Learning True Love, the autobiography of Sister Chân Không, stands alongside the great spiritual autobiographies of our century. It tells the story of her spiritual and personal odyssey, both in her homeland and in exile. Its anecdotal style presents an intensely personal portrait of a woman with astonishing courage, offering us a perspective on the suffering of the Vietnamese people. This unique autobiography tells the gripping story of a woman who not only lived but made history, and whose life of single-minded dedication to humanity can serve as an inspiration for us all. Sister Chân Không was born in a village on the Mekong River Delta in 1938. In her teens she devoted her life to the development and practice of nonviolence grounded in the Buddhist precepts of non-killing and compassionate action. Propelled by her passionate dedication to social change, she began working in the slums of Saigon, distributing food, working with the sick, and teaching children. When she was 21 years old she met the man who until to this day remains her teacher and spiritual companion: Thich Nhat Hanh. With him she co-founded the School of Youth for Social Service in 1964, which grew to an organization of over 10,000 young people organizing medical, educational, and agricultural facilities in rural Vietnam, and rebuilding villages destroyed in the fighting. Sister Chân Không became well known in the anti-war and peace community for her work promoting human rights and protesting repression and violence, often at risk of her own life. She continues to do this work today. After the war she became one of the co-founders of Plum Village, the spiritual center, that is home to Thich Nhat Hanh's community in France, where she continues to be deeply involved in the development and vision for this unique community. In January of 2005, after nearly 40 years in exile, Sister Chân Không was able to return on a 3-month visit to Vietnam. In this fully revised edition of Learning True Love she movingly describes the return to her homeland, the reunions with many old friends and fellow activists, and shares her impression of the "new Vietnam," where Buddhists still struggle for religious freedom and the re-establishment of their own organizations. Learning True Love is a moving personal memoir, an introduction to the mindfulness teachings and life of Thich Nhat Hanh and his community in exile, an overview to the development of the European and American peace and human rights movement, and an introduction to the engaged and practical style of Vietnamese Buddhism. It documents the process that brought an end to the US Vietnam war, and gives a lively summary of Vietnamese history from 1945 to the current political, social and spiritual climate in Vietnam. Learning True Love also portraits some of the many remarkable people that shared Sister Chân Không 's path. Foremost however it is the remarkable and impressive story of a very courageous woman, whose journey from an accredited biologist at the University of Paris to a Buddhist nun, gives her unique insight into life's central questions and the ability to address them in an unflinching and straightforward manner. Forewords by Thich Nhat Hanh and Maxine Hong-Kingston
For nearly 30 years Sister Chan Khong’s Deep Relaxation practice has been a highlight for thousands of people who have attended Order of Interbeing Buddhist retreats. With Deep Relaxation the reader/listener will learn to meditate and relax body and mind at the deepest level, leading to a measurable reduction of stress levels. Sister Chan Khong effectively guides readers/listeners through the practice with a combination of spoken words and traditional songs from around the world, initiating a process that shows how we can achieve a more positive and healthy life as we move out of the meditation and into the world. With her soothing voice, her pacing, her extensive experience of practicing mindfulness in everyday life—and with the beauty of the gentle music— practitioners are able to achieve a state of profound relaxation. The relaxation practice is designed not only for those interested in mindfulness or Buddhism, but for anyone who needs to relieve stress. Working with the body’s innate capacity to heal itself, these exercises will bring the listener/reader to experience ever deeper levels of relaxation that can activate the body's natural healing abilities. The book will leave the reader with a deep sense of well-being.
A practical guide on how to clear up misunderstandings, communicate more honestly and openly, and heal relationships—with an introduction by Thich Nhat Hanh When we’re upset with someone, we’re often afraid to say anything. We tell ourselves, “Oh, it’s just a small matter; it’s not important.” But the accumulation of many small issues can create an explosive situation, and can even cause relationships to break. Beginning Anew gives us a way to address problems when they’re small, so we can understand each other’s words, actions, and intentions. Author Sister Chân Không guides readers through conscious breathing, loving speech, and compassionate listening, all designed to help us see people and situations more clearly and allow our perceptions to better reflect reality. After a few minutes of quiet and mindful reflection, each person within the group speaks without being interrupted, moving through the four important steps: 1) Express appreciation of the other person. This is something we may forget to do in our busy lives and can lead the people around us to feel taken for granted. 2) Express regrets. This is something we often put off doing, but the clear expression of misgivings and regrets gives practitioners the chance to clear the air and directly address any problems in the relationship. 3-4) Express anger or difficulties and check in with each other to be sure everyone was understood. Featuring inspiring client success stories, Beginning Anew provides a roadmap for anyone looking to keep communication open and resolve conflicts. When practiced regularly, it will bring deeper understanding and harmony to any relationship.
