The Way Out Is In

The Way Out Is In Podcast

This podcast series is aimed at helping us to transcend our fear and anger so that we can be more engaged in the world in a way that develops love and compassion. Thich Nhat Hanh’s calligraphy ‘The Way Out Is In” highlights that the way out of any difficulty is to look deeply within, gain insights and then put them into practice. "The Way Out is In" is co-hosted by Brother Phap Huu, Thich Nhat Hanh's personal attendant for 17 years and the abbot of Plum Village's Upper Hamlet, and Jo Confino, who works at the intersection of personal transformation and systems change. The podcast is co-produced by the Plum Village App and Global Optimism, with support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation.

  1. 12 SEPT

    Mindful Economics: In Conversation with Kate Raworth (Episode #74)

    Welcome to episode 74 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. In this installment, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino are joined by special guest Kate Raworth, the creator of Doughnut Economics, to discuss from spirituality to new economic thinking; individual, community, and planetary boundaries; putting ideas into practice; practicing true love and no self; avoiding the trap of fame; and much more.Kate shares her journey into reimagining economics; the encounters that shaped her vision; regenerative enterprises and the inspiring communities making new economics a reality; and the discoveries made after attending a Plum Village retreat with her family.  Kate Raworth is the creator of the Doughnut of social and planetary boundaries, co-founder of Doughnut Economics Action Lab, and author of the internationally bestselling Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think like a 21st Century Economist. She is a Senior Associate at Oxford University’s Environmental Change Institute, and Professor of Practice at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences.  Over the past 25 years, Kate’s career has taken her from working with micro-entrepreneurs in the villages of Zanzibar to co-authoring the Human Development Report for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New York, followed by a decade as Senior Researcher at Oxfam. Read more about her work on her website. Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/   And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/ With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources  Online course: Zen and the Art of Saving the Planethttps://plumvillage.org/courses/zen-and-the-art-of-saving-the-planet Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing   Doughnut Economics Action Lab https://doughnuteconomics.org Doughnut Economics: Seven Ways to Think like a 21st Century Economisthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doughnut_Economics:_Seven_Ways_to_Think_Like_a_21st-Century_Economist  ‘Five Contemplations before Eating’https://www.parallax.org/mindfulnessbell/article/five-contemplations-before-eating/Biocentrismhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/biocentrism Lily Colehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_Cole The Raft Is Not the Shorehttps://www.parallax.org/product/the-raft-is-not-the-shore/‘Begin Anew’https://plumvillage.org/articles/begin-anewClub of Romehttps://www.clubofrome.org/The Art of Powerhttps://www.parallax.org/product/art-of-power/ Herman Dalyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herman_Daly Chants: ‘The Three Refuges’ https://plumvillage.org/library/chants/the-three-refuges Wellbeing Alliancehttps://www.culturehealthandwellbeing.org.uk/  Economy for the Common Good https://www.econgood.org Elinor Ostromhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elinor_Ostrom International Monetary Fund (IMF)https://www.imf.org/en/Home TED Talk: A Healthy Economy Should Be Designed to Thrive, Not Growhttps://www.ted.com/talks/kate_raworth_a_healthy_economy_should_be_designed_to_thrive_not_grow?subtitle=enBarbara Wardhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Ward,_Baroness_Jackson_of_Lodsworth  Marilyn Waringhttps://marilynwaring.com/  Donella Meadowshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donella_Meadows Janine Benyushttps://biomimicry.org/janine-benyus Quotes “Doughnut economics is one way of trying to create an economics that actually is based on this planet, and lives on Earth. Economics, when you go back to ancient Greek, literally means the art of household management.” “We need to create economies that are distributive by design, that share resources with all, that are regenerative by design, that re

    2h 2m
  2. 22 AUG

    Being with Painful Feelings (Episode #73)

