Dharma Talk: Cultivating Our Deepest Desire
By Thich Nhat Hanh in March 1993
When a woman becomes pregnant, something happens in her body, mind, and heart. The presence of the baby in her transforms her life, and a new energy arises that allows her to do things she normally could not do. She…
From the Editors
Published in March 1993
We offer you this harvest of writings which have come to us out of the daily practice of looking deeply into the nature of the reality before us. Thich Nhat Hanh shares his experience of touching his innermost request, his deepest desire, which has…
The Way Ahead for Buddhism in Vietnam
By Thich Nhat Hanh in March 1993
The following proposal has been offered by Thich Nhat Hanh for bringing about reconciliation between the government of Vietnam and the Vietnamese Buddhists. 1. Protecting our Nation's Nature-Heritage (Preserving our Mother's Body): As Vietnamese students of the Buddha, we make a vow to protect…
Other articles in this issue
Practicing Acceptance
By Svein Myreng I was born with an organic heart disease that has limited my physical activity and more than once has brought me to the brink of death. Mental aspects of…
Poem: First Loves
Socrates was my first love.Sitting on my grand-uncle's lap,I was immersed in tales ofGreek and Norse gods and heroes:escaping with Odysseus from the Cyclop's cave,sacrificing one eye with Odinfor the…
Sangha as Teacher
By Richard Brady
A teacher for more than twenty years, I began Zen Buddhist practice four years ago. It is the teacher's job to touch the student's deepest desire to practice, so that the work…
Examining Prejudice
By Mary Garvey In November, the citizens of Colorado voted to amend our state constitution to prohibit the inclusion of gays and lesbians among those against whom discrimination is specifically prohibited. The effect…
Rose Breaks
By Mobi Warren There are still roses blooming outside our kitchen door—buds of black-red velvet and cups of coral. For years I have regretted I was not more sensitive to cultivated…
Enjoying the Precepts
By Sheila Stone In a small retreat last Spring led by Sisters Jina and Annabel, I renewed my commitment to the Five Wonderful Precepts. The first time I took the precepts, the…
Acknowleding the Impact
By Jerry Braza When asked, "What is the greatest message we can leave for others?" Gandhi said simply, "My life is my message." "It is no use walking anywhere to preach…
Our Practice is Portable
By Jack Lawlor Body, mind, and breath in oneness, the flower of bodhicittotpada blooms, and hearts grow helping hands. The sangha rises and walks with ancestral teachers to and from the marketplace. Village…
Fear and Racism
By Tomas Frehse Once again houses are burning in Germany, Molotov-cocktails are crashing into the rooms of refugees and those seeking political asylum here. Once again, victims of racism are dying. But this…
Joy Begets Joy
By Claudia Wieland Although I live in the peaceful, beautiful countryside of Germany, the news of the growing extremism of my people shatters my heart. I have contacted a German family who take…
Beyond Picture-Perfect Practice
By Mei Mei Evans In the Northern rainforest, enormous spruce trees hung with moss surrounded the eighteen of us gathered for a ten-day "Buddhism and Deep Ecology" retreat led by Christopher Reed and…
Gathering Courage
By Mair Honan Last year I took precepts with Thay and slowly the understanding of the Five Precepts is unfolding as I journey along. I'd like to share a little about this…
Disturbing the War
By Kate O'Neill In January 1991, as the U.S. prepared for war, many of us spoke up and asked for sanctions and negotiations. Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts, was the largest…
Tree-being
By Bill Clark Yesterday I became mindful of you.It happened when I saw youburning for us in the fireplace,giving us everything you had.There would be nothing left but ashes,that would…
The First Time
By Sharon Kehoe I remember hearing Harry Belafonte sing a tender, sweet love song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, at a concert in the '60s in Berkeley. I wasn't…
More Good News
By Marci Thurston I would like to share reflections that arose from the "Good News" poem that appeared in the last issue of The Mindfulness Bell. The sensitive author of that poem…
The Greatest Freedom
By Gary Stuard This past New Year's eve, I was ordained as a novice monk. I was contemplating becoming a monk for some time and I gave it a lot of serious…
Zero And One
By Elizabeth Wood For me personally, the story of Thay's visit to Moscow last September began two nights before his arrival. I dreamed I was trying to hold the numbers zero and…
East Meets East
By Therese Fitzgerald Six of us met at the Paris airport—Thay, Sister True Emptiness, Pierre Marchand, Daniel Reeves, Arnie Kotler, and myself—and after a brief three-hour flight, we landed behind the "Iron Curtain."…
Announcements
Manzanita Village We are pleased to announce the founding of a new retreat center in Southern California. Details are on page 26. Ghosananda Receives Human Rights Award On November 4 1992,…
News from Vietnam
By Sister Chan Khong, Sister Jina van Hengel
Compiled by Sister True Emptiness, Sister True Wonder Adornment, Steve Denney, Therese Fitzgerald, and Carole Melkonian Over the last five years, the Vietnamese government has embarked on a policy of doi moi—reforms…
