I first learnt about mindfulness from a book "The Miracle of Mindfulness" by zen master Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) in 2002. It was a time when I had just started working in Beijing. It was a stressful time for me as I had to adapt to the new environment, travel frequently and deal with high workload. I was running after projects, getting burnt out, feeling depressed and consumed. Reading Thay's books was like a breathe of fresh air. The practice of mindfulness rescued me and brought me back to live in the present moment.
In February 2008, I went to the Plum Village to practise with Thay and the monastics and other lay people. In May 2008, I attended the retreat with Thay again in Hanoi. The intense practises and the wonderful people I met during these retreats accelerated my progress in spiritual practice. In Hanoi, a nice gentlemen named Bruce gave me a valuable gift: a little booklet "Steps Towards Inner Peace" by Peace Pilgrim. The teachings from Peace Pilgrim are complimentary with Thay's. I consider both of them my great spiritual teachers and I am truly thankful for how they changed my life.
With consistent practice, I am able to maintain my state of peace and joy for longer and longer period of time. Now even when I am busy or under stressful situations, I can handle all my tasks at ease, for I only need to do the best I can with mindfulness at the present moment and stop worrying about what happened in the past or the outcome in the future. This is such a wonderful practice, that I would like to share my learnings and experience with you in this blog.
Wish you peace and happiness here and now!
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