    Welcome to episode 73 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. Nobody escapes pain, but, for most people, knowing how to handle it remains a mystery. That’s why, in this installment, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino discuss ways to cope with painful feelings, both individually and collectively. The two presenters talk about the Buddhist practices of being with pain, and how to handle it, be aware of it, and understand it, in order to start transforming it.  The conversation touches upon personal stories of transformation, including snippets from Thich Nhat Hanh’s life; the general fear of being with our suffering; the ability to touch joy in daily life; deep happiness; accessing the wisdom in ourselves; eight practical stages for dealing with our pain, based on Buddhist practices; and much more. The episode ends with a short meditation guided by Brother Phap Huu. Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/   And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/ With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources  Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing   ‘The Four Dharma Seals of Plum Village’ https://plumvillage.org/articles/the-four-dharma-seals-of-plum-village Sister True Dedicationhttps://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sister-hien-nghiemThe Way Out Is In: ‘The Three Doors of Liberation (Episode #18)’ https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-three-doors-of-liberation-episode-18  The Way Out Is In: The Heart of Meditation – Part One (Episode #61)’https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-heart-of-meditation-part-one-episode-61  The Way Out Is In: ‘The Heart of Meditation – Part Two (Episode #62)’https://plumvillage.org/podcast/the-heart-of-meditation-part-two-episode-62   51 Mental Formationshttps://plumvillage.org/transcriptions/51-mental-formation ‘Texts for the Practice of “Touching the Earth”’https://plumvillage.org/texts-for-the-practice-of-touching-the-earth  Quotes “I think pain is a universal thread that connects all of us human beings, because it is inevitable that each and every one of us experience pain, whether it is physical or emotional. And part of the Buddha’s journey of spiritual investigation was how he could touch deep freedom and deep awakening.” “When we are taking care of our happiness, we are also taking care of our pain and our suffering. And these emotions coexist. They are like light and darkness, up and down; like all opposites. These two fundamental elements of  life are very important ingredient of spirituality.”  “If we know how to look deeply into suffering, we will know how to suffer.” “In kindness there’s patience.” “Understanding pain and suffering is a very important element of spiritual growth.”  “Someone like Thay, who experienced war, would never take a peaceful day for granted. And that became a root of his insight; he went through so much suffering, so much despair, so much killing, that the peace he was able to experience in 24 hours was the greatest gift.”  “When we can touch our own pain and our own suffering, that is already mindfulness: just knowing that we suffer.”  “The path is to be with our suffering in order to generate happiness.”  “As a practitioner, we have to remember to nourish an important element in our daily life: the ability to experience joy in the present moment. And then recognize that happiness in the present moment.” “You are more than your emotions.” “Don’t think about your breath; feel your breath. Don’t think about your body; feel your body.

    1h 27m
  3. 1 AUG

    Finding a Spiritual Path (Episode #72)

    Welcome to episode 72 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. In this installment, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino discuss finding a spiritual path and the conditions that need to exist for someone to feel at home with a spiritual practice. And what is it to find a spiritual practice and truly rest in it and develop it over time? How do we know if we’ve found a practice that works for us, and what is it to go deeply into one way of seeing the world?The conversation touches upon many other ideas and topics such as bringing the sacred into the everyday; to be in service to the past and/or the future; Buddhist practices for people from different religious backgrounds; Dharma sharing and trust; and many more.Brother Phap Huu also shares stories of many spiritual paths that are being told at the current Plum Village retreat.The episode ends with a short meditation guided by Brother Phap Huu.Thank you for listening, and enjoy! Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/   And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/ With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing  The Sun My Hearthttps://www.parallax.org/product/the-sun-my-heart/ Understanding Our Mind https://www.parallax.org/product/understanding-our-mind/  ‘The Five Mindfulness Trainings’https://plumvillage.org/mindfulness/the-5-mindfulness-trainings ‘The Four Dharma Seals of Plum Village’ https://plumvillage.org/articles/the-four-dharma-seals-of-plum-village Quotes “To find a practice, a spiritual practice, Thay says that’s a treasure in life. And this is why we always have to practice gratitude. I’m very grateful every day that I have a community, I have a practice, and that I’m still part of the practice.” “When we say ‘I take refuge in the Buddha’, it means ‘I take refuge in the seed of awakening inside of me’.” “What I like about Plum Village is that there are very strong guidelines about sharing: to deeply listen with love; to speak only from the heart; not to cross-talk or answer back. And not to give people advice, but just be present for them, to offer a safe space into which they can pour their pain and let it be released but not to have to justify it, not have to answer questions about it – just know that people are present for them.”  “Buddhist practices are not in conflict with any religion; they actually coexist alongside very beautifully.”  “When we lose our sense of being, we don’t touch interbeing, which is the deep connection that comes from us all being interrelated.” “Buddha means awakening.” “When we don’t know how to take care of our pain, we go and consume. We are ready to create more pain for other people, because we don’t know how to cope with our pain. We don’t know how to transform our pain.”  “We don’t have the ability to sit with nothing, to sit with the sense of pain in us. Or, sometimes, we don’t have the ability to be there and do nothing.”  “Don’t just do something, sit there.” “For those who would really like to be Buddhist, they can be Buddhist. And those who would like to keep their tradition but also be Buddhist and practice mindfulness, go ahead.” “The first wing of meditation: stop. Know what you have. Check in. Where are you in your life?” “This idea that when you practice, you don’t suffer; we have to review that idea. We have to give a new language to that.”  “Sometimes, joy and happiness can coexist at the same time as suffering.” “My mantra has been,

