Dear spiritual friends
We have received word that Thich Nhat Hanh, our beloved teacher, passed away peacefully at Tu Hieu Temple in Hue, Vietnam, at 00:00hrs on 22nd January, 2022, at the age of 95. We are invited to take a few moments to be still, to come back to our mindful breathing, as we together hold Thay in our hearts in peace and loving gratitude for all he has offered the world.
In Sangha this Sunday we will sit and walk and read aloud from Thay’s writings on no death. We will also chant to support ourselves and the international Plum Village Sangha. There will be an opportunity for small group discussion.
We will dedicate our practice to all those suffering the loss of loved ones – please recite with an open heart Thay’s Contemplation on No Coming, No Going (below)
With a tender heart, Bethan
The Contemplation on No Coming No Going
This body is not me.
I am not limited by this body.
I am life without boundaries.
I have never been born,
and I have never died.
Look at the ocean and the sky filled with stars,
manifestations from my wondrous true mind.
Since before time, I have been free.
Birth and death are only doors through which we pass,
sacred thresholds on our journey.
Birth and death are a game of hide-and-seek.
So laugh with me,
hold my hand,
let us say good-bye,
say good-bye, to meet again soon.
We meet today.
We will meet again tomorrow.
We will meet at the source every moment.
We meet each other in all forms of life.