The captivating autobiography of the first Western nun ordained in Thich Nhat Hanh's Vietnamese Zen lineage. In 1988, Sister Annabel Laity became the first Western person to be ordained as a monastic disciple in Thich Nhat Hanh's Vietnamese Zen lineage. She was given the Dharma name Chan Duc, which means True Virtue. Thirty years later, Sister Annabel is a much-loved senior Dharma teacher in the Plum Village community. She teaches and leads retreats worldwide, and is widely recognized as an accomplished and insightful Buddhist scholar. In this autobiography, Sister True Virtue shares the trials and joys of her lifelong search for spiritual community. First inspired by the kind Catholic nuns who ran her primary school, she encounters Buddhism while studying ancient languages at university in England. A few years later, when teaching classics in Greece, she meets a Tibetan Buddhist nun, an encounter that changes the course of her life and eventually leads her to her teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, and to her spiritual home in Plum Village, Thich Nhat Hanh's practice center in France. True Virtue is a timeless testament to the importance of spiritual exploration, and offers a unique perspective on Thich Nhat Hanh's monastic community.
The captivating autobiography of the first Western nun ordained in Thich Nhat Hanh's Vietnamese Zen lineage. In 1988, Sister Annabel Laity became the first Western person to be ordained as a monastic disciple in Thich Nhat Hanh's Vietnamese Zen lineage. She was given the Dharma name Chan Duc, which means True Virtue. Thirty years later, Sister Annabel is a much-loved senior Dharma teacher in the Plum Village community. She teaches and leads retreats worldwide, and is widely recognized as an accomplished and insightful Buddhist scholar. In this autobiography, Sister True Virtue shares the trials and joys of her lifelong search for spiritual community. First inspired by the kind Catholic nuns who ran her primary school, she encounters Buddhism while studying ancient languages at university in England. A few years later, when teaching classics in Greece, she meets a Tibetan Buddhist nun, an encounter that changes the course of her life and eventually leads her to her teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, and to her spiritual home in Plum Village, Thich Nhat Hanh's practice center in France. True Virtue is a timeless testament to the importance of spiritual exploration, and offers a unique perspective on Thich Nhat Hanh's monastic community.
A Buddhist nun shares her profound journey of healing, plus step-by-step directions for embracing and transforming suffering through mindfulness, meditation, and other techniques Before she became a Buddhist nun in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, Sister Dang Nghiem was a doctor. She’d traveled far in her 43 years. Born during the Tet Offensive and part of the amnesty for Amerasian children of the late 1970s, Dang Nghiem arrived in this country virtually penniless and with no home. She lived with three foster families, but graduated high school with honors, earned two undergraduate degrees, and became a doctor. When the man she thought she’d spend her life with suddenly drowned, Sister Dang Nghiem left medicine and joined the monastic community of Thich Nhat Hanh. It is from this vantage point that Dang Nghiem writes about her journey of healing in Mindfulness as Medicine. Devastated by the diagnosis and symptoms of Lyme, she realized that she was also reliving many of the unresolved traumas from earlier in her life. She applied both her medical knowledge and her advanced understanding and practice of mindfulness to healing. Through meditation she finally came to understand what it means to “master” suffering.
The captivating autobiography of the first Western nun ordained in Thich Nhat Hanh's Vietnamese Zen lineage. In 1988, Sister Annabel Laity became the first Western person to be ordained as a monastic disciple in Thich Nhat Hanh's Vietnamese Zen lineage. She was given the Dharma name Chan Duc, which means True Virtue. Thirty years later, Sister Annabel is a much-loved senior Dharma teacher in the Plum Village community. She teaches and leads retreats worldwide, and is widely recognized as an accomplished and insightful Buddhist scholar. In this autobiography, Sister True Virtue shares the trials and joys of her lifelong search for spiritual community. First inspired by the kind Catholic nuns who ran her primary school, she encounters Buddhism while studying ancient languages at university in England. A few years later, when teaching classics in Greece, she meets a Tibetan Buddhist nun, an encounter that changes the course of her life and eventually leads her to her teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, and to her spiritual home in Plum Village, Thich Nhat Hanh's practice center in France. True Virtue is a timeless testament to the importance of spiritual exploration, and offers a unique perspective on Thich Nhat Hanh's monastic community.
