Being #1 and/or Being Happy

Summary

The talk centered on the practice of mindfulness as a concrete, everyday path to joy, peace, and liberation from suffering. It opened with a communal chant and a recitation from the Heart Sutra, emphasizing emptiness, the five skandhas, and the insight that form and emptiness are inseparable. This framing established the talk’s core message: awakening is not abstract philosophy but direct experience of interbeing, freedom from illusion, and the dissolving of the false self. The speaker connected this insight to the life of the Sangha, describing collective breathing, chanting, and listening as a way to function “as one body,” beyond superiority, inferiority, and equality complexes. A major theme was that mindfulness is simple, immediate, and available in ordinary life. The speaker repeatedly stressed that walking meditation, sitting meditation, mindful breathing, brushing teeth, using the toilet, and mindful movement are valuable not because they produce some distant reward, but because they can be enjoyed in the present moment. The best answer to why one practices, he said, is “because I like it.” In this view, mindfulness is not a burden or a technique for future gain; it is a way of living that reveals the wonder of being alive. The speaker described waking up with the awareness that one has 24 new hours to live, and he referenced short verses used by novice monks to bring mindfulness into daily activities. The talk also presented mindfulness as a form of enlightenment. The speaker argued that enlightenment is not reserved for rare spiritual attainments after years of effort; it can arise in a few seconds when one recognizes that one is alive, has a body, and can walk on the earth. This insight can generate joy, happiness, and peace immediately. He contrasted this with modern habits of rushing, sleepwalking through life, and failing to appreciate the body, the breath, the earth, and the wonders of nature. He also emphasized that true mindfulness naturally brings compassion and cannot be used to cause harm. If a practice does not produce peace, joy, and compassion, then it is not true mindfulness. Another major section addressed modern society, especially corporate culture and technology. The speaker described how many people, including employees in large corporations, are overworked, stressed, and disconnected from their bodies, emotions, families, and nature. He argued that modern technology often helps people run away from themselves rather than return home to themselves. He used examples from visits to Google and Facebook, where monks and nuns offered days of mindfulness to employees. At Google, participants practiced sitting, walking, and eating meditation, and the speaker observed that many were deeply engaged because they were suffering from stress and needed a spiritual practice to suffer less. He also discussed conversations with corporate leaders about whether success and happiness can coexist, concluding that the pursuit of being “number one” often sacrifices well-being, while happiness itself is a more fundamental success. The speaker proposed practical ways technology could support mindfulness instead of undermining it. He imagined a smartphone or electronic device that would remind users to breathe, walk mindfully, or return to the present moment. He suggested that technology could become an ally in self-care, family care, and care for nature if designed with mindfulness in mind. This idea was extended to online Sanghas and digital resources that help people connect with practice even when they are far from Plum Village. Education and social transformation were another central concern. The speaker described a proposal made to UNESCO in 2006 to train schoolteachers in mindfulness so they could bring practices of breathing, walking, deep listening, and loving speech into classrooms. He cited violence in French schools and argued that teachers need concrete tools to help young people handle anger, fear, and painful emotions. He mentioned the publication of books such as Anger and Creating True Peace, and the development of the Wake Up School initiative. He also noted that Plum Village has trained teachers in many countries, including Bhutan, Thailand, India, America, England, and France. The talk concluded with a broad vision: mindfulness can transform not only individuals, but also families, workplaces, hospitals, city councils, and parliaments. The speaker suggested that doctors, nurses, teachers, corporate employees, and lawmakers can all benefit from practices of compassionate listening, loving speech, and mindful breathing. He emphasized that happy teachers can change the world, and that a society grounded in mindfulness can reduce suffering and increase peace and harmony. The final invitation was to continue the practice concretely, including walking meditation in the sunshine, as a living expression of the teaching.