following my divorce, my daughter Annie and I moved into a rundown house in one of Omaha's older neighborhoods. I was broken emotionally, financially, and spiritually—and deeply depressed. The condition of the house seemed to match my own. Even so, like a wounded animal that crawls into a cave,…
Stupa Dedication
We arrived at Deer Park on a clear fall Friday morning last October to help the sangha prepare for the ceremony to dedicate Thay Giac Thanh’s stupa. Sunday would be the fifth anniversary of the continuation of the beloved former abbot of Deer Park. The weekend was particularly meaningful and…
Who Is The Boss?
Lower Hamlet, Plum Village June 1, 2017 This is the first day of our Mindful and Compassionate Leadership Retreat for Business People. We all have come here because we want to understand or learn something about how to become a mindful and compassionate leader. Maybe this can be best expressed…
From Irritation to Appreciation
By Jaime Robeck River; photo by Jaime Robeck It is a lovely spring evening. The meditation hall is silent as each practitioner makes the last adjustments to their cushion or chair. In this quiet moment, the birds make their debut. Their sweet voices enter the building and rise to fill…
Sangha Building at the California Events
By Caleb Cushing Our Sangha has often thought about participating in a special project that would reflect our care and understanding. I'd silently wondered who would come forth first and commit. To my surprise, it was the Sangha as a whole. As we practiced together, our stability, joy, and gratitude grew, and so did our…
The Tasty Fruit of Inclusiveness
By Jack Lawlor Every day, the Buddha and his Sangha made a morning alms round to beg for food . Each doorstep was approached, and each householder was greeted with a request for food. The householder may have been a king, queen, wealthy merchant, warrior, farmer, laborer, or outcast. As part of each visit, the Buddha…
A Sacred Wound
By Barbara Casey One Valentine's Day I was able to deeply touch the pain of not feeling included. It was a warm, blue sky February day and I was extraordinarily happy to be with my beloved. I think it was because I was feeling so happy and safe that when a small interaction touched in me…