Follow Thay as he leads retreats for veterans, as well as retreats for politicians in Washington, D.C.

  Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh discusses what he calls the most important practice in Buddhist meditation—the practice of letting go or “throwing away.”

Wrong perceptions, ideas and notions are at the root of our suffering—they are the ground of all afflictions. In order for us to touch happiness in the here and now, we need to throw away the ideas and notions that prevent us from learning and growing. The Diamond Sutra suggestions four notions that should be thrown away: self, human being, living being and life span. The substantive portion of this talk is dedicated to elaborating on these notions as well as our attachment to views, pairs of extremes, and rules and rituals. The talk concludes with the suggestion that we write a letter to help suicide bombers throw away the notions that have created fear and hatred in their hearts.

Upon the publication of his book, "The Energy of Prayer", Zen Master the Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh was asked by Publishers Weekly to answer ten questions about prayer and about his teaching. This dharma talk is a response to those questions

"Some Christians -- those who think of God as someone external and powerful and transcendent -- would be surprised to know that Buddhists pray. What would you say to them?” “Why is it important to pray with the body?” “How can you avoid falling into the trap of falling into routine when you’re praying, the trap of going through the words or motions without paying attention?” "There’s a chapter on meditation in your book on prayer. How do you see the relationship between meditation and prayer in your own life?” “How can people find the time to pray every day? “What is the one thing people can do every day that will bring them closer to the happiness they seek?” “How is prayer related to peace and to peacemaking?” “Should Christians who are attracted to Buddhist teachings become Buddhists?” "What did you find in Vietnam when you returned in 2005? What were your impressions?” “You will be 80 this year. Do you plan to retire as a spiritual teacher at any point?”

True social change begins by going home to ourselves and creating a strong base for action. In this dharma talk, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh explores the Buddha’s teachings on the Four Noble Truths to show how mindfulness can create that base.

Life contains ill-being and well-being, suffering and happiness. By becoming aware of what we bring attention to, we can develop conscious habits that nourish compassion and understanding – both for ourselves and for others. These habits will help to bring joy and solidity to action for social change.

From the Colors of Compassion Retreat: Honoring Our Ancestors – Embracing Ourselves on the Path.

Thay shares about the basic practices of mindfulness and how we can cultivate them in our daily lives.