Recorded live at a five-day retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh, sponsored by the Community of Mindful Living, September 1st through the 6th, 1997, in Santa Barbara, California. Tape number TNG-7, Touching the Earth, Part 2, with Sister Chong Kong. Do you hear me well in the upper part? Can you raise your hand? Okay. Okay. Can you hear me in this side? Okay. For deep relaxation, sometimes I have to use a very soft voice, so if you don't hear well, you have to move close to the amplifier. Please find a place to lie down on your back

[01:12]

and practice deep relaxation. Those of you who don't feel comfortable to lie down, you can sit on the chair, but sitting not like in sitting meditation. You lean your back relaxingly like you lie down. If you need to put a cushion behind, and if it helps, put a cushion behind. Oh

[02:31]

deep relaxation is a very wonderful way to work again our stress, our anxiety, our pain. When I have a great pain in me, I like to practice deep relaxation in order to give to my body a rest. I know that if my body is restful, it will help my mind to be more lucid. So during the deep relaxation I offer, if you feel that at the third, the fourth, the fifth exercise,

[03:50]

you enter gently into a sleep, it's good. It allows your mind to rest, your body to rest. When you wake up, I am sure that you will be more lucid, more clear in your mind. So when you feel that you are burned out, you are on the deadline, you have to fulfill something. Don't be afraid to lose your time. If you practice some exercise of deep relaxation, and if you fall into sleep about 15 minutes, you will not waste your time. When you wake up, you will see that you can do, realize your work quicker and with more lucidity. So now I offer

[04:52]

the first exercise. Breathing in, I'm aware of my in-breath. Breathing out, I pay all my attention on my out-breath. In, my mind is totally with my in-breath. Out, my mind is totally with my out-breath. So now, breathing in, I have noticed that my abdomen is rising. Breathing out, my abdomen is falling.

[06:36]

In-breath, abdomen rising. Out-breath, abdomen falling. Abdomen rising, abdomen falling. Abdomen rising, abdomen falling. Breathing in, my attention is only on the rising and the falling of my abdomen. So now, I send my love to my two shoulders.

[08:17]

My two shoulders are too heavy with responsibility. Breathing in, I calm every cell along of my two shoulders. Breathing out, I release all tensions along of my two shoulders. Calming, releasing tensions on my two shoulders. I let go all burden waiting on my two shoulders. I feel so light.

[09:45]

So now, I send my love to my two arms and my two hands. Breathing in, I calm every cell along of my two arms and my two hands. Breathing out, I release all tensions along of my two arms and my two hands. So now, I send my love to my two legs and my two feet. Breathing in, I calm every cell along of my two legs and my two feet.

[11:15]

Breathing out, I release all tensions along of my two legs and my two feet. So now, I send my love to my two arms and my two hands. Calming, releasing tensions. Now, I send my love to my heart. Breathing in, I calm all the agitation, all the irritation in my heart.

[12:32]

Now, I send my love to my heart. Breathing out, I release tension in every part of my heart. Calming, releasing tension. Now, I send my love to my liver. Breathing in, I calm every cell of my liver. Now, I send my love to my liver. Breathing out, I smile to my liver with thanks.

[13:43]

Thank you, my liver. You have been there, very faithful, working day and night for my well-being. Yet, I forget your wonderful presence. Thank you for being there, my heart. You work 24 hours per day for my well-being. Yet, I forget your wonderful presence. I will remember to eat mindfully, to drink mindfully, not causing a hard time for you. I will decide to let go of my pain, my anxiety, my stress, which will make you, my little heart,

[15:03]

to be under pressure and to have a hard time. Oh, you are really a treasure for me. My eyes are also a treasure. I only need to open my eyes, then I can see a paradise of form and color. I can see the wonderful smile of my beloved one. My lungs are also a treasure. My kidneys, my stomach, my legs, my arm, my hand, all are treasure. Thank you.

