Vancouver: Open Mind, Open Heart with Thich Nhat Hanh

The retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh and the fourfold sangha, on the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, was the flowering of much hard and loving work. The theme of the retreat was "Open Mind, Open Heart."

Thich Nhat Hanh leading walking meditation

About eight hundred practitioners from the Pacific Northwest and around the world spent five days together practicing and cultivating the art of nourishing our joy, and embracing our suffering with compassion. We practiced following our breathing and being fully present in every moment, during walking, sitting, eating, and listening and speaking.

The sangha practicing walking meditation through the UBC campus

Dharma family walking joyfully

Sister The Nghiem, with an offering of music and song

Thich Nhat Hanh (or "Thay," which means teacher in Vietnamese), embodied a deep mindfulness and compassion, particularly with the children. Thay's dharma talk on August 13 was a deeply moving meditation on touching our true nature. "If you touch your true nature, all of your afflictions - anger, fear, and hatred - are no longer possible. If we have right view, all of our thoughts will be right thoughts, all of our actions are right actions, and we can only create peace and happiness."

Thich Nhat Hanh, inviting the bell of mindfulness with children

Thich Nhat Hanh, practicing walking meditation with children

Wearing my father's ao trang (grey practice robe), I felt that he was truly alive in me. I know that I am his continuation, and I aspire to continue him beautifully.

At the panel presenting the Five Mindfulness Trainings

I was so grateful to be able to share this experience and practice with my loving family and some of my dearest friends.  Family and community practice has brought a deeper, spiritual dimension to my most cherished relationships.  Helping to organize the retreat was a practice in breathing and smiling to "joyful chaos" (as my mentor Jeanie put it), and balancing serving the sangha, taking care of my family, caring for my own energies, and nourishing my joy and mindfulness so that I could offer it to others.  This is a practice in which I still have much to learn.

Relaxing mindfully

Tammy and Ly, practicing mindful knitting

Quynh, Tammy, Young-Whan, Sophy, Mom, Tony, Ylan, Dzung, and Ly

Practicing with my brother Tony was particularly joyful for me, sharing with him the opening of his heart into the art of mindful living. It was like watching a wondrous flower bloom right before my very eyes.

Tony arriving in his true home in the here and now

I know that for at least some of the friends and family I connected with, this retreat was a life-changing experience. I am sure that there are many more beautiful flowers blooming this very moment.  I bow with gratitude to all beings, past present and future, for making this wonderful event possible.

- Text by Dzung, photos by Dzung, Ly, and Tony

PS-- See more photos on my set on Flickr, and in the Vancouver Sun.  Thay's dharma talks from the retreat are archived at Plum Village Online Monastery.