— If we are mindful, peace and happiness is just one breath away from us 😊
Dear,
In the December over two thousand years ago, Jesus was born and spread the news to love God and love the people around us. These are the two most important commandments in the Bible. Last month in Plum Village Hong Kong, we also celebrated the Christmas festival and delved deep in the meaning of Christmas, birth of Christ, and Buddhism.
Past Events
Sunday Day of Mindfulness – Christmas Celebration (Dec 24th)
December 24 DOM is a special DOM. It was be the last Sunday Day of Mindfulness in 2023. Not only did we practice mindfulness together, we also celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ. Once again we were reminded from Thay teaching about the non-duality of life and death. Christ is neither born nor died, and the same as Buddha. They are transformed into other matters. This is the same as the cloud up in the sky. It is formed from the water in the river, vapour in the air, and will transform into rain falling down to the earth, nourishing all things touched by it. If we practice the teachings of Christ and Buddha, then they live within us and are manifested through us.
It is also refreshing to feel the breeze during our walking meditation that morning on the Ngong Ping hiking trail.
Have to appreciate the tastiness of the vegan meals up in the Temple 😋
More photos at this Fb post. We also have a longer blog post here.
Wake Up Retreat 2023 (Dec 28th – Jan 1st)
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The theme for this retreat is Mindfulness Survival Kit 101. We had a chance to learn and go deep into these guidelines of the Five Mindfulness Trainings. In this issue, we are privileged to have a long-time Wake Up practitioner, Jamie, to share her experience in the retreat:
The 2023 Wake Up retreat is very special—not only it was the first in Plum Village Hong Kong four years after the pandemic, but also the tenth retreat for young people organized by Plum Village Hong Kong. This time the weather was great and the it was warm and comfortable, compared to the cold and humid weather we had in the past retreats. Following the monastics, we sat quietly and welcomed the New Year amidst the thundering drums. There were many familiar old faces, as well as many new and joyful friends. Every fellow practitioner had his or her own family, and everyday each one had the opportunity to share the most touching, confusing, and unforgettable moments in the retreat.
I am honored to have recited the aspirations for 2024. What touches me the most was the aspiration that mentioned the inability of people to realize the interconnectedness of humanity give rise to wars, and that it was only by truly understanding the interdependence of pain and joy between people can we bring in peace.
We wrote our New Year’s aspiration on a pieces of paper and threw them into the campfire. Mine was ‘take it easy. This was also the aspiration of Sister Trang Nghiem which she had shared with us earlier. Since the burning of my aspiration paper, these three words appeared in my mind whenever I was under stress. And because I reviewed the five mindfulness practices, I also learned to tell myself “I don’t need”, that I have the ability to not allow myself to run away from the situation in order to cover up my loneliness. Now I am able to say to myself, “Thank you, I don’t need to run away.”
This year is also my tenth year with Plum Village. I have always been deeply attracted by the love, compassion and acceptance here. The word most often I hear at PV is “enjoyment”; here you can breathe “freedom”. I didn’t quite understand the meaning of “enjoyment” and “happiness” before, but Plum Village broke down the ‘walls’ with which I had shielded myself, giving me a reassuring smile, and peace.
Looking forward to practicing with you in 2024!
Upcoming Events
Friday Night Practices (2024 Jan/Feb)
In our Friday night practice session, in addition to singing meditation, sitting meditation, walking meditation, and Dharma sharing. In the coming two months, we will read from Thich Nhat Hanh book, The Art of Living: Peace and Freedom in the Here and Now to understand ourselves and our world in the current troubled times. TNH reveals an art of living in mindfulness that helps us answer life’s deepest questions and experience the happiness and freedom we desire.
Schedule:
- Jan 5th, 19:30 – 21:15 (Zoom/online – English)
- Jan 19th, 19:00 – 21:00 (Central – Chinese)
- Feb 2nd, 19:30 – 21:15 (Zoom/online – English)
- Feb 16th, 19:00 – 21:00 (Central – Chinese)
Those who are interested, please register in our Upcoming Events page.
Sunday Day of Mindfulness
Sunday Day of Mindfulness is led by AIAB monastics to integrate mindfulness into daily life. Every Sunday, through a series of mindfulness practice activities, we can enjoy the happiness of being present in the moment. In addition, practicing together as a sangha is an enjoyable experience and strengthens our practice.
More details and the schedule are here. Participants please register on the website. If the registration is close, please send an email to aiab@pvfhk.org to notify the monastics so they could prepare the right amount of food for lunch.
Schedule: Every Sunday at 9:30am in
Venue: Lantau Island, Lotus Pond Temple. Details for the traffic.
Wake Up Monday Night Practice (2024 Jan)
We are excited to extend an invitation to you for the upcoming MNP (Monday Night Practice) events on 22nd January, 2024 at the Flower Market, Prince Edward. The practice are open to participants of all levels. They offer a wonderful opportunity for you to engage in meditation and explore teachings from Plum Village.
To participate in the practice, official registration is required. The registration process will open one week prior to each event. Please stay updated by following the Wakeup HK Facebook page and joining the WhatsApp group.
Whether you are a new joiner or a regular practitioner, we look forward to seeing you on January 22nd (Monday) from 7:00pm to 9:00pm.