Who is Thich Nhat Hanh?
Zen Master, poet, peace maker and human rights activist makes a rare visit to the UK from Wednesday 11 August – Wednesday 18 August 2010. A world leader in mindfulness practice he will be accompanied by 40 monks and nuns from Plum Village, an international meditation centre in southern France. A facebook group supporting his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize 2010 started in December 2009 already has more than 9,000 members worldwide. The visit is hosted by UK Charity, Community of Interbeing, part of a wider community of thousands of practitioners worldwide.
Why is Thich Nhat Hanh’s teaching important?
Thich Nhat Hanh (or Thay as he is often known) engages with some of the most pressing issues of our time – terrorism, global warming, the recession and the need for peace. His luminous presence and the simple, compassionate clarity of his writings has touched countless lives leading him to inspire generations of peacemakers from Martin Luther King to eco-activist Joanna Macy.
His extraordinary gift as a speaker allows him to engage and enlighten everyone from the 5 year old to the 80 year old. His visit is significant in a time of financial crisis. His teaching inspires us to be happy with less, to see more deeply in order to be able to act in a way that minimises destruction of life and to heal social division within families and communities.
Teaching and Philosophy
Thay’s key teaching is that, through mindfulness, we can learn to live in the present moment instead of in the past and in the future. He asks us to stop the war inside ourselves, to quiet our distracted minds and to return to the present moment. ‘If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace.’ Dwelling in the present moment is, according to Thây, the only way to truly develop peace, both in one’s self and in the world.
His philosophy is notable for its emphasis on joy, engagement in the world, and integrating the practice of mindfulness into daily life. To be mindful is to become aware of what is going on in our bodies, our minds, and the world around us. His teaching centres on conscious breathing and the mindful awareness of each breath. He reminds his students that any act is an opportunity to touch the sacred, whether it is washing the dishes or driving a car. He asks us to stop the war inside ourselves, to quiet our distracted minds and to return to the present moment.
How can the public take part?
Thich Nhat Hanh will give a talk on Global Ethics for our Future in London on Wednesday 11 August 7.30pm at the Hammersmith Apollo – . It will explore ways of cultivating understanding, love and compassion in the face of uncertainty and conflict.
From Friday 13th August to Wednesday 18th August, Thich Nhat Hanh, together with the monks and nuns of Plum village will lead a family retreat – Living Mindfully, Living Peacefully. This five day residential retreat for 900 adults, children and young people at the East Midlands Conference Centre will explore how mindfulness and mediation practice can bring peace to ourselves and the environment. It will include a children and young people’s programme.
The talk and retreat are suitable for people from all faiths or none and those from all cultures and backgrounds. People working for peace and justice, educators, artists, environmentalists and individuals from the health and the caring professions will be inspired.
Quotes
In 1967, Martin Luther King nominated him for Nobel Peace Prize saying, “this gentle Buddhist monk from Vietnam is a scholar of immense intellectual capacity. His ideas for peace, if applied, would build a monument to ecumenism, to world brotherhood, to humanity.”
In 2010, 10 year old Luna says, “He is calm and peaceful understanding and loving, also kind. … Thay is a very important person in my life because he waters my seeds of happiness!”
Oprah Winfrey says, “The moment I meet Thich Nhat Hanh…I feel his sense of calm and am less stressed. A deeply tranquil presence seems to surround the Zen Buddhist master.”
Order of Interbeing member and Communications Facilitator Sita Brand said: “This trip is an opportunity for everyone who wants to find greater peace within themselves. One of the trip’s overriding aims is to contribute to peace and mutual understanding through mindfulness practice.”
Source: www.pressdispensary.co.uk