    1h 21m
  4. 11 JUL

    Ancient Path for Modern Times: Feeling Safe (Episode #71)

    Welcome to episode 71 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. We’re delighted to share this special two-part installment with you, which was recorded in June 2024 at the recent Plum Village retreat, Ancient Path for Modern Times. This is the second recording of a panel discussion based loosely around the 14 mindfulness trainings – Thich Nhat Hanh’s ethical guidelines for living, a modern distillation of the traditional Bodhisattva precepts of Mahayana Buddhism. The trainings are followed by monastics and lay friends who have made a formal vow to receive, study, and observe them.  In the panel, you will hear from leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino, Sister Lang Nghiem, one of the senior nuns in Plum Village, and Elli Weisbaum. Their conversation focuses on what it is to feel safe in the world, what it is to belong, and what it is like to feel at home in the world, and touches upon topics such as healing the past in the present moment; spiritual homes; community building; localization; being aware of indoctrination; challenging our worldviews; misinformation; creating resilience; and much more. Dr. Elli Weisbaum, BFA, MES, PhD, has worked internationally facilitating mindfulness workshops and retreats within the sectors of education, healthcare, and business. She is currently the Acting Program Director for the Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health Program (BPMH), at New College, University of Toronto, Canada. At the heart of her teaching and research is an interest in cultivating learning and occupational environments where all members of the community can flourish and thrive. She attended her first retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh at the age of 10 and has continued to train with the Plum Village community. Elli’s background in both academic research and traditional mindfulness practice provides a distinct approach to her ongoing work teaching and researching in the field. Read more on her website.Thank you for listening, and enjoy! Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/   And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/  With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources  Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing   The Fourteen Mindfulness Trainingshttps://plumvillage.org/mindfulness/the-14-mindfulness-trainingsMahayanahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana  Elli Weisbaumhttps://www.elliweisbaum.com/  Sister Chan Lang Nghiemhttps://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sr-lang-nghiem  The Order of Interbeinghttps://orderofinterbeing.org/  Jamie Bristowhttps://www.jamiebristow.com/ Sister Chan Khonghttps://plumvillage.org/about/sister-chan-khong Christiana Figuereshttps://www.globaloptimism.com/christiana-figueres  Dharma Talks: ‘Nutriments for Healing’https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/nutriments-for-healing Deer Park Monasteryhttps://deerparkmonastery.org/  Sister Chan Duchttps://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sr-chan-duc  A Cloud Never Dieshttps://plumvillage.org/a-cloud-never-dies Quotes “You practice in the good times so that when the bad, difficult times come, you’re prepared to act.”  “Our thoughts, we consume them first. They lead to our actions.”“As a practitioner, I often look around in my day-to-day life and ask, holding up the four nutriments, what am I consuming beyond edible foods? And how is this impacting my internal landscape?” “How am I contributing to the landscapes of consciousness around me?” “Our practice is to turn towards suffering and embrace it. And, for me, the spaces where I feel safe are ones where that permissi

    1h 24m
  5. 28 JUN

    Ancient Path for Modern Times: Active Nonviolence (Episode #70)

