Episode Details

Welcome to episode fifteen 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, the presenters, Zen Buddhist monk Brother Phap Huu and lay Buddhist practitioner and journalist Jo Confino, talk about the art of community living, and take a closer look at the Plum Village community’s four decades of existence.

The conversation touches upon key friendships – like that between Martin Luther King Jr. and Thich Nhat Hanh; ‘the beloved community’; collective energy; the spirit of togetherness; sustaining a community; deep listening; the importance of the sangha (a community of practitioners) for individuals’ practice of mindfulness. And: can two people form a community?

As abbot of Upper Hamlet and former attendant to Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, Brother Phap Huu shares inspiring inside stories from the Plum Village community, including unexpected turns of events; the impact on the community of practitioners of Thay’s withdrawal from public life; the secrets to a resilient and harmonious community; sharing opinions versus voting. What is it like to lead a community as a young abbot or abbess? And can you guess Thay’s true ‘masterpiece’?

Jo muses on the importance of vulnerability and of a conscious community; dharma sharing; and how sanghas he joined in different countries impacted his own practice.

The episode ends with a short meditation on community and friendship, 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 

Loving Speech & Deep Listening
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDJBKEOe7Pg 

Bhikkhu/bhikshu
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhikkhu

Bodhisattva
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva 

International Sangha Directory
https://plumvillage.org/about/international-sangha-directory/ 

Martin Luther King Jr.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King_Jr. 

Dharma sharing
https://plumvillage.org/extended-mindfulness-practises/ 

Vesak Day
https://plumvillage.org/articles/vesak-day-2021/

Dharma Talks: ‘Beloved Community’
https://plumvillage.org/library/dharma-talks/beloved-community/ 

Brothers in the Beloved Community
https://www.parallax.org/product/brothers-in-the-beloved-community/

Letter from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. nominating Thich Nhat Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1967

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