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Businesspeople Retreat – Hoi An (1)

Thich Nhat Hanh · May 24, 2008 · Vietnam · Audio Only
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The sound of the bell calls us back to our breath so that we may stop speaking, stop thinking, and be present in the here and now. In the past, the merchant Sudatta (Anathapindika), who had three children—two daughters and one son—offered the Jetavana Monastery. His family practiced and found happiness after his son, for the first time, listened to the Dharma in exchange for 1,000 coins from his father. One day, he brought 500 merchants to listen to the Buddha teach about Dwelling Happily in the Present Moment (Dṛṣṭadharmasukhavihāra)—living peacefully right in the present moment—and the Buddha repeated this term five times to emphasize the importance of not placing our happiness in the future or getting stuck in the past.

Practicing mindfulness as suggested:

  • When sitting in meditation, be aware of breathing in as you breathe in, and breathing out as you breathe out
  • With each step, bring your mind back to your body, touching the wonders of life around you
  • Establish spaces and times without telephones to nourish and heal yourself

The principles of walking meditation include four affirmations with each step:

  • Each step is life
  • Each step is a miracle
  • Each step is healing
  • Each step is freedom
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