Embracing Suffering with Mindfulness | Dharma Talk by Thich Nhat Hanh, 2013 07 22

Mindfulness is always mindful of something: mindful breathing, mindful drinking tea, mindful washing dishes, mindful walking, mindful brushing teeth. Mindfulness helps us to know what is happening in our body, feelings, emotions, perceptions and what is happening around us. Mindfulness is a holy energy that has the power is heal. Mindfulness is the energy of the Buddha.

The energy of mindfulness brings the energy of concentration. When you are mindful of something, you are somehow concentrated on it. When you are mindful of your breathing, you are concentrated on your breathing and you are not thinking about something else. When mindfulness and concentration are there, insgiht is also there. Insight is a kind of right view, understanding and awakening. When you breathe in, you know you are alive. You know your ancenstors are still alive in you. That is an insight. That is already an awakening. Insight liberates you from confusion, anger and despair.

Mindfulness, concentration and insight are the heart of meditation practice. This morning we will practice mindfulness of breathing together with mindfulness of suffering. We breathe in and we recognize there is suffering in us. Many of us think it is not pleasant to get in touch with their suffering and they do not want to do that. You are afraid that you will be overwhelmed by the suffering within you. That is why we always want to run away from ourselves and the suffering within ourselves by consumption, like watching TV or drive somewhere.

Our practice is to go home and take care of the suffering inside of us and to transform it. With mindful breathing, we have the energy we need to recognize and embrace the suffering within us like a mother holding her baby tenderly.

Namo ‘Valokiteshrava chant starts at 26:15.

This is the first Dharma talk of the third week of the Summer Opening Retreat, held in Dharma Cloud Temple of Plum Village in the Dordogne, France, on Monday, the 22nd of July, 2013.