In *Mindfulness as Medicine,* Sister Dang Nghiem shares her profound journey of healing from the devastating diagnosis and symptoms of Lyme disease, which also triggered unresolved traumas from her past. Combining her medical knowledge with advanced mindfulness practices, she guides readers through step-by-step techniques to embrace and transform suffering. The book emphasizes that suffering can be transformed and mastered, leading to deep appreciation for life, peace, joy, and love for oneself and others.
In *Flowers in the Dark*, Sister Dang Nghiem combines her experiences as a survivor, medical doctor, and Buddhist teacher to offer a body-based approach to healing from trauma. The book integrates neuroscience, effective treatments, and mindfulness training, providing accessible practices for anyone suffering from trauma. It includes guided reflections and exercises to help readers tap into their inner faculties of self-trust, diligence, mindfulness, concentration, and insight.
This extraordinary story takes the reader from the rice fields of Vietnam to the peaceful surroundings of Thich Nhat Hanh’s monastery in Plum Village. Sister Dang Nghiem shares her life experiences, including childhood trauma, her career as a doctor, and her eventual ordination as a Buddhist nun. The book demonstrates how her personal experiences and the insights gained from Buddhist teachings have enabled her to become a support and resource for others. With humor, insight, and an irrepressible sense of joy, Sister Dang Nghiem’s story provides clarity and guidance for everyone facing similar challenges.
It’s hard to be a human. No matter how good things are for you, being alive is still hard; whatever your life circumstances are, we’re all subject to impermanence and entropy. This episode dives into a five-part Buddhist list for being stronger in the face of whatever life throws at you. And the person who will be walking us through this list has an enormous amount of standing to talk about strength.
Sister Dang Nghiem, who goes by Sister D, is a nun in the Plum Village tradition and a disciple of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. She was born in Vietnam during the war, the daughter of a Vietnamese mother and an American soldier. Sister D experienced an unfathomable amount of loss before relocating to the US, where she became a doctor and later, after experiencing more loss, became a nun. She’s written several books. Her most recent is Flowers in the Dark.
In this conversation, Sister D shares her story, and then walks us through The Five Strengths of Applied Zen Buddhism which include trust, diligence, mindfulness, concentration, and insight.
Content Warning: This episode covers difficult topics including death, mental illness, and sexual abuse.
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