“Waking up this morning, I smile. Twenty-four brand new hours are ahead of me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion.” (Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh) Good morning, Vietnam! Hummm.... yummy… How bright the sunshine! How...

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...

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...

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....

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 and...

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...

You say the event changed your life – in what ways? Before I went to Plum Village I was like a fish out of water, a tree without roots. I had been living in Britain for a long time and I was out of touch with my practice. I had a basic understanding of its principles:...

What brought you to Plum Village and Mindfulness practice? A friend of mine had been suffering from chronic headaches for over a decade. He had tried all kind of treatments (conventional and unconventional) to no avail. I felt it was more to do with his soul and...

"I was like a fish out of water, a tree without roots… Since then that tree has grown. It's taking root, blossoming and bearing fruits." Developing Mindfulness is a powerful way to reduce life’s suffering, and develop greater peace and contentment on a daily basis. My...

It is six in the morning. It is snowing outside. I think of the market keeper who usually opens the market at this time. It is hard work and yet he constantly keeps up with his job. I feel lucky for being in doors writing this memoir in the warmth of my home. I can...

People asked me questions about Brighton and my film work. So I thought it'd be a good idea to publish a piece that I wrote from my old blog "This Is Brighton" in 2008. ... I moved from London to Brighton in the summer of 2008. I fell in love with it the first time...

Lotus is my new name for the new-born me. One day in the Autumn of 2008, I was reborn. It was the moment of epiphany for me. The moment when I fully understood my suffering and knew how to transform it. The cause of my suffering was love, which was also the source of...