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Nourishing the Soul: From Self to Family
We learn about the four kinds of nutriments that nourish us:
- Edible food – the food we put into our mouths
- Sense impressions – the impressions received through our senses
- Volition – our deepest desires (cetana)
- Consciousness – objects of our mind, teachings and ideas
Among these, volition is the kind of desire that is most enduring; it can be craving, the desire for power, but when it is transformed into bodhicitta—the mind of awakening—it will guide us on the path of enlightenment. Healthy desires bring happiness to ourselves and our loved ones, while unhealthy desires sow suffering, even causing harm to our parents, family, and friends.
Authentic communication between parents and children, and between teacher and student, is an important third kind of nutriment that helps us discover our true desires. Parents and children need to:
- ask each other what they truly want
- listen deeply, without imposing personal dreams
- accompany each other in finding clear methods to realize those dreams
At Plum Village, teacher and students practice together through Dharma sharing, drinking tea, and together transforming suffering into understanding and love, avoiding the pursuit of degrees and fame.
Mindfulness in consuming sense impressions (through the six sense organs: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind) helps protect us from the three poisons—craving, hatred, and ignorance. Practicing the Fifth Mindfulness Training is a wise way to:
- refuse advertisements, violent or sexual films
- maintain peace through what we read, listen to, and see
- nourish a pure mind even from the time of pregnancy
If we consume too many mental toxins, stress, depression, and suffering will inevitably follow. So each day, we should ask ourselves: What do I truly want, and what kind of nutriment am I absorbing through my six senses?