[16:28]

The cosmos is full of treasure. I would like to offer to you a lot of treasure. The cosmos is full of treasure. I would like to offer to you a lot of treasure. Every minute that we are alive is a treasure. But we need to be aware of that. Kiem Hoc Thong Xeo Hoa Nang

[17:37]

Trời xanh mây trăng lo đầy Ánh mắt thương yêu sáng tỏa The fact that we can still hear the singing of the birds, the fact that we can see the flower blooming, the dear look of our beloved one, their wonderful smile, all are treasure. You, who are the wealthiest person on earth, wealthy with all these treasures, please don't

[19:10]

behave like a poor beggar of happiness, please go back to receive your heritage of joy and peace. Please offer to each other joy and peace, please dwell peacefully in the present moment and treasure the fact that we are still alive.

[20:13]

The cosmos is full of treasure, I would like to offer to you a lot, a lot of treasure. I hold my vision in my two hands, I hold my vision in my two hands, my hands hollow to catch what might fall from within me, deeper than crying, I am not crying,

[21:55]

I am not crying, I hold my vision in my two hands, I hold my vision in my two hands, to keep my loneliness warm, to cradle my anger, shelter the flame from the rain and the thunder, two hands preventing my soul from flying in anger, I hold my vision in my two hands,

[23:11]

to keep my loneliness warm, to cradle my despair, shelter the flame from the wind storm that dredges me, warming the place so that tomorrow may blossom understanding, I hold my vision in my two hands, to keep my loneliness warm, to cradle my despair,

[24:17]

shelter the flame from the rain and the thunder, warming the place so that tomorrow may blossom compassion, I hold my vision in my two hands, my hands hollow to catch what might fall from within me, deeper than crying, I am not crying, I left in my two hands,

[25:35]

I am not crying, I am in my two hands, I am not crying, I am in my two hands, to keep my loneliness warm,

[26:41]

to keep my loneliness warm, [...]

[28:11]

to keep my loneliness warm, [...]

[29:41]

to keep my loneliness warm, um ah um

[30:49]

ah um ah um um sure

[32:09]

um Thay burn Khak men Bhai vau Nguyen suong Khak men Bhai vau Nguyen suong My heart is cold By drop of emptiness

[33:37]

Suddenly I see my boat Across the river Enriching this very shore Soft sand Empty fishing All promise fulfilled My heart is cold By drop of emptiness Suddenly I see my boat Has crossed the river Enrich this very shore

[34:42]

Soft sand Empty fishing All promise fulfilled My heart is cold By drop of emptiness Suddenly I see my boat Has crossed the river Enriching this very shore Soft sand Empty fishing All promise fulfilled Bhai vau

[35:53]

Ma soa yau chung Tren khak men Nau phiem tu dau lai Chanh con chua cham da cu Lang e vang vang Nho mua suon Lang e vang vang Nho mua suon Sang hum nay

[36:56]

Tay nay Chang tra nong Bai co sanh Bong nhung hiang Bong hen nen Ngai truong Bang tay o Nhang vai goi Mo choi non sanh mu Nu hoa nao Hak soi nao Ngong la nao Kung tia fa hua hing

[38:04]

I smile to the star that still shines in the sky To the sun that slowly Rises out of the night To the day that begins To the enchanting birth I smile to the world And the world smiles to me I smile to the child that crosses my way I remember also On those who are hungry Those who live in misery All over the planet Who have to face the war

[39:23]

Who lost their mother If sometime my smile is moistened by tears When I see the great pain That spreads over the world I shall still be smiling With tears in my eyes Smiling to life Smiling to death And one day will come When it is bitterly cold When even my footsteps Will not leave any more The never-ending current of life's energy

[40:29]

Will carry me along And I will not look back The fear will no longer block my way My heart finally opens very wide Then I will become the smile of the earth Of the flower, of the rain Of the sun and the wind And one day perhaps In a very small child I will open my eyes To the wonders of life And a little more loving

[41:35]

And a little more smiling I will continue this wonderful way I smile to the star that still shines in the sky To the sun that slowly Guides us out of the night To the dead beings To the enchanting birds I smile to the world And the world smiles to me I smile to the child that crosses my way I remember also On those who are hungry Those who live in misery

