In this installment, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino discuss the importance of creating inner space and stillness through meditation practices. But what does it actually mean to create more space in our lives? And why is this important, and how do we go about it?
The conversation emphasises that the practice of meditation is not just about achieving enlightenment, but about becoming more present, compassionate, and engaged with the world. It touches upon the difficulties of finding space in modern life, the benefits of different meditation techniques, and misconceptions around enlightenment.
The hosts also share personal experiences, including insights about how meditation has deepened their practice and allowed them to navigate challenges with greater flexibility and understanding.
The episode ends with a meditation guided by Brother Phap Huu.
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Quotes
“Sometimes we sit just to enjoy sitting and doing nothing, because maybe that’s the one gift that we want to give to ourselves - because we're always doing, we're always in fifth gear. Sometimes we need a radical act: to sit and do nothing, to give and create and redefine space for ourselves.”
“Walking meditation was our teacher's favorite practice and it was really a life-changing cultivation for him. Because, particularly when we are very emotional - whether that be grief, agony, pain, anger, frustration - it is probably better to be in a state of motion.”
“The Buddha has said, What are we mindful of? We are mindful of our suffering. Why do we practice? To liberate ourselves and all beings from suffering. That is the greatest vow of a monk or a nun: to find liberation in oneself and liberation in all.”
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🔔 The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living is 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.
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🎙️ The podcast is co-produced by the Plum Village App and Global Optimism with support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation.
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Resources
Pilgrimage: In the Footsteps of the Buddha
Being with Busyness: Zen Ways to Transform Overwhelm and Burnout
Calm in the Storm: Zen Ways to Cultivate Stability in an Anxious World
Plum Village Community
Course: Zen and The Art of Saving the Planet
Interbeing
Plum Village Tradition
‘Resources for Practicing the 16 Exercises of Mindful Breathing’
‘Making the App More Inclusive: Introducing the ‘Access to Practice’ Folder’
Robert Thurman
Mahayana
Bodhisattvas
The Way Out Is In: ‘The Three Doors of Liberation (Episode #18)’
Sister Chan Lang Nghiem