In this installment, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino explore the importance of silence and its role in personal transformation and spiritual practice.
They further discuss noble silence in the Plum Village tradition – a fundamental practice that allows for deep reflection, self-awareness, and connection with the present moment; silence as a space that enables practitioners to listen deeply; the challenges of silence; the contrast between the mainstream emphasis on productivity, noise, and external validation, and the Buddhist approach of valuing stillness, presence, and inner listening as a path to true well-being and happiness; silence as a means to engage more deeply with life, rather than as an escape; embodied listening; and more.
The episode concludes with an invitation to take time for silent reflection and to explore the transformative power of silence in our lives.
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Quotes
“Silence allows us spaces of deep reflection. Silence is also to hear ourselves.”
“Noble silence is the silence of being present.”
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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
Interbeing
‘The Four Dharma Seals of Plum Village’
Being with Busyness: Zen Ways to Transform Overwhelm and Burnout
Calm in the Storm: Zen Ways to Cultivate Stability in an Anxious World
Buddha Path
Brother Spirit
Brother Phap Ung
‘Three Resources Explaining the Plum Village Tradition of Lazy Days’
Tao Te Ching
Bimbisara
Devadatta