The Way Out Is In

Welcome to episode 67 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. This inaugural live recording of the podcast was made in London, England, on April 5th, 2024, before a sold-out audience of more than 400 people. For the first half of this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino explore what it means to step into freedom in the light of Buddhist teachings, drawing on insights from the life and teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, and including much needed practical steps which can be applied to our daily lives. Their conversation touches upon the pressure of perfection; layers of freedom; the best time to make a decision; experiencing gratitude; true happiness; vulnerability as an expression of love; working with the feeling of ‘not enough’; and much more.The second half of the episode consists of a live question-and-answer session, with questions from the audience covering a wide range of topics: ways to embrace suffering; compassionate sharing; ending wars by cultivating peace; the joy of missing out; cultivating aspirations; empathy and mindfulness; and more.   And this time you can even enjoy two short meditations guided by Brother Phap Huu.Thank you for listening!  Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/  With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources  Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing  Stepping into Freedom: An Introduction to Monastic Buddhist Traininghttps://plumvillage.org/books/stepping-into-freedom  ‘Cong Phu Journal – Everything You Need to Know About the Practice Notebook’ https://plumvillage.app/cong-phu-journal-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-practice-notebook/ Old Path White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha https://plumvillage.org/books/old-path-white-clouds-2  Rains Retreathttps://plumvillage.org/articles/now-we-have-a-path-2023-24-autumn-winter-rains-retreat  Christiana Figuereshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiana_Figueres  Dalai Lamahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama  World Wildlife Fundhttps://www.worldwildlife.org/ Quotes “We’re all looking to feel free, to be ourselves, to find happiness, to be recognized, to love and be loved. It’s at the core of our deepest aspiration in life. And yet, oftentimes, we don’t feel like that. We feel disturbed in our mind; we suffer from anger or frustration; we’re too busy; we have many obligations in our lives; we’re constantly bombarded with news and social media. And so we experience a dissonance between this wish to be free and our everyday lives.” “Practicing mindfulness is, first, a practice of mere recognition, to call our habits by their name and to recognize the sources of energy that emerge in us. That, already, is the first step towards freedom. And freedom is a continuous energy and a continuous insight that we are cultivating. Thich Nhat Hanh was very firm when he said we all have the ability to have freedom, but here freedom doesn’t come from outside in, but is what we cultivate from the inside.”  “Thay wasn’t ever using the war to affirm who he was. He was free from that. And that is something that I still aspire to walk towards. And when we talk about cultivating, it is very practical; it’s not just a mindset. Mindset is like a will – but, for us, aspiration has to go alongside action. So, very concretely, in the Plum Village tradition of Buddhist practice, in all of our Dharma, we have to engage in everyday life.”  “Thich Nhat Hanh was once asked, ‘What’s the difference between Buddhism and engaged Buddhism?’ And he said, ‘If Buddhism is not engaged, it’s not really Buddhism. That’s just philosophy.’” “I practice to look at all beings with the eyes of compassion. That is a choice we have. So, if we recognize this glimmer of life, this glimmer of a moment that we can make into a moment of freedom, we have freedom. And then we don’t just stop there; Engaged Buddhism is a continuous journey.”  “Smiling is an act of peace.”  “Why are we meditating? It’s not to run away; meditating is to be present. And if we allow ourselves to be truly present, we start to see ourselves more clearly; we get to identify the energies that pull us away from our freedom.”  “Each and every one of us is a flower in the garden of humanity. And a garden that is very diverse is beautiful; it’s colorful and it offers its uniqueness, its different cultures, its different understandings.”

Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and Jo Confino discuss the practice of gratitude in Buddhism, its power in challenging circumstances, and the struggle to apply it. Topics include interbeing, loneliness, gratitude for all beings, economic development in Bhutan, and daily gratitude practices. The episode ends with a guided meditation on gratitude.

Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach Jo Confino discuss 'manas': the aspect of the mind that craves pleasure, avoids suffering, and resists moderation. They delve into right diligence, Buddhist psychology, community importance, the seven characteristics of manas, and end with a guided meditation.