Learning True Love, the autobiography of Sister Chân Không, stands alongside the great spiritual autobiographies of our century. It tells the story of her spiritual and personal odyssey, both in her homeland and in exile. Its anecdotal style presents an intensely personal portrait of a woman with astonishing courage, offering us a perspective on the suffering of the Vietnamese people. This unique autobiography tells the gripping story of a woman who not only lived but made history, and whose life of single-minded dedication to humanity can serve as an inspiration for us all. Sister Chân Không was born in a village on the Mekong River Delta in 1938. In her teens she devoted her life to the development and practice of nonviolence grounded in the Buddhist precepts of non-killing and compassionate action. Propelled by her passionate dedication to social change, she began working in the slums of Saigon, distributing food, working with the sick, and teaching children. When she was 21 years old she met the man who until to this day remains her teacher and spiritual companion: Thich Nhat Hanh. With him she co-founded the School of Youth for Social Service in 1964, which grew to an organization of over 10,000 young people organizing medical, educational, and agricultural facilities in rural Vietnam, and rebuilding villages destroyed in the fighting. Sister Chân Không became well known in the anti-war and peace community for her work promoting human rights and protesting repression and violence, often at risk of her own life. She continues to do this work today. After the war she became one of the co-founders of Plum Village, the spiritual center, that is home to Thich Nhat Hanh's community in France, where she continues to be deeply involved in the development and vision for this unique community. In January of 2005, after nearly 40 years in exile, Sister Chân Không was able to return on a 3-month visit to Vietnam. In this fully revised edition of Learning True Love she movingly describes the return to her homeland, the reunions with many old friends and fellow activists, and shares her impression of the "new Vietnam," where Buddhists still struggle for religious freedom and the re-establishment of their own organizations. Learning True Love is a moving personal memoir, an introduction to the mindfulness teachings and life of Thich Nhat Hanh and his community in exile, an overview to the development of the European and American peace and human rights movement, and an introduction to the engaged and practical style of Vietnamese Buddhism. It documents the process that brought an end to the US Vietnam war, and gives a lively summary of Vietnamese history from 1945 to the current political, social and spiritual climate in Vietnam. Learning True Love also portraits some of the many remarkable people that shared Sister Chân Không 's path. Foremost however it is the remarkable and impressive story of a very courageous woman, whose journey from an accredited biologist at the University of Paris to a Buddhist nun, gives her unique insight into life's central questions and the ability to address them in an unflinching and straightforward manner. Forewords by Thich Nhat Hanh and Maxine Hong-Kingston
A practical guide on how to clear up misunderstandings, communicate more honestly and openly, and heal relationships—with an introduction by Thich Nhat Hanh When we’re upset with someone, we’re often afraid to say anything. We tell ourselves, “Oh, it’s just a small matter; it’s not important.” But the accumulation of many small issues can create an explosive situation, and can even cause relationships to break. Beginning Anew gives us a way to address problems when they’re small, so we can understand each other’s words, actions, and intentions. Author Sister Chân Không guides readers through conscious breathing, loving speech, and compassionate listening, all designed to help us see people and situations more clearly and allow our perceptions to better reflect reality. After a few minutes of quiet and mindful reflection, each person within the group speaks without being interrupted, moving through the four important steps: 1) Express appreciation of the other person. This is something we may forget to do in our busy lives and can lead the people around us to feel taken for granted. 2) Express regrets. This is something we often put off doing, but the clear expression of misgivings and regrets gives practitioners the chance to clear the air and directly address any problems in the relationship. 3-4) Express anger or difficulties and check in with each other to be sure everyone was understood. Featuring inspiring client success stories, Beginning Anew provides a roadmap for anyone looking to keep communication open and resolve conflicts. When practiced regularly, it will bring deeper understanding and harmony to any relationship.
For nearly 30 years Sister Chan Khong’s Deep Relaxation practice has been a highlight for thousands of people who have attended Order of Interbeing Buddhist retreats. With Deep Relaxation the reader/listener will learn to meditate and relax body and mind at the deepest level, leading to a measurable reduction of stress levels. Sister Chan Khong effectively guides readers/listeners through the practice with a combination of spoken words and traditional songs from around the world, initiating a process that shows how we can achieve a more positive and healthy life as we move out of the meditation and into the world. With her soothing voice, her pacing, her extensive experience of practicing mindfulness in everyday life—and with the beauty of the gentle music— practitioners are able to achieve a state of profound relaxation. The relaxation practice is designed not only for those interested in mindfulness or Buddhism, but for anyone who needs to relieve stress. Working with the body’s innate capacity to heal itself, these exercises will bring the listener/reader to experience ever deeper levels of relaxation that can activate the body's natural healing abilities. The book will leave the reader with a deep sense of well-being.
A Buddhist nun shares her profound journey of healing, plus step-by-step directions for embracing and transforming suffering through mindfulness, meditation, and other techniques Before she became a Buddhist nun in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, Sister Dang Nghiem was a doctor. She’d traveled far in her 43 years. Born during the Tet Offensive and part of the amnesty for Amerasian children of the late 1970s, Dang Nghiem arrived in this country virtually penniless and with no home. She lived with three foster families, but graduated high school with honors, earned two undergraduate degrees, and became a doctor. When the man she thought she’d spend her life with suddenly drowned, Sister Dang Nghiem left medicine and joined the monastic community of Thich Nhat Hanh. It is from this vantage point that Dang Nghiem writes about her journey of healing in Mindfulness as Medicine. Devastated by the diagnosis and symptoms of Lyme, she realized that she was also reliving many of the unresolved traumas from earlier in her life. She applied both her medical knowledge and her advanced understanding and practice of mindfulness to healing. Through meditation she finally came to understand what it means to “master” suffering.
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