財務安排

知心好友得知我在將會到寺院學習一年，非常關心的寫了一封電郵給我，文字中感受到他的關懷，後段更建議我作出一點財務安排，不論為家人有固定的收入，也為自己他日回來做點準備。

收到後，心裏有感動，也有不安，當心情平伏後，寫下了以下的回信。



感謝您的關懷，連步驟也很清楚，哈！更重要是激發我對「自心」的探索。

生命中，我跟很多新一代一樣，把生活的重心放在「獨立」…不能依靠家人、朋友。看來這就是我們這代人「被教育」後的成果，這種「被教育」也是一種修習，好像自己要面對「整個天地」而不要向鄰舍求助，也不可能這樣做。

我覺得這不是(如您說)「想法」的「世俗」，而是人「感受」上的「孤立、恐懼」被不斷cultivated。

其實，看到身邊「條件」十分好的朋友，也被這種「心態」所捆縳，能跳出這種「感受」的人沒有幾個。
依從這種「感受」的人，不分宗教，成為主流。
漸漸地，社會上的客觀形勢也被建立起來，更不難理解隨之而來，大家的種種「新」行為。

我曾經接觸過「自由主義」，它是強調「個體」的利益，它沒有對、錯，只是令我感到人與人之間會漸漸分裂，如果有快樂，它就是在個人之內發生。

而「禪師一行」的是強調「無我」、「集體」，它也不是有對、錯，只是我比較認同，我比較願意即使大家一起貧窮、短壽，但仍保存一種「聯繫」、「互相依存」的關係。

如果我先為自己設好「獨立」後路，又為家人建立「獨立生活」的條件，這樣有點背離我的信仰，亦把「相互依存」的條件「減弱」了。其實，我覺得我們「獨立生存」的條件己過份被「栽種」了。「更多」只會「更難」放下，更加「疏離」。

謝謝您對我們的關心，他日無論我剩下多少身家，您也是我的兄弟，有粥食粥！

這分享...不是想否定其他的「想法」，只是我的心聲。謝謝聆聽！

呼、吸…一樣的空氣！

Our common concerns

Dear Family,

Good Morning. We have a Sunny Friday in Hong Kong... with blue sky and white clouds.

This morning, i summarize the replies from you all. (listed at the end of the email)

and i want to share among us...

First,

No matter that we say "Yes" or "No" to the trip, could we find out the purpose of going to the retreat, instead of just reading books at home? There must be many answers. One of them is found in Thay's book.

It shows that we can get nothing from the retreat. Weird, is it? Besides...(click ANSWER)

Second,

Address to our common concerns, 

Worry, Uncertainty ... keep practicing the meditation we have learnt will be the key.

Family responsibility... it seems "Now" is a good time for us make a plan for our parents and family, as if we would pass away tomorrow. 

Don't think that we are alone, and why don't we get the support from our relatives, siblings and Sangha? 

I think of building a Care Taking Council among our families which will visit and help our parents, when we are not here.

Besides, just in case that we need to come back to HK to support our family. It takes only 24 hours.

Weather & food... we will not go there as joining an outward bound and staying on an island by myself (smiling)  We will support each other all the way through. 

I have confidence that our Brothers and Sisters in France will also kindly help us. It is a good opportunity to build the trust with the community.

Buying the one-year travel insurance may help a bit. 

Recommend our friend to go...  we are quite sure this trip is good and precious. It will benefit my beloved friends. However, why should we recommend it to ourselves first?.... my friend, I love this bread and  you will feel happy if you eat it. But i will not eat the bread with you....oh no, darling.

Third,

A lot of information will be collected and i will put them into a blog.

At the planning stage of this trip, I hope the practice can  help us gradually get a clear mind.

(From the next email, i will only send it to the helpers and teammates.)

Breathing in, we are still alive. 

Sam & Celia

Teammates :

Sam (with worry, need practice more now...but need to go)
Celia (love to, quit the job soon)
Charles (possible, need some preparation)
Brian (why not, 死就死啦 ：) )
Maggie Nip (count me in)
Cedric (not sure but count me)

Want to but ..

Angela  (too cold & ~food)
Doreen (family responsibility)
Christine (period too long)
Daisuke (go next year)
Marina (having fear as mine, need the presence of Angela)
Mary (love to but a bit wandering)
Christine Chung (very much want to .. but seems unable)
Wai Ling (love to but not sure...)

Helen (recommended to come but yet to respond)

Helpers :

Grace
Maggie
Rose
Venus

- END -

The purpose of Going on Buddhist retreats

The purpose of a retreat is not to teach you about Buddhist psychology or about a particular sutra. For that you can buy a book and read on your own. 

The purpose of the retreat is to help us untie the knots inside.