Welcome to episode 64 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. This episode is the first to be recorded live in front of an audience, in the Still Water Meditation Hall of Plum Village, France, during a retreat, rather than in Thay’s Sitting Still hut.  Together, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino explore the Buddhist concept of ripening, or the Fourth Dharma Seal of Plum Village: the understanding that the care, love, attention, and commitment we put into what’s important in life take time to ripen, and that we shouldn’t expect instant results. Brother Phap Huu starts off by introducing the first Three Dharma Seals and why Thay created them, before digging deeper into the Fourth Dharma Seal, the main theme of this episode; the process of ripening; the life journey of the practice; and much more. Jo brings examples of lifelong journeys of forgiveness, and explores trust versus control, dharma rain, and more.And: how can we all apply this practice of ripening to our own lives? The episode ends with a short meditation guided by Brother Phap Huu.  Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/  With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources  The Way Out Is In – Live recording informationhttps://wakeuplondon.org/thewayoutisin/ ‘The Four Dharma Seals of Plum Village’https://plumvillage.org/articles/the-four-dharma-seals-of-plum-village  Sutras: ‘Discourse on the Dharma Seal & the Three Doors of Liberation’https://plumvillage.org/library/sutras/discourse-on-the-dharma-seal-the-three-doors-of-liberationInterbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/InterbeingThe Way Out Is In: ‘The Three Doors of Liberation (Episode #18)’https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-three-doors-of-liberation-episode-18  Dharma Talks: ‘Three Doors of Liberation’ https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/three-doors-of-liberation-br-phap-khi-italian-retreat-2018-05-01/ ‘The Doors of Liberation’https://www.lionsroar.com/the-doors-of-liberation-may-2014/  Mahayanahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MahayanaDharma Talks: ‘Right View: Understanding the Roots of Our True Happiness’https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/right-view-understanding-the-roots-of-our-true-happiness  Old Path White Cloudshttps://plumvillage.org/books/old-path-white-clouds-2 Fragrant Palm Leaves https://plumvillage.org/books/1998-neo-ve-cua-y-fragrant-palm-leaves Sister Chan Khonghttps://plumvillage.org/about/sister-chan-khongSister Lang Nghiemhttps://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sr-lang-nghiem  Sister True Dedicationhttps://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sister-hien-nghiem Quotes “When we practice meditation and mindfulness to come home to the here and now, we start to discover that the present moment is the only moment in which we can be alive. And the present moment embraces the past as well as creating the future.” “If we don’t have darkness, the light won’t have a chance to appear.” “It is impossible to physically go back to the past, but I can bring the past into the here and now, and heal it by being right here, right now. By this present moment, I am creating a new path.” “The world is created by our mind.”  “The insight of ripening allows us to understand that the path of practice is a wonderful journey, and that it takes time and space for things to mature, for things to transform, for things to heal. When we hear about ripening, we may think of a tree – say, an orange tree. It takes time for the seed to be planted. For the roots to deepen. For the tree and its leaves and flowers to grow. Even when the fruit appears, it takes time to ripen. And so our practice can be viewed as a journey of ripening.”  “Each thing we say, each thing we think, each thing we do, ripples out. I love that image of a pond or a big lake where you throw in a stone and see the ripples spread in every direction. And even when you can’t really see them, they’re still there in a subtle way, stretching out further and further.”  “The learning journey is endless.” “If you know how to suffer, you suffer less.” “If we take away the need for the outcome and are instead just present for people, then life can show up fully.” “The Buddha said that the dharma is like fine-tuning an instrument for our path. If we are too intense, too rigid, too extreme, we won’t go the distance. The string might snap because there’s too much effort, there’s too much intensity. But if we’re too lazy, and are just daydreaming about what can be, then the string is loose and doesn’t play the the sound that’s needed.”

Welcome to episode 63 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. In this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino explore ‘shining light’. This deep-looking practice, established in the Plum Village community, allows monastics to share and receive feedback, so that they can learn and grow together, and better understand each other. Fresh from a shining light session, Brother Phap Huu offers insights into the practice and its evolution over the years, while Jo brings insights from feedback systems in the lay communities. Their conversation touches upon radical transparency, power dynamics, generating joy and happiness in the sangha, the practice of gratitude, the importance of language in the process of growth, bringing this shining light into the everyday, and much more.  Enjoy! Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/  With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources  ‘Shining the Light’https://www.parallax.org/mindfulnessbell/article/shining-the-light/  ‘The Practice of Gratitude’https://plumvillage.org/articles/the-practice-of-gratitude  Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing Sutras: ‘Discourse on the Dharma Seal & the Three Doors of Liberation’https://plumvillage.org/library/sutras/discourse-on-the-dharma-seal-the-three-doors-of-liberation ‘The Four Dharma Seals of Plum Village’https://plumvillage.org/articles/the-four-dharma-seals-of-plum-village  Bhikkhuhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu  Quotes “Meditation on offering guidance. Lord Buddha and teachers over many generations, today we have a chance to practice offering guidance to our brothers, sisters, and friends. We know that in spirit, we are all part of one sangha, that our flesh and bones are also part of one sangha. Therefore, we are aware that offering guidance to another is offering guidance to ourselves. We vow to use all of our love and understanding in order to practice offering guidance. We promise that every word we speak will come from the good intention of wanting to have a correct view about the person to whom guidance is being offered. We vow not to let our anger, sadness, and prejudice wrongly influence our opinion. We promise that every word we speak will come from love, because offering guidance to one is also offering guidance to many. We are aware that this practice will offer benefits to each of us. Dear Buddha and ancestral teachers, please support us in our wholehearted effort to successfully offer guidance today.”  “The essence of this [practice] lies in real friendship or in real relationships. According to my understanding and experience of relationships, they require the time and space to acknowledge the flowers, as well as to support one another when we see a particular negative habit or tendency. This may be a viewpoint, or a recurring action. And if you don’t fix it, or if you don’t support the other person to change it, it will grow.” “When you hear something as simple as, ‘When you smile, brother, you make the whole room smile’, that’s a wonderful quality [to be told that you have]. I received this [complement] when I was a young novice. And I’d never experienced that before: being acknowledged for a simple action that can help brighten the room. And that became one of the threads in the fabric of who I am, and I always remember that [complement] when I smile. So shining light can water the seed that helps the wonderful characteristics of a human being grow and develop.”  “Freedom is freedom from something.” “My life is my message.”

