On October 27th, in the Still Water Meditation of Dharma Cloud Temple (Plum Village, France), a group of seven young men and women, with the witness of their relatives, friends, and the entire Plum Village community, shed their hair to become novice monks and nuns. Coming from different countries (Germany, Norway, Turtle Island – USA, Canada, UK, Netherlands France and Belgium), these young people have come together to embark on this path of healing, transformation and service.
Their Dharma names, in the order of ordination are:
- Sister Chân Thắng Hạnh – Sister True Victorious Action
- Brother Chân Nhất Ngân – Brother True Resonance of Oneness
- Sister Chân Quy Hạnh – Sister True Action of Refuge
- Brother Chân Nhất Quán – Brother True Contemplation of Oneness
- Brother Chân Nhất Từ – Brother True Loving Oneness
- Sister Chân Tri Hạnh – Sister True Action of Understanding
- Sister Chân Tạng Hạnh – Sister True Action of Treasure Store
Please enjoy these moments from the ordination day.
Sharing from the heart (Novice Monks and Nuns)
I feel full of gratitude for the opportunity to be pursuing my aspirations and to be witnessed by the whole community and for my parents to have come all this way. It means the world to me. It is a deep gift to be in an experience that on the one hand can feel nerve-wracking and at the same time feels like a precious gift to be walking toward what I want most in the world, for peace and freedom for all people and beings.
Sister Chân Quy Hạnh (True Action of Refuge)
When we were sitting before the ceremony started, I was trying to invite all of my friends and my family and actually everyone that I met in my life before and also maybe everyone that I will meet in my life. Then everyone that I haven’t met and will never meet. I practiced to bring the whole universe, I felt it gathering for the seven of us to make a little lotus flower in our living room today. For me it was a beautiful moment
Brother Chân Nhất Quán (True Contemplation of Oneness)
For me, I really felt like shaving my hair would be the most emotional part my life. But actually, those moments, I think I smiled the most. And it felt very light. It felt very relieving. I cannot really phrase it, I think I still need to digest it all, but it’s like you are not just letting go of your hair, you’re letting go of so much, and it’s so wonderful
Sister Chân Tri Hạnh – Sister True Action of Understanding
Sharing from the heart (family and friends)
I just want to share my happiness and see all the kindness that is in this community. That’s something the world really needs.
Father of Brother Chân Nhất Ngân – Brother True Resonance of Oneness
Why has he ended up coming here? I mean, he wants to save the world. And this is really what he wants to do. And hardly, I mean, Peter said it, it was actually the happiness. He’s found a happiness to be able to address some of the things that he wants to address with the peace that you hold, through the practices which you have here.
Father of Brother Chân Nhất Từ – Brother True Loving Oneness
For me, she has always been someone who’ s always out and about. She’s always somewhere out in the world. I never knew where she was at, but I knew that for Christmas she would come home. So when she told me that she found a place where she would stay, it was surprising to me. And I’ve never been here before. She told me she found this monastery that she feels very happy at. And now being here, seeing her with all these people who are now also her new family and people who care and love her so much, it makes me also very happy. Knowing that she’s well, even though she might not come home for Christmas anymore, just knowing that she’s well and happy here makes me feel really at peace.
Younger sister of Sister Chân Thắng Hạnh – Sister True Victorious Action
I’ve always been very proud of my daughter. She was a very shining baby, always happy, always. Just look at her, she was smiling. And then I was proud when she went to travel, very young, with a small backpack. I was proud when she went to study at the other side of the world. I’m proud that she’s here. It’s not an easy choice she makes. I don’t think it’s easy for her. It isn’t easy for me, and I’m still at the beginning of my thought of acceptance. But it’s nice to know that you all support her and support me that I can feel the warmth you all do to help us. She’s a beautiful person. She always was. Now she is bold and beautiful.
Mother of Sister Chân Tạng Hạnh – Sister True Action of Treasure Store
Learn more
- Introduction to basic monastic training – “Stepping into Freedom“
- Becoming a monastic
Share with us your wishes for the new novices