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The Art of Speaking
The “guardian angel” is mindfulness, always present with us when we walk, stand, speak, smile, or work. Accidents only happen when that “guardian angel” is absent. The story of Ba Di Da—a governor who became a monk—illustrates this clearly: when he had power, he relied on his army; when he practiced mindfulness, he experienced deep peace and was protected day and night. The method is very simple yet scientific: organize a retreat from a few days to seven days to create the habit of observing each step, each breath, and invite mindfulness to live with us for all 24 hours.
The practice of listening and speaking are two important Dharma doors in cultivation. Compassionate listening helps to transform suffering and establish love; right speech is to use truthful, skillful words, at the right time, to the right person, to nurture harmony. Noble silence is to prevent the flames of anger from erupting and to contemplate so that the inner embers may cool. When conflict arises, we need to break the triangle of suffering by listening with compassion and approaching the person who caused suffering to untangle misunderstandings. The art of practice is to cultivate mindfulness in every small action such as eating muesli, drinking tea, or holding a cup; it is these moments that allow the roar of the baby lion—the innate awakened nature—to resound.
The main elements in the practice:
- Invite mindfulness to be your bodyguard in every activity
- Organize a seven-day retreat to create new habits
- Practice compassionate listening and right speech together
- Observe noble silence to manage the energy of anger
- Break the triangle of conflict with compassion, directly resolving misunderstandings