[42:38]

All over the planet Who have to face the war Who lost their mother If sometime my smile is moistened by tears When I see the great pain That spreads over the world I shall still be smiling With tears in my eyes Smiling to life Smiling to death And one day will come When it is bitterly cold When even my footsteps Will not leave any mark The never-ending current of life's energy

[43:45]

Will carry me along And I will not look back The fear will no longer block my way My heart finally opens very wide Then I will become The smile of the earth Of the flower, of the rain Of the sun and the wind And one day perhaps In a very small child I will open my eyes To the wonders of life And a little more loving

[44:47]

And a little more smiling I will continue this wonderful way I will continue this wonderful way Breathing in, breathing out I am blooming as a flower I am fresh as the earth

[45:54]

I am free Breathing in, breathing out I am water reflecting What is real, what is true And I feel this person Deep inside of me I am free Please, sit up

[47:20]

Good morning This touching of the earth is a little bit different from the other day I summarize for those of you who were not there two days ago when I shared touching the earth I call five touching of the earth The first touching of the earth we feel that we are a tree connected with our root and our first root is our blood family So in standing position you try to feel the energy the positive energy of your parents your ancestors your different generation of ancestors alive in you And when you lie down on earth you pour on earth all the negative energy things, bad character of them

[48:26]

that you don't like And this is the same for spiritual family The second touching of the earth is you You stand in the standing position You feel the energy of your loving friend your loving spiritual teacher And via them you feel the energy of their teacher It could be Jesus Christ, Moses or Bodhisattva, Quan Yin, Buddha And you feel that source of peace of love, of understanding that some people call God other people call Buddha nature And you must feel the energy of these people reborn in you because you are future Buddha too And so when you touch earth you feel the energy of these spiritual teachers multiply And then the third touching of the earth you feel the energy of the land ancestors

[49:28]

In this country you feel the energy of the first ancestors many thousand years ancestors of this land the native Americans And then those who live in harmony with nature you feel their energy in you And then you feel also the energy of those the European Americans but also the Afro-Americans who work very hard for transforming this land into a beautiful land for us to live And you feel the energy of many generations of unknown ancestors of this land who transform this jungle area into a wonderful land of liberty for all of us to live And then when you feel a lot of energy like that then you send the energy the fourth touching of the earth to the person you love So if it happens that you have

[50:31]

a brother or a sister who are sick who have real disease or you yourself have some disease you must know that in you there is all the healthy cells of your ancestors So you remember a number of your members of the family who are very healthy who live until 95 years old So you feel the healthy cells of these ancestors they are in you scientifically And then you call upon these cells to come to combat to transform the weak, the sick cells in you And gently you can feel and you practice several times a day if you are a little bit unhealthy but gymnastically it's also good too So you feel you really live that And the other day I said that

[51:35]

in us there is a little girl a little boy who are still there who are very fragile and wounded So we send energy to them to that little girl, little child in us And the fifth touching of the earth is we send energy to those who cause a lot of difficulty to us And the person who will profit from that is you It's not them first because it's you because you feel the peace in you And your faith is transformed Your whole being is transformed And then only with peace, with love that we can transform the world It's not by anger that we can transform the world Even we work for human rights for peace against the world we must be peaceful too It's what I try Several times I was also angry but I learned to be very peaceful, very firm in order to speak for peace

[52:37]

And now three touching of the earth is different You Thay has believed near of the ocean So you can look at the ocean You see that in the ocean there is millions of waves And there are waves who are big there are waves who are small waves who are tall waves who are large But all the waves belong to the big ocean And all waves are water And water are the same So a wave when it's born, it grows up, it dies Each wave has its suffering And looking superficially a wave thinks that she is different from other waves But in fact, if she looks deeper

[53:40]

she sees that she is also the water and the water is the same So in this vast planet called earth have you seen that it's a big ocean of life? And in that big ocean of life is given many waves And in Buddhist terms the Buddha used to call that a manifestation of life So trees are manifestation of life Rocks are manifestation of life Insects, humans, animals, vegetables all are different manifestations of this vast ocean of life And we are one manifestation Our sister is another manifestation The person we love is another manifestation We are one, it's easy to know But the person we don't love is also one manifestation

