Chapters

Business Retreat Questions and Answers

Thich Nhat Hanh · October 31, 1999 · Plum Village, France Not yet reviewed

I think the problem of my life is that I’m too occupied with calming my mind and not enough with analyzing my life; I see only problems, get depressed, and return to calming—how can I break this vicious circle?
As a physician witnessing increasing commercialization of medicine leading to more greed and less compassion, what can we do to keep our noble intention alive and our hearts open?
Although I try to live in the here and now, I find myself planning for the future and making present decisions for later—what is the key to preventing future concerns from interfering with living now?
In a conversation of two or three people, I feel embarrassed by silence and try to break it with talk—what else can I do to manage silence?
Have you had any thoughts about offering mindfulness training in elementary and high schools to reach future professionals and prevent violence?
How does a young man know that he is on the right way with his ideas and visions concerning his business, and how will he find out whether he will be successful?
What are the obstacles in our Western world that prevent this wisdom from spreading more quickly across society?
How can we use our practice in a concrete way in civil disobedience to show those around us that violence is unacceptable?
Insight is key and mindfulness and concentration are tools to access it—what practice conditions best facilitate the arising of insight?
To work on my concentration, what would you recommend: daily sitting meditation or is mindful walking enough to integrate into daily life?
What does awakening mean in practice, and how do we recognize its different levels?
What do you think about psychotherapy as an aid to mindfulness practice or as an obstruction?
What is your view on competition, and can it be good if it isn’t harmful to people?
How can we share the mindful experience we’re having here when we return home to our families and businesses?
I was impressed by your business language—what sources or methods do you use to learn business terminology and information?
You mentioned the “finger” as a metaphor—could you explain its role in understanding our true nature and direction?
How do we understand the origin of greed, and can we explore its roots through vipassanā?
One of humanity’s major catastrophes is AIDS—do you see it as a punishment for not fulfilling the practice of mindfulness?

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Part of the following collections

The Gift of Silence

From the Living Gems Curation Team

The Heart of Psychotherapy

From the Living Gems Curation Team

Responding to War with Peace

From the Living Gems Curation Team

Previous Talk October 29, 1999

Business Retreat Day 2

Next Talk October 31, 1999

Business Retreat

Transcript

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How can we see both strengths and weaknesses in ourselves and others?

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[One sound of the bell.]

Can the year 2000 serve as a bell of mindfulness reminding us how precious each moment is?

Sangha Member

Question

I look at the year 2000 as a bell of mindfulness. Because it helped me to be aware how precious the days and the months are. So that is a way of looking only. It's not because that year is very special, but it is like a bell of mindfulness. When you think of it, you know that time is passing by very quickly and you know how to get deeper in each moment of your life so that your life will be more meaningful and you would know what to do and what not to do in order to improve the quality of your life and the quality of the life of the people around you.

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

I look at the year 2000 as a bell of mindfulness. Because it helped me to be aware how precious the days and the months are. So that is a way of looking only. It's not because that year is very special, but it is like a bell of mindfulness.

00:02:47

When you think of it, you know that time is passing by very quickly and you know how to get deeper in each moment of your life so that your life will be more meaningful and you would know what to do and what not to do in order to improve the quality of your life and the quality of the life of the people around you.

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[One sound of the bell.]

While meditating I sometimes lose myself in the object; how can I stay alive in the practice?

Sangha Member

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Thich Nhat Hanh

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As a physician, how can I preserve compassion and not let the wish for money replace my original intention to heal?

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Sangha Member

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Thich Nhat Hanh

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Trying to live in the here and now, I keep planning for the future; practical decisions disturb my mindfulness—what can I do?

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Sangha Member

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Thich Nhat Hanh

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In conversation I feel embarrassed by silence and rush to fill it; how can I handle silence?

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Thich Nhat Hanh

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Thich Nhat Hanh

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Could mindfulness and compassion training be offered in elementary and high schools to help prevent violence?

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Thich Nhat Hanh

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How can a young businessman know whether his ideas are right and will lead to success?

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Sangha Member

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Thich Nhat Hanh

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What prevents this wisdom from spreading more quickly in the Western world?

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Thich Nhat Hanh

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How can we use mindfulness practice to engage in non-violent protest and civil disobedience against injustice?

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Thich Nhat Hanh

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To build concentration should I sit every day, or is mindful walking and breathing enough?

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Thich Nhat Hanh

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What do you think of psychotherapy as an aid or instruction for mindfulness?

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Sangha Member

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00:58:06

Thich Nhat Hanh

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00:59:39

Is competition always necessary, or can it be replaced by cooperation?

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Sangha Member

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01:00:21

Thich Nhat Hanh

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01:02:09

You mention God when referring to other traditions; in this practice are we seeking God?

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01:03:28

Thich Nhat Hanh

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Is there truly good and bad, or are they merely perceptions created so we can experience opposites?

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Thich Nhat Hanh

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How can I oppose injustice without losing inner peace?

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Sangha Member

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01:11:15

Thich Nhat Hanh

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After anger arises between close friends, how can I approach reconciliation when I fear rejection?

01:11:32

Sangha Member

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01:12:33

Thich Nhat Hanh

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01:13:13

Are the devastating AIDS deaths a punishment for not following the Third Mindfulness Training?

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Sangha Member

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01:14:18

Thich Nhat Hanh

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How can we share the practices learned here with our families and workplaces after the retreat?

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Sangha Member

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01:17:15

Thich Nhat Hanh

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01:17:55

01:18:28

01:18:58

You speak the language of business so well—how do you obtain your information?

01:19:16

Sangha Member

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01:19:28

Thich Nhat Hanh

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01:19:50

How can we understand the origin of greed through vipassanā and distinguish true happiness from craving?

01:20:43

Sangha Member

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01:21:46

Sangha Member

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01:21:57

Thich Nhat Hanh

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01:22:34

01:23:00

01:23:48

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01:25:07

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01:29:03

The Pope counsels abstinence rather than condoms to stop AIDS; faced with such suffering what can he do?

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Sangha Member

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01:30:10

01:30:35

01:30:57

Thich Nhat Hanh

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01:31:43

01:32:31

01:33:01

Concluding reflections and shared breathing before rest

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01:34:16