There are two kinds of knots. 

One knot is our notions and ideas. Everyone has notions and ideas and we attached to them, we are not free, so we have no chance to touch the truth in life.

The second knot is our afflictions like fear, anger, discrimination, despair, and arrogance.
All these things should be removed in order for us to be free.

The things you do on retreat, like walking, sitting, breathing, smiling, and listening to a Dharma talk, should have the function of helping you undo these two kinds of knots.
The knots are embedded deeply in our mind, in our consciousness.

They bind us and compel us to do things we don't want to do, to say things we don't want to say.

When you listen to a Dharma talk at a retreat, the purpose of the talk is not to give you more notions and ideas; the purpose is to help you release notions and ideas. 
The talk should be like the rain that can touch the seeds of wisdom and freedom within you.

That's why we have to learn how to listen. We are not listening to the words. We are listening in order to get free from the notions and concepts.

When you go home, if you forget everything that was said on the retreat  that is a good sign.

You don't have to remember anything. You should go home free.

We are used to have homework from the school that requires us to remember many things - words, notions, and concepts - and we think this kind of luggage is useful for our life. 
But in terms of the practice, this luggage is a burden.

So the purpose of the retreat is to help free you from the burden of knowledge, notions, and concepts and 
from the burden of afflictions, anger and despair.



       Thich Nhat Hanh (2009). Answers from the Heart, 80-81.

Strengthening our Mindfulness to transform our worry !

Dear Thay & Dear Family ,

Thank you for your encouraging words and wholehearted support. 

So far, some of us become our teammates, YEAH !! and 

Some of us will be the helpers. Wonderful !!

When i sit down and design the trip, I think of many things but finally, i touch my key obstacle which is my WORRY.... over lot of things ....money, job, apartment, family, health....... endless  ..... 

If you have the similar feeling, let's start strengthening our mindfulness by...

my strategy is based on the Buddha's teaching on 4 nutriments. 

1. Intake the good food which is only nourishing me and prevent illness 

2. Select with wholesome sensory input... eg. be careful about reading news, 

3. Make a volition to preserve Peace, Joy & Well-being of me and my teammates.

4  Always feed my consciousness with the refreshing, healing & nourishing elements in me and around me !

When we are calm and free from worries, i believe the trip will manifest by itself. 

* Sisters suggest us to first get the Student Visa if we need to stay in France for one whole year. 

 (I think some of you may NOT need this Visa for long stay).

Could our teammates and also helpers (just in case you ...) send me your information on the Passport ?  Let us prepare this essential document.

Okay.... we start our journey now ! Please Buckle Up your Mindfulness. 

Breathe and smile...

An Invitation to You (as our helper of another Retreat)

Dear Family ,

Thay's HK trip is so successful this year : ) Thank you for everyone of you, let me experience the most powerful retreat i have ever joined in HK.

Some friends may think that we could make it better. However,  i believe it is beautiful enough... For the past few years, "Having enough" is a wonderful teaching to me.

At this moment, if you feel a bit too relax as you are not occupied by much organizing work....

May i invite you to become the helpers of another Plum Village retreat?

Is it scary? haha. This is a very small scale retreat.... but, for sure, it is an exciting one.

Now, I and Celia try to give ourselves a challenge... Once in our life time !

... to stay (practice or play) in Plum Village France for One whole year.

We want to begin with the winter retreat this year. That means, we have six months to make this dream come true.

If you want to retreat from your current busy life, or deepen your practice, or get close to positive energy ... and don't feel reluctant to stay with two of us... haha  :p

I would like to invite you to become our teammate.
(this invitation is not opened to the public)

I suggest even if you think that you are not able to go but you're still interested in the organizing work, please come to help us.

At this moment...

Let's not worry too much .... just enjoy the process of arranging this trip....together.
May the Buddha in our heart will show us the way!

Breathe and smile,

Two idiots 

Sam tel: 9427-xxxx

P.S. Sister Tue Nghiem said Thay usually have had a long trip every other year. This year, Thay has visited many countries to give talks and retreat camps. Next year, Thay will spend most of his time in Plum Village France. That is a very good condition for us to go. Sister Tue also said that when there is no retreat, it is so peaceful in Plum Village and it is good for us to practice looking deeply into our heart. She also shared that she has been aware the deep suffering of the Hong Kong people...as we bought a lot of stuffs and Calligraphies. We tend to use shopping to cover our pain. That is not a good sign.

In the other occasion, Sister Chia (Japanese) also encourages us to come Plum Village to have a longer retreat. It will definitely benefit oneself, also benefit the people in HK.
Hongkonger and Japanese are working too efficient. The practice of mindfulness is very important and  helpful for us.