[54:42]

and is the same as the water It's not very easy So we need to train ourselves to look in such a way in order to be able to live peacefully with other waves So I invite all of you to stand up and to practice to look deeply Please close your eyes Looking deeply into myself I discover that sometimes I am very tolerant, compassionate full of understanding But sometimes I am very weak I am easily carried away by strong emotions, anger, jealousies

[55:46]

and many negative habit energies Looking deeply I see that I am only one manifestation of this vast stream of life this vast ocean of life called planet Earth For many, many thousand years I have been there under the form of one wave one manifestation I have been a rock When conditions are sufficient the rocks are so tall so great, so beautiful When conditions are no longer sufficient the rocks are disturbed hide themselves under the big turbulence of the ocean of life

[56:48]

called planet Earth When conditions are sufficient I appear again in the form of a plant Then the plant grows, grows, grows becomes a big tree a secular tree But when conditions are no longer sufficient I hide myself I disappear And then I appear again and again and again under a numberless form Sometimes I am a tree Sometimes I am a deer Sometimes I am a rabbit Sometimes I am a child in Uganda Sometimes I am a child in Asia Sometimes I am a child in Europe And here I am today

[57:49]

with this tall body today with this very name In this stream of life millions of manifestations I see that I am a wave but this wave has roots in her or in his blood ancestors Among my blood ancestors there are those who are very great I am very proud of them But among my blood ancestors there are those who are very weak and I am ashamed But looking deeply into myself I see that I have all this greatness

[58:49]

all these qualities as well as all these weaknesses under the form of seeds deep into my consciousness So I accept you as you are ancestor I accept you as you are mother I accept you as you are father with all your qualities and your weakness because I see clearly that I am myself that I am you I am only your continuation I touch the earth Please touch the earth In this stream of life

[60:04]

with millions of manifestations my manifestation, my wave has roots in my blood ancestors I am the continuation of my mother my father with all their qualities and weaknesses I am the continuation of my grandparents from both sides I am the continuation of these men and women who build up the nation of my blood ancestors They are those who are great honest tolerant generous and live with dignity who are the symbol of love and great understanding But they are also those who are very unkind Those who use, abuse children and adults

[61:07]

I see both of them in me the kind as well as the unkind ancestors I accept them as they are I smile to them I release In this stream of life with millions of manifestations I am one manifestation who has roots in my spiritual ancestors I am your continuation, my teacher with all your qualities You have transmitted to me this peaceful heart I feel your peaceful presence and joyful energy in me Via your peaceful energy I think that I am touching

[62:08]

the energy of Bodhisattva Advalokiteshvara I think that I can touch the energy of Moses of Jesus Christ of Francis of Sici I see I feel that energy of God of Buddha is enveloping me I am the source of beauty goodness of great understanding I am a wave which is growing, developing and passing all my being to friends to descendants and their descendants Some of my descendants

[63:08]

some of my children are understanding full of compassion have a lot of stability living with joy I have a lot of confidence but there are those who go across many difficulties constantly subject to up and down in their practice I open my heart and I accept them all as they are without judging I see among my descendants they are the great ones they are the weak ones but I accept them all as they are without judging I see that they are me and I am them

[64:08]

in this vast ocean of life I am this body with this name but I am also the water so I see clearly that I am my mother I see clearly that I am also my father I see clearly that I am also my son my daughter I see clearly that I am my beloved one I am a wave but I am the water so I am this body but I am also the body of those I love and those I do not love I am the water that is why I can be in the skin in the heart

[65:10]

in the suffering of those I don't love I know that I am them and they are me because we all belong to this vast ocean of life called planet Earth I am my mother I am my father I am my son I am my daughter I am my colleague because I am a wave but I am also the water we are one in this vast ocean of life constantly moving we do not have a separate self all exist as part

