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Public Talk - San Diego Civic Center
When we look at someone we love, our perception—like seeing the moon, a star, or the sunrise—is often out of sync with reality. The moon I greet in Plum Village is an image of the past, as is the sun’s eight-minute-old light. Mindful living means returning to the here and now, looking deeply into our feelings and perceptions so that joy or sorrow aligns with the truth.
Everything is impermanent and yet never ceases:
- A cloud transforms into rain, snow, or ice—nothing is lost, only manifested anew.
- Every moment of our life—cells, feelings, perceptions—is both continuation and transformation.
- Like waves on water or patterns in a kaleidoscope, we are neither wholly the same nor completely different from one moment to the next.
Love and peace arise from understanding. Wrong perceptions cause suffering in couples, families, nations. By practicing:
• Deep listening with compassionate breathing (Avalokiteshvara’s way),
• Loving speech that acknowledges “I’ve made mistakes, please help me understand,”
• Watering the seeds of compassion, understanding, and forgiveness in ourselves and others,
we can transform conflicts—from a husband-and-wife estrangement to Israeli–Palestinian dialogue. On a national and international scale, Thay proposes:
• Forums of compassionate listening within the US to address racial, religious, and social wounds,
• An international “Peace Parliament” where diverse communities share suffering and visionary solutions,
• A call for leaders and citizens alike to pause, listen, and speak with calm understanding rather than resorting to violence.
