Thank you Venerable

 

To celebrate Thich Nhat Hanh's life and to remember him by; these are his quotes I like or still pondering over:

• It is normal for human being to identify with their own separate self. The problem is that we get caught in that notion of ourself as a separate individual and caught in that individual self's agenda.
• True self is non-self, the awareness that the self is made only of non-self elements. There's no separation between self and other, and everything is interconnected. Once you are aware of that you are no longer caught in the idea that you are a separate entity.
• If you can feel that Mother Earth is in you, and you are Mother Earth, then you are not any longer afraid to die because the earth is not dying. Like a wave appears and disappears and appears again.
• Usually, people have a tendency to be caught in the worries concerning the future or in the regret concerning the past. There is some kind of energy that is pushing them to run, and they are not able to establish themselves in the present moment.
• Only the present moment contains life.
• Most of us experience a life full of wonderful moments and difficult moments. But for many of us, even when we are most joyful, there is fear behind our joy.
• The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don't wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.
• To think in terms of either pessimism or optimism oversimplifies the truth. The problem is to see reality as it is.

Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.

Thank you Venerable. I shall try to understand your words and live by them.