Thich Nhat Hanh--21 Day Retreat in Real Time (or almost)

James: This was sent to my via my sangha.

Hello dear friends!

For your interest--

Thich Nhat Hanh's dharma talks at the 21-day retreat happening at Plum Village France (June 1-21) can now be heard, day by day!! What a joy, and much gratitude to all those who have contributed to the development and use of the technology that allows this vehicle for sharing the dharma widely "in 'real' time" (or almost)! Connect at the following address, and please share also with your communities who may be interested.

http://www.langmai.org/TNH_DharmaTalks/

In the first talk Thay is offering the practice and teachings from the Anapasati Sutra, the full awareness of breathing. He encourages deep respect for the body: "we have to not discriminate against the body. The body can initiate (smiling) sometimes, sometimes the mind initiates. We have to respect and see the value of the body. Your love, your happiness depends on your body alot. Your body can do a lot, to bring about peace, and respect, and reverence." He encourages especially the practices of smiling and total deep relaxation, which are based on this sutra's teachings. He encourages putting on tape the deep relaxation practice in different languages, and says that it can be offered also in hospitals, schools and corporations. "All of us have to master the practice for ourselves, so we as teachers, parents, we can help so many people with our practice!" He encourages the medical community, teachers, corporation heads: "To remove all the tension in this body, this is a basic condition for healing...The doctor as well as the patient should practice." "It is very urgent in schools, the children don't know (how to do this--relax), there is so much restlessness in them, violence, they need to LEARN how to do it, this is very important."

In this talk Thay also recalls Thomas Merton's saying that "so many elements of monastic culture can be shared"--and we are the ones who have the duty to do that, participate in parents and teachers associations etc and share the practices that can restore healing.He encourages lay and monastic dharma teachers to "please record all the exercises you have invented for your teaching, so you can offer these to other practitioners."

Please enjoy and share: http://www.langmai.org/TNH_DharmaTalks/

-Peace to all beings-