This morning, I would like to share about the practice of taking refuge in the Three Jewels—not merely as a blind declaration of faith, but as a profound path of practice. Within us, there are always two poles: an upward direction—where peace and awakening reside—and a downward direction—where we are immersed in anger and ignorance. These two poles support and give rise to each other, like flowers and compost: if we are not moving toward the flower, we are heading toward the compost, but looking deeply, we see that flowers are born from compost and vice versa. The insight of non-duality helps us embrace both and use the energy of the downward pole to move toward the flower.

Practicing mindfulness in daily life—breathing, walking, cooking, sweeping the house—is an effective way to take refuge in the Three Jewels, to maintain solidity and happiness. The role of the Sangha is very important: when we are peaceful, others may find the ability to stop their descent and return to take refuge. The Five Mindfulness Trainings are a practice belonging to the Dharma, a very concrete way to express the Three Refuges, helping us to fully embrace the Three Jewels:

• Buddha
• Dharma
• Sangha

bringing peace and freedom in every moment.

The tradition of meditation practice is a living stream, always evolving to suit the capacities and circumstances of each era. From the history of meditation in India–China–Vietnam, the Truc Lam school, to Plum Village meditation and Engaged Buddhism, each practice—walking meditation, silent meals, the five prostrations, the three prostrations—has its deep origin and reason. This year’s Winter Retreat will continue that journey, exploring the history of meditation from the Tran dynasty, while also discovering modern methods of practice at Plum Village to bring the Dharma into every step of daily life.