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Summer Retreat - Practicing Illumination in the Family
We are happy right in this very moment because the Pure Land is not some distant realm, but is already present in our own heart, called mind-only Pure Land. When our heart is no longer filled with sorrow, anger, or despair, we touch the Pure Land right in the present moment—similar to the Kingdom of God in Christianity. At Plum Village, each day we wipe away the “dust” that clouds the mirror of our mind so that mindfulness can shine forth like a “bright mirror stand”; dismantling prejudices, attachments, and anger is the foundation for the Pure Land to reveal itself and be offered to one another.
Practicing to live as a family or as a sangha means supporting each other, shining light for one another, not blaming, so that each individual becomes a condition for the collective Pure Land. The three main steps in practice are:
- Stop blaming others.
- Look deeply into oneself to recognize obstacles (craving, doubt, anger).
- Make a firm determination to practice transformation and sincerely ask for support from the sangha or family.
Supporting practices include:
• Today’s Day—living fully in the present moment.
• Pure Land Day—offering each other lotuses, saying “You are my Pure Land.”
• Collective shining light session—each person receives feedback on strengths, weaknesses, and methods of transformation, like polishing the mirror of the mind.
• Renewing the practice (walking meditation, chanting, meals, etc.) to avoid becoming mechanical.
When the family or sangha looks at each other with the “sangha eyes,” listens with mindful breathing, and does not use authority to impose, everyone is happy. “We are happy right in this very moment, our heart determined to let go of all worries, not going yet arriving, whatever we see we do, living with ease.”