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18 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

Calm in the Storm also filled with many wonders, like to look at the people we love, even

I like to use the example of a small the blue sky, the sunshine, the eyes in our own household, and to look
boat crossing the Gulf of Siam. In of a baby. at ourselves.
Vietnam, there are many people,
called boat people, who leave the To suffer is not enough. We must Society is organized in a way that
country in small boats. Often the also be in touch with the wonders even when we have some leisure
boats are caught in rough seas or of life. They are within us and all time, we don’t know how to use it to
storms, the people may panic, and around us, everywhere, all the time. get back in touch with ourselves.
boats may sink.
If we are not happy, if we are not We have millions of ways to lose this

But if even one person aboard can peaceful, we cannot share peace precious time – we turn on the TV
remain calm, lucid, knowing what and happiness with others, even or pick up the telephone, or start the
to do and what not to do, he or those we love, those who live under car and go somewhere. We are not
she can help the boat survive. His the same roof. If we are peaceful, used to being with ourselves, and we
or her expression – face, voice – if we are happy, we can smile and act as if we don’t like ourselves and
communicates clarity and calmness, blossom like a flower, and everyone are trying to escape from ourselves.
and people have trust in that in our family, our entire society, will
person. They will listen to what he benefit from our peace. The Beauty Beneath
or she says. One such person can Meditation is to be aware of what
Enjoy Every Minute
save the lives of many. is going on – in our bodies, in our
Do we need to make a special effort feelings, in our minds, and in the
You are That Person to enjoy the beauty of the blue sky? world. Each day 40,000 children die

Do we have to practice to be able to of hunger. The superpowers now
Our world is something like a small
boat. Compared with the cosmos, enjoy it? No, we just enjoy it. Each have more than 50,000 nuclear
our planet is a very small boat. second, each minute of our lives can warheads, enough to destroy our
We are about to panic because be like this. planet many times.
our situation is no better than the
Wherever we are, any time, we have Yet the sunrise is beautiful, and the
situation of the small boat in the
the capacity to enjoy the sunshine, rose that bloomed this morning
sea. You know that we have more
the presence of each other, even the along the wall is a miracle.
than 50,000 nuclear weapons.
sensation of our breathing.
Mahayana Buddhism says that you Life is both dreadful and wonderful.
are that person, that each of you is Wherever we are, any time, we have To practice meditation is to be in
that person. the capacity to enjoy the sunshine, touch with both aspects. Please do
the presence of each other, even the not think we must be solemn in
Humankind has become a very sensation of our breathing. We don’t order to meditate. In fact, to meditate
dangerous species. We need people need to go to China to enjoy the blue well, we have to smile a lot.
sky. We don’t have to travel into the
who can sit still and be able to smile,
who can walk peacefully. We need future to enjoy our breathing. We can Source: Being
people like that in order to save us. be in touch with these things right Peace by Thich
Mahayana Buddhism says that you now. It would be a pity if we are only Nhat Hanh,
are that person, that each of you is aware of suffering. Oct 2024
[foreword by Dr
that person.
Making the Most of Our Precious Jane Goodall],
The Wonders of Life Time Parallax Press,
USA, pp 160. EH
Life is filled with suffering, but it is We are so busy we hardly have time