
Hosted by Dan Harris
Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.
In this episode, the host talks with senior Plum Village meditation teachers Brother Phap Young and Kaira Jewel Lingo about four key phrases coined by the late Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. Instead of going through a planned top ten list, the conversation focuses deeply on four phrases: breathe you are alive, the present moment is the only moment available to us, I have arrived I am home, and this is it. The guests and host explore how these simple mantras serve as anchors to combat distraction, anxiety, and the acceleration of time, while sharing personal stories about how these teachings help them navigate grief, historical trauma, and the challenges of daily life. The episode stands out for its raw honesty about the difficulty of maintaining mindfulness and the profound peace that comes from fully accepting the present moment.
Dan Harris welcomes guests and explains the use of Thich Nhat Hanh’s calligraphic phrases as teaching tools.
Brother Phap Young describes how Thich Nhat Hanh created calligraphic phrases to remind practitioners of the Dharma.
Dan and the guests discuss why hearing the same phrase repeatedly helps maintain mindfulness and prevents forgetting.
Kyra Jewel and Brother Phap explain the meaning and practical impact of the first phrase, emphasizing awareness of breath and aliveness.
Brother Phap elaborates on the importance of living in the present, letting go of past and future distractions.
Dan, Kyra, and Brother Phap reflect on how to integrate the phrases into daily life and conclude the episode.
Kyra Jewel shares how this phrase invites full presence and a sense of home within oneself.
The guests discuss the phrase “This is it” as a tool for acceptance and staying grounded in reality.
Speaker 02 explains how surrendering to reality while choosing where to focus the mind can transform difficult situations.
Speaker 01 shares how acceptance helped him process anger over war and view all people as human family.
Dan Harris comments on the listener’s ability to move to acceptance even after struggle and encourages broader application.
Speakers announce upcoming projects: a Buddhist-Christian center and an interbeing school aimed at nurturing compassionate communities.
Refreshing Reminders and Calligraphyinsight
The guest explains how Thich Nhat Hanh would regularly replace old calligraphies in the meditation and dining halls to prevent people from becoming complacent and ignoring them.
Awareness of Fragile Lifeinsight
The guest discusses how visualizing oneself in a hospital bed or reflecting on the fragility of life helps wake people up from chasing trivial goals.
The guest notes that during illness, Thich Nhat Hanh maintained an oxygen saturation near 99 percent through lifelong deep breathing practice.
Healing the Past in the Presentinsight
The guest explains that fully engaging with the present moment allows one to change their perspective on past trauma, turning anger into appreciation for how those conditions shaped them.
Airport Mindfulness Practicestrategy
The guest shares a personal practice of sitting at the airport for two hours without checking emails or reading, actively resisting the urge to consume and staying fully present.
The True Home Addressinsight
The guest explains that Thich Nhat Hanh summarized decades of teaching into the phrase I have arrived, I am home, noting that the here and now is our only true home.
Surrender Versus Giving Upinsight
The guest distinguishes between giving up, which stems from the lizard brain and collapse, and surrender, which preserves executive function and personal agency.
“He went into the meditation hall the night, and then he saw these calligraphies that has been up there for like, you know, five years, six years.”
“The present moment is the only moment available to us.”
“The fact that we, you know, can perceive things, can that we, whatever senses we have, you know, those are gifts to be able to, feel the sun or, or hear the rain or, you know, pet an animal or whatever it is.”
“Surrendering to things as they are is different from giving up.”
“I have arrived, I am home. And for me, it really means there's nowhere else that we need to be.”
“We are in, you know, um, we don't, we don't see our agency.”
“It was because they understood surrender, the power of just accepting, this is it.”
“And so actually this accepting that, you know, our, the people are human family and this is where we are.”
“Yes, it's, it's really at the beginning stages, but, um, but my partner and I were offered a monastery in upstate New York.”
Why tensing against pain makes it worse, the difference between acceptance and passivity, and how to plan for the future while staying present—from two of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh's senior students. Brother Thích Chân Pháp Dung is a Vietnamese American Buddhist monk ordained in 1998 and a Dharma Teacher in the Plum Village tradition, founded by Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh. He currently practices and teaches at Deer Park Monastery https://deerparkmonastery.org/ in California and is the founder of the Thích Nhất Hạnh School of Interbeing https://tnhschool.org/. Kaira Jewel Lingo http://www.kairajewel.com/ is a senior Dharma teacher in Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village Zen lineage who also teaches Vipassana in the Insight tradition. After 15 years as an ordained nun in Thich Nhat Hanh's monastic community, she now teaches internationally, integrating mindfulness with creative expression, social and racial justice, and care for the Earth. She is the author of We Were Made for These Times https://www.parallax.org/product/we-were-made-for-these-times/ and co-author of Healing Our Way Home: Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors, Joy, and Liberation https://www.parallax.org/product/healing-our-way-home/. You can also read Kaira Jewel's essays on Substack https://kairajewellingo.substack.com/about. In this episode we talk about: Why we need to hear the same teachings over and over What it means to be alive while you're alive The hidden gifts of turning toward difficulty How to plan for the future without leaving the present The one sentence legendary teacher Thich Nhat Hanh said summed up all his teachings Where our true home really is How to accept things without becoming a doormat The difference between surrender and giving up Get the 10% with Dan Harris app here https://app.danharris.com/membership Sign up for Dan's free newsletter here http://www.danharris.com/ Follow Dan on social: Instagram https://bit.ly/3tGigG5, TikTok https://bit.ly/3FOA84J Subscribe to our YouTube Channel https://bit.ly/3FybRzD This episode is sponsored by: Northwest Registered Agent: Visit northwestregisteredagent.com/HappierFree http://northwestregisteredagent.com/HappierFree and start using free resources to build something amazing. Warby Parker: Our listeners can buy one pair of glasses and get 20% off any additional pairs at WarbyParker.com/HAPPIER http://warbyparker.com/HAPPIER — and using our link helps support the show. #WarbyParker #ad Tonal: Right now, Tonal is offering our listeners $200 off your Tonal purchase at tonal.com http://tonal.com/ with promo code HAPPIER. Additional Resources: More offerings from Kaira Jewel: Beloved Community information (Monastery & Buddhist-Christian meetings) https://givebutter.com/JqUSN5/kaira-jewel-and-father-adam/kairajewellingo%20https://kairajewellingo.substack.com/s/the-beloved-commmunity-for-engaged On-demand course with Sangha Live: Growing the Good, Cultivating Courage, Clarity and Care https://sangha.live/deep-dharma/growing-the-good-cultivating-courage-clarity-and-care/ Insight Timer course: We Were Made For These Times: 10 Lessons In Moving Through Change, Loss & Disruption https://insighttimer.com/meditation-courses/course_we-were-made-for-these-times-10-lessons-in-moving-through-change-loss-and-disruption To advertise on the show, contact [email protected] or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/10HappierwithDanHarris
10,649 words · 4 speakers
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