Thầy introduces “Orange Meditation”—a practice of sitting quietly to peel and enjoy an orange in full awareness, recognizing the fruit as a miracle fabricated by the whole cosmos. The practice demonstrates how any daily activity, from preparing breakfast to washing dishes, can be transformed into a session of peaceful meditation when illuminated by the energy of mindfulness.

Using a simple wooden stick, Thầy illustrates the insight of interbeing—demonstrating that the left cannot exist without the right, and that nothing can exist by itself alone. He unpacks the etymology of mindfulness through the Chinese character Niàn (念, placing the heart in the present moment) and the Hebrew expression Lasim Lev, outlining the four key functions of mindfulness and introducing sacred mantras that offer our true presence to those we love.

Thầy explains how mindfulness can be used to embrace ailing internal organs—offering the gentle practice, “Breathing in, I am aware of my liver; breathing out, I smile to my liver”. He explores Buddhist psychology by describing Mind Consciousness as a living room and Store Consciousness as a basement, showing how we can act as organic gardeners of our own suffering by composting our inner “garbage” into “flowers” of joy and understanding.

Thầy also addresses the danger of self-intoxication through media distraction, suggesting that televisions carry warning labels like cigarette packages. Connecting the Sanskrit pāramitā and the heart mantra gate gate pāragate pārasamgate to the Hasidic teaching of Passover, the talk concludes with practical instructions for outdoor walking meditation beneath the trees and guided deep relaxation.

This is the second of three talks offered during a retreat on the Israeli Tour in the year 1997. Thầy offered this talk at Kibbutz Harel, near Latrun, in Israel.