Hi friend,
I tend to be shy, and I’m not nearly as wise or eloquent as I’d like to be. I have also not achieved the goal of Buddhist practice, which is to liberate one’s mind — not to become a teacher. At the same time, I have benefited from certain practices, and I believe these practices can help others. So when I am invited to speak, I sometimes accept.
Here are recordings of talks I have given that you may find interesting. (Click on titles to listen.)
🇬🇧👂 An Introduction to the Tipiṭaka, and the Discourse on the Better Way to Live Alone
The first of three classes I gave to novice monks. I begin with an introduction to the Tipiṭaka, the “Buddhist bible” — how it was recorded, organized, and transmitted. Then we read and contemplate one of the three discourses of the Buddha on which, according to our teacher, Plum Village practice is based: the Discourse on the Better Way to Live Alone. We reflect on notions central to meditation such as thinking less compulsively and more consciously, cultivating an awareness of the present moment, and working with our identification processes. I introduce brothers to what I call the “tripod of self”, the three illusions upon which our concept of self is based — stability, separation, and sovereignty. I conclude with a one-sentence summary of the discourse.
🇬🇧👂 Discourses on Breath-Based Mindfulness, the Four Establishments of Mindfulness
The following class, in which we explore the two other discourses of the Buddha on which Plum Village practice is based: the discourse on Breath-Based Mindfulness, and the discourse on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness. Both discourses invite us to cultivate an awareness of our body, feelings, mind, and the liberating truth. The first discourse teaches us to do so with the awareness of our natural breath as our anchor, and the second is a catalog of various mindfulness exercises. I conclude with one-sentence summaries of each discourse.
🇬🇧👂 The Buddha’s Life From Birth to Awakening
I break down the meaning of two phrases we often chant at the monastery, "Namo Shakyamunaye Buddhāya”, and “Namo Tassa Bhagavato, Arahato, Sammāsaṁbuddhassa”. I then dispel some popular myths about the Buddha’s life that have no basis in the earliest Buddhist texts, before giving a detailed biography of Gotama’s birth, upbringing, going forth, and practices to enlightenment, based on the earliest Buddhist texts.
🇫🇷👂👁️ Conférence sur les Trois Respirations Magiques
An online conference I gave on April 11, World Breathing Day. In this French-speaking webinar, most of the speakers before me offered workshops on breath work, so I explained the difference between breath work (breath control exercises, prāṇāyāma) and mindfulness of our natural breath, which we practiced together. Then I introduced the participants to the Three Magic Breaths, which, if you remember, is my Ultra Condensed Ānāpānasati technique. I say that attention has three parameters — the object of our attention, the quality of our attention, and the duration of our attention, and that Buddhist meditation is paying attention to the present moment, with an open and light mind, in a sustained way. Awareness of everything, letting go of everything.
🇪🇸👂👁️ 16 Pasos de Plena Consciencia Basada en la Respiración
In this talk for meditation practitioners in Madrid, I gave a detailed presentation on the sixteen steps of breath-based mindfulness. Breath-based mindfulness is the practice that the Buddha used to achieve awakening, and then taught to his disciples in sixteen steps. We are fortunate to have received this transmission and to have the opportunity to study and practice it. We learn about these sixteen steps through the lens of the Buddha’s original teachings, insights from neuroscience, and my personal experience.
🇬🇧🇫🇷👂 Self-Care Habits for Teenagers
A class I gave two years ago to a group of teenage boys. I shared about my past struggles as a teenager, before inviting them to reflect on the importance of developing self-care routines. We explored the role of attention for psychological wellbeing, and we practiced sitting, walking, and lying down meditation. We then learned about other wellness practices such as exposure to nature, mental nourishment, physical exercise, meaningful human connections, and healthy eating.
Hope this helps.
🙏💛
Thank you for being part of my life’s mission.
Everything I offer to this Mental Health Revolution is free and will remain free. I write all the articles, and only use AI to help me with the spelling, grammar, and word use. I welcome your concrete and specific suggestions for improvement.
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Take care of yourself. You deserve to be healthy, happy, and free — regardless of what parts of your subconscious may say. Taking care of yourself is a wise investment — when you feel better, you show up better and everyone benefits. There are simple, natural, and science-based practices that can make a real, positive difference in your mental health. There are ways to implement these practices that increase your chances of success. And you can learn about all of these.
1️⃣ The #1 thing you can learn from me is the Daily Wellness Empowerment Program (DWEP). Print a DWEP Sheet and get started.
2️⃣ The #2 thing you can learn from me is Central Story Training (CST).