Saturday, September 16, 2017

WALK WITH ME


I just came home from seeing the documentary "Walk With Me - On The Road With Thich Nhat Hanh". Maybe you were there too. If not, I hope you get to see it sometime soon, because the filmmakers have shared a unique insight into the monastic life. The personal interviews and the respectful observational eyes of the camera provide a thoughtful look into the commitment involved in mastering the art of mindfulness, as demonstrated by Thich Nhat Hanh, who at age 90 is still teaching this practice he brought to the Western world since he was forced into exile in 1966 over his attempts to bring peace to the Vietnam War. This film is not about those efforts but about the three years the filmmakers, Max Pugh and Marc J. Francis, spent at Plum Village, the French monastic community he established in 1982 and following them on a speaking tour to New York.
 
The movie drew me in and made me feel like a fly on the wall (or maybe the ants on the meditation mat) with a brief glimpse into the lives of these monks and nuns. Slow shots of candles on the pond, clouds in the sky or across the moon, storms rolling in and ladybugs crawling all brought the focus to the here and now.  The warm voice of Benedict Cumberbatch quoting the lyrical words of the master from his Fragrant Palm Leaves: Journals, 1962-1966 provide another powerful invitation into the stillness.  And watching the seasons change on the screen, the children play and question, the young monk yawning and twitching during meditation, the families connecting all brought emotions of joy and sorrow.  As I left the theater someone asked me what I thought and my response was that I felt it...in my body. Frequently called back to breath in scene after scene and brought to stillness by the sound of the bell, I could not help but breathe into the experience.
 
Filmmaker Alejandro G. Inarritu, who won Oscars for "The Revenant" and "Birdman" says about the documentary "I loved how [the filmmakers] capture and convey, cinematically, the sometimes inexplicable state of being awakened. It gives a hint of that quiet voice so underrated today and ironically so needed in this time of fear and ignorance."
 
I am grateful for this opportunity to be reminded that we can breathe ourselves into the moment. That this practice of mindfulness is as simple as sitting or walking or cooking or smiling. Thich Nhat Hanh is an inspiration for his peaceful approach to this world and for his sense of social responsibility. This film gave me hope for our world and hope for my own potential. May we all remember stillness each time we hear a bell ring.
 
In joy,
Zet Bear

This week, I am on a solo retreat in the Hill Country, focused on Sacred Silence. I look forward to sharing my reflections in this space again next week - and at the Autumn Equinox Concert in the Cave Without a Name on Saturday, September 23, and the special Equinox Celebration we'll share the next morning in the Sunday Circle.
I am deeply grateful to Zet - and to you and the many others in the Circle community - who have made possible this time of Sacred Silence.

With gratitude and blessings,
Rudi Harst



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