[66:12]

of that wonderful ocean of life which is constantly moving I am this vast ocean of life which is constantly moving sometimes I appear in this body when conditions are sufficient I appear in this body I become great wonderful when conditions are no longer sufficient I hide myself I see very clearly that I have been there since immemorial time and I am here in this body in 1997 but I continue to be there in the body of my son my daughter

[67:12]

in the body of my grandson granddaughter in the body of many, many descendants of my grandson and my granddaughter I will continue to be there many more thousand years even this body ceases to be because I am a wave but I am also this vast ocean of life for millions, millions of years I have been there since immemorial time I have been there since immemorial time here, there in numberless forms and I continue to be there in numberless forms many, many more thousand years

[68:15]

when this body ceases to be I will appear in another body in the body of the other body of the descendants of my descendants I continue to be there for many, many million years please stand up breathing out, I release tension breathing in, I feel fresh breathing out, I feel alive I am a wave this body but I am also this vast ocean of life I have seen myself

[69:18]

in the stream of time since immemorial time I have been there until 1997 I will continue to be there for many million more years even this body ceases to be now, I try to see myself in the space the first touching of the earth I see myself in time now I see myself in space I am this body one manifestation of this planet earth but I am also this air if this air dies, I also die I am also this mountain I am also this river I am also this ocean I am also on these trees

[70:19]

I am also on the animal I am also on the insect I see myself in this body but I see also that I am a wave but a water so I can see myself in these animals who run happily everywhere but I see myself as this body but I see myself as water of this vast ocean of life so I can see myself in other waves under the name of these chickens who are sending to the slaughterhouse full of panic I see myself in the fear of these pigs these cows who scream of panic

[71:20]

when they are sent to slaughterhouse I am this wave but I am also the water so I can see myself in the body of those meat-eaters who cannot survive one day without meat I accept them all as they are the animals who run with panic but those meat-eaters because I am also the water of this vast ocean of life I accept them all as they are without judging I see myself this wave which bears my name but I see myself also as the water of this vast ocean of life I see myself in the body

[72:22]

of these handicapped children I see myself in the body of these hungry children in skin and in bone very thin who are dying of hunger in Uganda in many poor villages of Asia but I see myself in the skin, in the heart of these wealthy people who throw money with easy and spend a lot of money in gambling, in sex in investing in weapon companies sell weapons to poor countries for people to kill each other my pain is immense but my love is also immense

[73:23]

I touch the earth I am one with this vast ocean of life which radiates in all directions I see my close connection with all others how we share happiness and suffering together I am this body this wave called my name but I am also this water of this vast ocean of life so I can see myself

[74:31]

in the body of this great human being called Mother Teresa called Martin Luther King I see myself in the body called Saint Francis of Sicily I see myself in the body of great human being who are always beside the poor the suppressed I see myself in the body of Thich Nhat Hanh who are always trying to listen to the suffering of people I am this wave I have wished the name with my name but I am also the water of this vast ocean of life so I can see myself in the body of this great being everywhere, known or unknown

[75:33]

they are always beside the sufferer those who suffer they are always working with the labors they work closely with the handicapped people day and night they are always with those who suffer of alcoholism of drugs they are always with those who have been sexually abused or violently abused by others they work ceaselessly day and night for the suffering people I see them in myself I feel their energy in me running in me the energy of this great being unknown, but who are always there beside those who suffer I am not desperate because they are there

[76:35]

in this vast ocean of life fortunately there are still great human beings in my time who work ceaselessly for those who suffer I have confidence that we will go together toward 21st century with love, with dignity with great understanding I am one with this vast ocean of life I see myself in numberless numberless forms my pain is immense but my joy is also immense please stand up

[77:39]

breathing in I feel calm breathing out I relax calming relaxing breathing in I feel fresh breathing out I feel light I have seen myself in numberless forms since immemorial time until now I continue to see my presence after this body ceases to be I continue to see my presence many more thousand years in the body of my descendants I see myself in this body but I see myself

