Success In Five Easy Steps

That was the title of a speech by Wendy Kier, a fellow Toastmaster* of mine last Wednesday. Her speech was poignant for me, particularly as it resonated with my practice of Mindfulness. Wendy pointed out that we usually related success to our ambitions that could take...

Breathe, you are alive!

I just got back from the funeral of a great aunt of mine in Paris. I had a chance to look at her face for the last time before they closed the coffin. She looked very peaceful in her forever sleep. Her eyes closed tightly. They did not move. Neither did her lips. The...

Mindfulness is a continuous practice

You say Mindfulness is a continuous practice for you and a way of life. Can you tell me a bit more about what you mean by this? Mindfulness is a continuous practice because the moment I stop being mindful, I drift off into my thoughts or operate on my automatic pilot....

What does mindfulness mean to you?

Mindfulness is not just a practice; for me it is a way of living. Living in awareness. Living with peace, love and happiness. Living in freedom – free from my own afflictions: fear, anxiety and sorrow. Mindfulness means to be aware of what is going on inside me...

My spiritual root

Prior to Plum Village did you see yourself as a religious or spiritual person? What, if any, was your religious or spiritual upbringing? I had always been a Buddhist since I was a little girl when I was in the Mekong Delta. I had rigorous, formal practices and...