From an Article in
the Mindfulness Bell: A Profile of Thich Nhat Hanh
by Trevor Carolan
To me, mindfulness is very much like the Holy Spirit," he explained to the
assembly of the powerful. "All of us have the seed of the Holy Spirit in us; the
capacity of healing, transforming and loving. Where there is suffering,
mindfulness responds with the energy of compassion and understanding. Compassion
is where the rivers of Christianity and Buddhism meet.
"In the Christian and Jewish traditions, we learn to live in the presence of
God," he affirmed. "Our Buddhist equivalent is the practice of cultivating
mindfulness, of living deeply every moment with the energy of the Holy Spirit.
If we change our daily lives-the way we think, speak and act-we begin to change
the world.
"This is what I discussed with Dr. Martin Luther King many years ago; that the
practice of mindfulness is not just for hours of silent meditation, but for
every moment of the day. Other teachers, like St. Basil, have said it is
possible to pray as we work, and in Vietnam, we invented 'Engaged Buddhism' so
we could continue our contemplative life in the midst of helping the victims of
war. We worked to relieve the suffering while trying to maintain our own
mindfulness.
"So to conclude, the practice of looking deeply does not mean being inactive. We
become very active with our understanding. Non-violence does not mean
non-action. It means we act with love and compassion, living in such a way that
a future will be possible for our children and their children. Thank you."
From Shambhala Sun magazine.Resting in the River by Thich Nhat Hanh