    Welcome to episode 70 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. We’re delighted to be able to share with you this special two-part installment, recorded in June 2024 at the recent Plum Village retreat, Ancient Path for Modern Times. This is the first recording of a panel discussion based loosely around the 14 mindfulness trainings – Thich Nhat Hanh’s ethical guidelines for living, a modern distillation of the traditional Bodhisattva precepts of Mahayana Buddhism. The trainings are followed by monastics and lay friends who have made a a formal vow to receive, study, and observe them.  In the panel, you will hear two of our frequent guests, Sister True Dedication (Sister Hien Nghiem) and Christiana Figueres, as well as Dharma teacher Shantum Seth. These three panelists explore how the Buddha faced war and violence in his own time; the principle of ahimsa and Gandhian nonviolence; handling anger, despair, and burnout as activists; practicing in times of polarization and division; insights around the victim-perpetrator dynamic; sanghas as sanctuaries, and their role in activism; different aspects of engaged Buddhism and its evolution over time; the spiritual dimension of change; and much more. And does anger help? Christiana Figueres, one of the architects of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, was a student of Thich Nhat Hanh and is a valued member of the Plum Village Sangha. Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 2010 to 2016, she is also the co-founder of Global Optimism, co-host of the Outrage + Optimism podcast, and co-author of the bestselling The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis.  Shantum Seth, an ordained Dharmacharya (Dharma teacher) in the Buddhist Mindfulness lineage of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, teaches in India and across the world. A co-founder of Ahimsa Trust, he has been a student of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings for the past 35 years. Since 1988, he has led pilgrimages and other multi-faith, educational, cultural, spiritual, and transformative journeys across diverse regions of India and Asia. He is actively involved in educational, social, and ecological programmes, including work on cultivating mindfulness in society, including with educators, the Indian Central Reserve Police Force, and the corporate sector. Across various Indian sanghas, Dharmacharya Shantum is the primary teacher of different practices of mindfulness from Thich Nhat Hanh’s tradition.Thank you for listening, and enjoy! Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/   And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/  With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources  Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing   The Fourteen Mindfulness Trainingshttps://plumvillage.org/mindfulness/the-14-mindfulness-trainings  Mahayanahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahayana  Bodhisattva vowhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva_vow  Magadhahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magadha  Kosalahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosala  Ahimsahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AhimsaMahavirahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MahaviraPatanjalihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patanjali  Mahatma Gandhihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi  Jan Smutshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Smuts  Sister Chan Duchttps://plumvillage.org/people/dharma-teachers/sr-chan-duc  Sister Chan Khonghttps://plumvillage.org/about/sister-chan-khong  Paris Peace Accordshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_Peace_Accords  The European Institute of Applied Buddhism (EIAB)https://plumvillage.org/

    1h 38m
  6. 16 MAY

    Happy Farmers Change the World (Episode #69)

