sangha Tag

I am a seeker. Long ago, I realized that my physical needs were met a thousand times over shelter, safety from the elements, clean water, clothes, and nutrition. Yet, I felt a longing for connection and belonging that I struggled to satisfy in my own home and in the city of Angels, Los Angeles. I yearned to contribute and be the change I wanted to see in the world: peace in oneself, peace in the world, as our teacher Thich Nhat Hanh’s teaching with his own life: My life is my teaching.

Of all the books, workshops, seminars, and meditation retreats I attended from various people and organizations, I found myself repeatedly returning to Deer Park Monastery on a mountain in Escondido near San Diego. There, I practiced Zen meditation with monks, nuns, and lay practitioners like myself. I was drawn to the comforting feeling of simply being—without judgment, without mistakes. This wonderful sense of acceptance and belonging at Deer Park or Plum Village mindfulness events allowed me to easily connect with so-called strangers, some of whom organically and gradually became my lifelong friends, even now that I’ve moved across the ocean to Bali, the healing island of the gods.

In Los Angeles, I happily joined different organizing teams for sanghas and Plum Village events quite often, on and off, during my 13 years of practicing mindfulness. Working with mindful friends towards a common mission of serving others and bringing the pure teaching and life-changing path to those in need brought me great joy and happiness. My needs for connection and contribution were beautifully and meaningfully met. I also had opportunities to learn and grow, gaining insights from great mindful teachers (both monastics and lay practitioners) and practicing mindful breathing, deep looking, and loving speech, especially in challenging situations involving less mindful individuals, including myself 

Moving to Bali last year, I noticed that the Plum Village tradition here is not as established as in Southern California. Initially, I felt sad and missed the wonderful communities I had in the past. But, as with everything in life, it is not about the outer circumstances but how we perceive them—whether as a victim or as a learner eager to grow. So, I decided to step up and bring more mindfulness events to the expat community here, where I see a huge need despite the seemingly perpetual vacation lifestyle many of us lead.

I’m thankful for the chance to step up as the main organizer of two beautiful Days of Mindfulness so far. Each event brought a wonderful co-organizer (who hopefully will become a lifelong friend) and obstacles that were overcome beautifully, resulting in beneficial experiences for many friends, some of whom had never heard of Thay or knew how to walk mindfully before.

For the first Day of Mindfulness, monastics contacted my co-organizing friend out of the blue, announcing their visit to Bali (which doesn’t yet have a Plum Village monastery, though one is coming soon, much to my joy) just five days before the planned event. We quickly coordinated with Green School, changed the date, and had four beautiful nuns lead the entire event.

Reflecting on how mindfulness and the Plum Village tradition have shaped my last 15 years, I feel thankful and happy. The practice is extremely simple—just returning to our breath, which even a child can do naturally and unconsciously. Yet, consistency is key and makes all the difference. As adults, we are now learning to breathe, walk, eat, listen, and talk all over again.

I love the pure teaching of Buddha as a philosophy of life. We measure our practice progress not by rigid, shallow, and egoic parameters like how often we sit, how much we know about Buddhist concepts, how little meat we eat, or how much charity work we do but by how compassionate we become towards ourselves and others, and how our lives harmonize with outer circumstances and those around us.

When I first encountered the practice in 2010, I was going through the toughest time of my life. Despite deep postpartum depression and years of physical, emotional, and relationship struggles, occasional visits to Deer Park recharged me every time, bringing me hope and much-needed self-belief. However, I lacked the consistency to bring mindfulness into my daily life.

Now, 15 years later, I realize the ultimate power of giving. To me, GIVING means:

• Bring mindfulness to those ready to learn and practice it consistently,
• Offering discounts and accepting full refunds in my mental health practice,
• I deeply listen to my wounded inner child, my partner, and my daughter, understand the emotions and needs behind our words and actions, and respond with acceptance and clarity.

We cannot give without receiving. It is a universal law, like breathing out and in. Since intentionally centering myself on giving, I have received more and more in beautiful natural ways—physically, emotionally, financially, and in my relationships. Living my dream healer life in Bali is another manifestation of this giving philosophy that I am slowly bringing into reality in my daily life.

Living this intentional life of giving and the three right livelihoods I chose, mindfulness is invaluable. It is the energy we cultivate consistently in our daily lives through rituals of mindful teeth brushing, walking, dishwashing, sitting meditation, and even arguing or any other daily rituals that speak to oneself). So, when triggering moments arise, we have the light of mindfulness and awareness to illuminate the darkest corners of our unpresent, autopilot states of being.

Stay tuned for more Days of Mindfulness events! The next one is on August 10 from 9 AM to 1 PM in Canggu, Bali. And another one at the end of August at Green School Bali. (Kim Dang)