Survival Kits / The Plum Village Survival Kit – Part I: Taking Care of Yourself

In Part I we offer resources for dealing with anxiety and stress, creating calm and ease, some beautiful mindful music and online resources.

Managing Anxiety and Stress

In order to learn how monastics structure their day, balancing meditation, work and rest, you can read A Zen Master’s tips for staying sane in challenging times. They are Thich Nhat Hanh’s key teachings on the art of living each day well.

Here are two dharma talks from Thich Nhat Hanh on how to stay calm in a storm, and transforming depression, anger and fear with mindful breathing and walking.

Creating Calm and Ease

We invite you to come back to yourself with these guided meditation by our teacher Thay, giving the classic Plum Village guided meditation of Calm, Ease and Sr Chan Duc’s meditation on healing with the breath. Or you might like to relax with Br Phap Linh’s guided body scan and beautiful cello accompaniment.

Mindful Music and Chants

Have you ever been serenaded by Sr Chan Khong during total relaxation? Enjoy her song “I smile” here.

Join us in Lower Hamlet as we close the day and enter into Noble Silence with chants on the Great Bell with Sr Chanh Niem.

Exercise at Home

Are you looking to stay healthy while at home? Try these qigong exercises with Br Phap Dung to start your day.

Plum Village in Your Pocket

Do you often have a few minutes of free time throughout your day? Perhaps between activities or while waiting? You can use this time to return to Plum Village and your island within by listening to audio tracks of Thay and his monastics guiding minfulness practices on the Plum Village Meditation App (free) and or listen to all the recent Dharma Talks within the Plum Village tradition on our Podcast.

Stay tuned for Part II – On cultivating compassion, helping others and seeing our current situation in a larger context. Coming soon!