    Welcome to episode 69 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. With Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu away, leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino holds the fort with a special episode about the art of land regeneration, happy farming, and reconnecting deeply to nature. This time, Jo is joined by special guests and happy farmers Mick McEvoy and Sister Trang Lam Hy (Sister Forest of Joy), two of the people behind the Happy Farms agroecology project in Plum Village.The conversation touches upon many topics, from Zen philosophies, the Diamond Sutra, and deep ecology, to seasonal planting and practicing mindfulness while working the land; producing food AND caring for the Earth; collective awakening and beginning anew; empathy for our food; reclaiming the nobility of the farmer; the importance of growing (beautiful) vegetables in a time of polycrisis – even in small quantities; land regeneration and Zen Buddhism; Thich Nhat Hanh’s gardening metaphors; and more.Enjoy and thank you for listening! Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/   And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/  With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources  The Happy Harmhttps://thehappyfarm.org/  Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing‘The Five Earth Touchings’https://plumvillage.org/key-practice-texts/the-five-earth-touchingsHappy Farms: ‘Reverence for the Land’https://plumvillage.org/articles/reverence-for-the-land  ‘Happy Farm: Rewilding – Healing, Regeneration, and Transformation for the Land’https://www.parallax.org/mindfulnessbell/article/happy-farm-rewilding/  Sutras: ‘The Diamond That Cuts through Illusion’https://plumvillage.org/library/sutras/the-diamond-that-cuts-through-illusionDharma Talks: ‘Free from Notions: The Diamond Sutra’https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/free-from-notions-the-diamond-sutra  Deep ecologyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_ecology  Vandana Shivahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vandana_Shiva  Grow It Yourselfhttps://giy.ie/  Eating Meditationhttps://web.plumvillage.app/meditations/eating-meditationMary Oliverhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_OliverThe Bodhi Treehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_Tree  Global North and Global Southhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_North_and_Global_South Braiding Sweetgrasshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braiding_Sweetgrass Quotes “I can pivot 360 degrees, and I can see countless examples of what Thich Nhat Hanh refers to as interbeing, this interconnectedness of all life.”  “Happy Farm literally grounds people in [mindfulness] practice.” “We are the Earth that carries us.” “Go home to nature and let nature heal you.” “Thay was a revolutionary to bring the community of humans, the community of practice, out into the forest to practice walking meditation every day. And that is so unique and healing in and of itself.” “We’re probably the first generation, at least in the Global North, that have been separated in our choices, and how our communities and cultures have evolved to be separate from the gifts and knowledge of how to grow some of our own food. And in rediscovering how to do that, we took a lot from and have a lot of reverence for the ancestors: our blood ancestors, our family, our spiritual ancestors, and our land ancestors, those who lived on these lands. And many people lived on these lands here, in Plum Village, going way back into historical times when people hunted in these valleys or farmed these lands. And all our neighbors around us still farm these lands, not just on the Happy Farm.”  “Vandana Shiva say

    1h 24m
  7. 2 MAY

    Showing Up at Work (Episode #68)

    Welcome to episode 68 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. In this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino discuss Right Livelihood in Buddhism. After starting with what this means, they dive more deeply into practical steps and examples. How can we find joy, feel deeply connected, and also make a positive impact on the world through our daily work? The conversation also touches upon ‘bringing our cosmic body to work’; the insight of responsibility; the difference between doing what we love and doing what we’re good at; ego and compassion in the workplace; planning for the future while being in the present; and much more.  The episode ends with a short meditation guided by Brother Phap Huu. Enjoy and thank you for listening! Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/  With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources  Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing  Dharma Talks: ‘Right Livelihood and True Love’ https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/right-livelihood-and-true-love  Dharma Talks: ‘The Noble Eightfold Path’https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/the-noble-eightfold-path  Koanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koan  Dharma Talks: ‘Our Cosmic Body’https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/our-cosmic-body  Buddha Mind, Buddha Bodyhttps://www.parallax.org/product/buddha-mind-buddha-body/  Sister True Dedicationhttps://www.instagram.com/sistertruededication/  The Art of Livinghttps://plumvillage.org/books/the-art-of-living Quotes “Each and every one of us has a spiritual dimension inside that we can generate wherever we go, and that is a contribution to what we want to build.”  “By being we do more effectively.” “Don’t just do something, sit there.” “Time is being, time is to be alive.” “When you have anger, it can be a bell of mindfulness that tells us when we see injustice, when we see suffering. And we can be with that anger. And that anger can become a voice for us, to have empathy, to have compassion. Because compassion can come from anger sometimes. It can come from what we’re seeing, because it tells us that this is wrong. But if we allow anger to always be there and not transform, and we don’t channel it into another energy, then we will become one with exactly that outer energy that made us angry in the first place.” “Sometimes silence is the loudest noise.” “Why not be soft? Why not be kinder? That softness and that kindness are very loud in a moment of big aggression. The kindness, the softness becomes a louder action because it shows our humanity; it shows the heart of love.” “Thay emphasized that all of us have a Buddha body. We have [the potential for] awakening inside of us – we just have to cultivate it. And there are moments that we’re not a Buddha. That’s okay. But remember that we have Buddha nature inside of us.”  “Thay had a calligraphy that really informs us about deep interbeing: ‘The piece of bread in your hands is the body of the whole cosmos.’ And that is for us to have a deep understanding that this piece of bread didn’t just come from nowhere, nothing. It’s the whole lifetime of the existence of time and space. And it’s a miracle to have this piece of bread. So be grateful. Hold it with gratitude. Hold it with reverence. Eat it with gratitude. Eat it with reverence.”

