Dharma Talk: Immediate Protection
By Thich Nhat Hanh in January 2001
In the 1960s, American young people marched in the streets, shouting "Make love, not war." I reflected deeply on this. What kind of love were they speaking of? Was it true love? If it were true love, it would be…
From the Editor
Published in January 2001
On December 1, 2000, Thich Nhat Hanh gave a Dharma talk at the White House in Washington, D.C., during a conference on AIDS. Thay is deeply aware of the suffering caused by AIDS, and offered teachings to encourage those present to respond to that…
Questioning Habit Energy
Published in January 2001
By Jack Lawlor Each day, our culture sends innumerable messages urging us to consume. If we are modestly observant, we can see that many human consumption patterns threaten the air we breathe, the forests we admire, the other species we profess to love, and even the…
Other articles in this issue
Lay Residential Sangha
By Bruce Kantner In about the Summer 1999 Mindfulness Bell, my wife I wrote about the Sangha-ecovillage that my wife and I are working to start on our farm in southern New Hampshire. We propose…
Language of the Heart
By Paul Tingen Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoingthere is a field.I'II meet you there.When the soul lies in that grass,the world is too full to talk about.Ideas, language,…
Poem: Two Flowers
Summoning my courage, iBow, smile and whisper,"May i cut you, little flower?"Standing near a flowerOf surpassing beauty,Breathing in, breathing out,Eventually, i murmur,"If you're meant to be cut,Dear flower, then, kindly,Cut…
Watering the Seeds
By Lennis Lyon In 1997, I asked my 23-year-old son, Tatian, if he would like to join me on my first visit to Plum Village. "Sure, I've never been to Europe," he replied. I…
The Bear in the Blueberries
By Linda Buckley Twice a month a group of families gathers to practice mindfulness in Juneau, Alaska. We meet on Sunday afternoons in private homes. When a family is hosting the mindfulness family…
Poem: Plum Blossom Poem
As beesattendant to blossom, we come wedded to spring rainand white petals; soft stepamong the orchard the green cloverand thick, green grass. The finger that sows the seed is the…
Poem: I Embrace the Sky
By Erica Shane Hamilton
I embrace the skywhen her storms hurl me into dark cloudsI remind myself that we sharethe same matter the clouds and IYet the clouds do not know my fears, my…
A Collection of Gathas
By Sister Dang Nghiem
Gathas are verses used to focus attention on the present moment during various tasks in daily life. —Ed. Gatha before Going to SleepI vow to bring awareness into my sleep tonight to…
Precious Steps For Peace
By Pamela Overeynder Members of Plum Blossom Sangha of Austin helped organize and participated in a public walking meditation on December 10, 2000, International Human Rights Day. The event, "Precious Steps for Peace," was sponsored…
Vietnam Update
By Sister Chan Khong
On a recent night, though it was very late, I could not sleep because I knew that hundreds of thousands of victims of the most recent flooding in Vietnam were sitting on their…
San Diego Retreat
By Patricia Webb If I had to use one word to describe our September retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh, it would be gratitude. All of the events opened my heart—the Dharma talks by…
Poem: Ascutney Retreat 2000
The mountaintop with her autumntrees, A silent ski lift, 2250 feet to the top.Laborious steps to the summit then down.The warm sun, green grass, wild flowers.A monk slowly eating alone…
Poem: Walking Meditation at St. Michael’s College
I We walk under a canopy of treesWhose long early morning shadowsSketch black lines on the landscape;We inhale them.Clouds accumulate their merit above;We exhale them. The sharp cracks of rifleson…
