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Mindfulness and conscious breathing for inner peace and compassion.

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Questions and Anwers

Thich Nhat Hanh · October 15, 2007 · Blue Cliff Monastery, United States · Audio Only

Thich Nhat Hanh welcomes the Sangha to a morning Q&A session divided into three groups—children first, then teenagers, and finally adults—and explains that a good question arises from the heart, touches our happiness, suffering, or practice, need not be long, and may be submitted in writing; participants are invited to sit around Thay, signal readiness with the sound of a bell, then breathe together before asking.

Children’s questions:

What should I do when other children tease me?
When you were young, what did you like about the Buddhist monks that made you decide you wanted to become one?

Teenagers’ question:

“The joy I feel when walking, breathing, or chanting with mindful concentration is not the joy I feel when eating rich food or indulging in comforts—what are the types of joy and what are their natures?”

Adults’ questions:

How do you give all those long Dharma talks and speeches without getting scared?
What inspired you to write books?
How do you deal with and overcome fear?
How can I reconcile working for environmental and social justice in New York City—with its speed and need to move people and protect community gardens—while holding mindful practice?
How do I honor the suffering of the boat people and feel peace and happiness as well?
Once a being passes away, does its knowledge go to waste?
For people who are adopted and don’t know their parents or who have traumatic relationships with them, how can they connect with their parents in meditation?
How can I help others access their true self as a life coach when the ultimate teaching is that there is no self?
What advice do you have for parents who want to raise their children to be more mindful and compassionate?

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Part of the following collections

2007 US Tour

Curated by Living Gems

Retreat in Blue Cliff, 2007 US Tour

Curated by Living Gems

Mindful Parenting

Curated by Nicola Escario

Mindfulness in the Workplace

Curated by Julie Achieng

Previous Talk October 14, 2007

You are empty of Self

Next Talk October 16, 2007

Emptiness makes everything possible

Next: Mindfulness and conscious breathing for inner peace and compassion.

Next from: Mindful Parenting

1h 44m

Mindfulness and conscious breathing for inner peace and compassion.

July 18, 1991 • French • Thich Nhat Hanh

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The title, description and transcript may contain inaccuracies.

Transcript

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Session introduction and invitation to children, teens, and adults to ask heartfelt questions

00:08:46

00:09:15

00:09:45

00:11:13

00:11:36

00:12:06

What should I do when other children tease me?

00:12:11

Sangha Member

Question

00:12:16

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

00:13:01

00:13:44

When you were young, what drew you to become a monk?

00:14:09

Sangha Member

Question

00:14:16

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

00:15:29

00:17:27

00:18:44

00:19:36

00:20:43

00:21:09

00:22:32

00:23:57

How can you give so many talks without being scared?

00:24:16

Sangha Member

Question

00:24:25

00:24:26

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

00:24:52

00:25:16

What inspired you to write books?

00:25:35

Sangha Member

Question

00:25:43

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

00:26:17

00:27:05

00:27:51

00:28:45

00:28:53

How do you deal with and overcome fear?

00:29:22

Sangha Member

Question

00:29:41

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

00:30:27

00:31:23

00:32:24

00:33:04

00:34:33

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How can I stop worrying so much even though I breathe mindfully and speak kindly to myself?

00:54:51

Sangha Member

Question

00:55:25

00:55:53

00:56:27

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

00:57:01

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00:59:10

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Why is the joy from mindful walking or chanting different from the joy of rich food and comfort? What are the kinds of joy?

01:02:08

Sangha Member

Question

01:02:53

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

01:03:04

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01:04:39

01:05:28

01:05:56

When a being dies, does its knowledge disappear?

01:06:18

Sangha Member

Question

01:06:23

01:06:38

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

01:07:32

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01:11:42

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01:13:33

01:14:15

01:14:57

01:15:28

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01:17:29

01:18:01

01:18:46

01:19:22

How can I honor the suffering of the boat people and still feel peace and happiness?

01:19:41

Sangha Member

Question

01:20:19

01:20:32

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

01:21:01

01:21:45

01:22:39

01:23:33

Sangha Member

Question

Living mindfully while working for environmental justice in fast-paced New York City

01:23:56

01:24:28

01:24:52

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

01:25:37

01:26:32

01:27:09

01:27:36

01:28:26

01:29:08

01:29:35

01:30:13

01:31:14

01:31:59

01:33:02

Connecting with parents in meditation when one is adopted or when parents have caused harm

01:33:27

Sangha Member

Question

01:34:30

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

01:35:14

01:36:02

01:37:04

01:37:29

01:38:08

01:38:59

01:39:32

01:40:27

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01:42:49

01:44:02

01:44:14

How do we recognize and transform unconscious destructive habit energy?

01:44:16

Sangha Member

Question

01:44:43

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

01:46:10

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01:49:29

Compassionate activists become overwhelmed and burn out—how can they avoid this?

01:49:50

Sangha Member

Question

01:50:17

01:50:42

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

01:51:12

01:51:49

01:52:21

01:53:11

01:53:33

01:54:06

01:54:41

01:55:27

01:56:14

01:56:15

Reconciling helping people find a healthy self with the Buddhist teaching of no-self

01:56:22

Sangha Member

Question

01:56:57

01:57:42

01:58:15

01:59:04

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

01:59:20

02:00:15

02:00:46

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02:09:38

Advice for parents who wish to raise mindful, compassionate children

02:09:47

Sangha Member

Question

02:09:58

Thich Nhat Hanh

Answer

02:10:28

02:10:43

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Invitation to receive and live by the Five Mindfulness Trainings as a concrete spiritual path

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