    1h 27m
  8. 18 APR

    Stepping into Freedom – Live Recording with Q&A Session (Episode #67)

    Welcome to episode 67 of The Way Out Is In: The Zen Art of Living, a podcast series mirroring Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s deep teachings of Buddhist philosophy: a simple yet profound methodology for dealing with our suffering, and for creating more happiness and joy in our lives. This inaugural live recording of the podcast was made in London, England, on April 5th, 2024, before a sold-out audience of more than 400 people. For the first half of this episode, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and leadership coach/journalist Jo Confino explore what it means to step into freedom in the light of Buddhist teachings, drawing on insights from the life and teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, and including much needed practical steps which can be applied to our daily lives. Their conversation touches upon the pressure of perfection; layers of freedom; the best time to make a decision; experiencing gratitude; true happiness; vulnerability as an expression of love; working with the feeling of ‘not enough’; and much more.The second half of the episode consists of a live question-and-answer session, with questions from the audience covering a wide range of topics: ways to embrace suffering; compassionate sharing; ending wars by cultivating peace; the joy of missing out; cultivating aspirations; empathy and mindfulness; and more.   And this time you can even enjoy two short meditations guided by Brother Phap Huu.Thank you for listening!  Co-produced by the Plum Village App:https://plumvillage.app/ And Global Optimism:https://globaloptimism.com/  With support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation:https://thichnhathanhfoundation.org/ List of resources  Interbeinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interbeing  Stepping into Freedom: An Introduction to Monastic Buddhist Traininghttps://plumvillage.org/books/stepping-into-freedom  ‘Cong Phu Journal – Everything You Need to Know About the Practice Notebook’ https://plumvillage.app/cong-phu-journal-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-practice-notebook/ Old Path White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of the Buddha https://plumvillage.org/books/old-path-white-clouds-2  Rains Retreathttps://plumvillage.org/articles/now-we-have-a-path-2023-24-autumn-winter-rains-retreat  Christiana Figuereshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiana_Figueres  Dalai Lamahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalai_Lama  World Wildlife Fundhttps://www.worldwildlife.org/ Quotes “We’re all looking to feel free, to be ourselves, to find happiness, to be recognized, to love and be loved. It’s at the core of our deepest aspiration in life. And yet, oftentimes, we don’t feel like that. We feel disturbed in our mind; we suffer from anger or frustration; we’re too busy; we have many obligations in our lives; we’re constantly bombarded with news and social media. And so we experience a dissonance between this wish to be free and our everyday lives.” “Practicing mindfulness is, first, a practice of mere recognition, to call our habits by their name and to recognize the sources of energy that emerge in us. That, already, is the first step towards freedom. And freedom is a continuous energy and a continuous insight that we are cultivating. Thich Nhat Hanh was very firm when he said we all have the ability to have freedom, but here freedom doesn’t come from outside in, but is what we cultivate from the inside.”  “Thay wasn’t ever using the war to affirm who he was. He was free from that. And that is something that I still aspire to walk towards. And when we talk about cultivating, it is very practical; it’s not just a mindset. Mindset is like a will – but, for us, aspiration has to go alongside action. So, very concretely, in the Plum Village tradition of Buddhist practice, in all of our Dharma, we have to engage in everyday life.”  “Thich Nhat Hanh was once asked, ‘Wh

    2h 5m

About

This podcast series is aimed at helping us to transcend our fear and anger so that we can be more engaged in the world in a way that develops love and compassion. Thich Nhat Hanh’s calligraphy ‘The Way Out Is In” highlights that the way out of any difficulty is to look deeply within, gain insights and then put them into practice. "The Way Out is In" is co-hosted by Brother Phap Huu, Thich Nhat Hanh's personal attendant for 17 years and the abbot of Plum Village's Upper Hamlet, and Jo Confino, who works at the intersection of personal transformation and systems change. The podcast is co-produced by the Plum Village App and Global Optimism, with support from the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation.

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