In this podcast, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino discuss the 16 exercises of mindful breathing. They explore topics such as nurturing positive feelings, understanding mental formations, and reflecting on emotions. They also delve into concepts like aimlessness, liberation, and realizing our true nature. The speakers provide practical tips for applying meditation exercises in a busy city life. Overall, the podcast offers insightful teachings from Thich Nhat Hanh's Buddhist philosophy.

Guest, Sister True Dedication, joins host and others to discuss the sixteen exercises of mindful breathing and their application in daily life. They explore the challenges and benefits of meditation, the power of mindful breathing, and the importance of being fully present. Stories about Thich Nhat Hanh's meditation practice and personal experiences are shared, making for an insightful and engaging conversation.

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh's 32 words for harmonious relationships are discussed in this episode. Topics include generating presence, intentional practices, being a refuge for people, two-way communication, calligraphy as energy change, and Thay's favorite mantra. The episode ends with a mindful recap of the mantras.

In this podcast, Brother Phap Huu and Jo Confino discuss conflicts in the world, focusing on the war in the Middle East. They explore Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings on conflict, pain, and the path to peace. They share insights on not taking sides, deep listening, and transforming conflict. They also discuss Thay's legacy of organizing joint retreats for Palestinians and Israelis. The chapter highlights the importance of gratitude, small acts of kindness, and our own true presence of peace. The podcast ends with a guided meditation and expressions of gratitude to the listeners.

Welcome to episode 58 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. In this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach and journalist Jo Confino talk about healing the body. Brother Phap Huu is back in Plum Village, five weeks after undergoing surgery on one of his knees, ready to discuss dealing with ill health after 21 years as a practitioner of mindfulness. How can we accept what is going on in our bodies but also heal and be present?   The conversation touches upon many relevant topics, such as deep endurance of pain and suffering; being mindful of your body and coming home to it; recognizing ‘the fear’; Thich Nhat Hanh’s journey of being in hospital and dealing with health issues (as recalled by his attendants); accepting the present moment; learning to be teachers; impermanence; and more. Thank you for listening. Enjoy! Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/  With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources  Gatha Poemshttps://plumvillage.org/mindfulness/extended-practises  ‘How to Dwell Happily in the Present Moment’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjfGvC-55GQ  Stepping Into Freedomhttps://plumvillage.org/books/stepping-into-freedom  ‘The Five Earth Touchings’https://plumvillage.org/key-practice-texts/the-five-earth-touchings Sister True Dedicationhttps://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sister-hien-nghiem  Brother Phap Linhhttps://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/brother-phap-linh  Neural pathwayhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neural_pathway  ‘The Four Dharma Seals of Plum Village’ https://plumvillage.org/articles/the-four-dharma-seals-of-plum-village  Quotes “In Buddhism, dying is not just the moment when we breathe our last breath. Because dying – the ‘no birth, no death’ – is the insight that there’s always birth and there’s always death in every moment. And that’s why we are ever changing and recognizing that we have to learn to let go of everything we hold dear – even our health. Our true belongings are our actions of body, speech, and mind.” “It’s the cultivation of the practice that allows you – in this difficult time [ill health], when there’s so much energy in the opposite direction – to pull back and rest in that place.”  “The only moment we have in life is the present moment. The past will become a memory, will become lessons, will become a legacy. And the future is not yet here. So all we have is the present moment.” “The present moment always teaches us to accept, let go, and embrace and dance with what we have.”