[78:40]

as the water of this vast ocean of life so I see myself in numberless forms here in North America but I see myself in South America Central America in Asia, in Africa in Australia everywhere I see myself in this body but I see myself in the weak the poor, the oppressed I see myself in the oppressor the violent, the cruel but I see myself fortunately in the body of these great human beings who are everywhere unknown, but very great working silently for those who are suffering seeing myself like that

[79:41]

in time and in space the third touching of the earth I will see that my period of life my lifespan is not limited from the date of my birthday until the date of my disease my lifespan is much larger than I thought when my body ceases to be the date of my birthday until the date of my disease is not my lifespan so the third touching of the earth I transcend the idea that 10 years, 20 years, 30 years is my lifespan is my period of life please, touch the earth I am one with this vast ocean of life

[80:55]

I am one with this vast ocean of life starting from the no beginning and I will continue to be present for many more thousand years after this body ceases to be I see myself here but in the same time everywhere in numberless forms I see myself as a mountain as a river, as an ocean as a different form of humans as a different form of animals as a different form of plants I see that this body this body limited by this skin is not really me this body limited by this skin is not really me I am not limited by this body I am part of this vast ocean of life

[81:57]

in the stream of life I am life which stretches in time from my blood ancestor from my spiritual ancestor from my land ancestor and who continues to stretch for many more thousand years flowing into the future I am life which manifests in numberless forms I am one with all species on earth they are suffering species but they are happy species they are fearful species but they are also fearless and peaceful species at this moment in space I see myself everywhere the disintegration of this body

[83:00]

does not touch me just as when the dry oak leaf dies and falls it doesn't mean the end of this wonderful source of life in the oak tree I am this wave in the ocean but I am also the water of this vast ocean of life I see myself in other waves I am my sister my brother I am my beloved one but I am also my non-beloved one I am my teacher I am my parents I am all my ancestors I am these unkind persons who abuse me but I am at the same time the energy of Avalokiteshvara I am also the energy of Jesus

[84:01]

I am the energy of all the prophets of Moses I am the energy of God of that wonderful source of love peace, stability that some people call Buddha the appearance and the disappearance of the form of this wave called me does not affect the ocean my Dharma body and my wisdom life are not subject to birth and death I see my presence before this body manifests and I continue to see my presence after this body disintegrates in this very moment

[85:07]

I see how I exist everywhere I am not limited by this body 20 years 30 years 40 years is not my lifespan 50 years 60 years 70 years 80 years is not my period of life my lifespan is like the lifespan of a leaf of a Buddha my lifespan is not less than the lifespan of Jesus Christ of Moses my lifespan is limitless I have gone beyond the idea that I am this body limited by this skin

[86:09]

limited by this period of time I have gone beyond the idea that I am this body limited by this skin limited by this period of time I have gone beyond the idea that I am this body which is separate in space and in time from other forms of life I have gone beyond the idea that I am this body which is separate in space and in time with all other forms of life my period of life like the period of life of a Buddha

[87:12]

I pretend to appear and I pretend to disappear I dance on this vast ocean of life sometimes I am a big wave sometimes I play the role of a small wave sometimes I play the role of the weak person sometimes I play the role of the strong person because I have behind me the water of all these great beings called Jesus Christ called Buddha Gotama called Moses I have behind me that vast source of life of peace called Allah God, Buddha

[88:15]

I have no fear because I am this vast ocean of life I pretend to be born and I pretend to die but I never die this body is not me I am not God, but this body this body is not me I have never been born but I have never died I am life without limits I am this vast ocean of life

[89:16]

I have never been born and I will never die this vast ocean of life this vast sky this vast ocean of life what is it? all of these things show me from the source of my consciousness from the source of my life I am still free all are my manifestation

[90:23]

I am not limited by this body birth and death are just the threshold by which I enter and I get out birth and death are just a hide-and-seek game so laugh with me and say goodbye to me if my body ceases to be you must smile to me you must laugh with me and say hello, goodbye to me because you will see me very, very soon in the star, in the moon in the mountain, in the river

[91:27]

in my children in the children of my children in my students, in my friends in every walk of life Copyright © 2020 Mooji Media Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

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