Practices for the New Year by Thich Nhat Hanh

December 31, 2009. This 75-minute dharma talk in English given by Thich Nhat Hanh in Upper Hamlet, Plum Village. Also streamed live to Thailand and received at the monasteries at Deer Park and Blue Cliff.

Thich Nhat Hanh encourages us to practice metta mediation in the first three days of the new year. On the first day we practice for ourselves. On the second day we practice for the other person we love. On the third day we practice for the other person (or institution) that makes us suffer. Concrete practices are described for the coming year.

Transcript of the meditation’s text:

May I be peaceful and light in my body and in my mind.

May I be safe and free from accidents.

May I be free from anger, unwholesome states of mind, fear and worries.

May I know how to look at myself with the eyes ofunderstanding and compassion.

May I be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in myself.

May I learn how to nourish myself with joy each day.

May I be able to live fresh, solid and free.

May I not fall into the state of indifference or be caught in the extremes of attachment or aversion.

May you be peaceful and light in your body and in your mind.

May you be safe and free from accidents.

May you be free from anger, unwholesome states of mind, fear and worries.

May you know how to look at yourself with the eyes of understanding and compassion.

May you be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in yourself.

May you learn how to nourish yourself with joy each day.

May you be able to live fresh, solid and free.

May you not fall into the state of indifference or be caught in the extremes of attachment or aversion.

(And I may help. Just as good as I can.)

May all beings be peaceful and light in their body and in their mind.

May all beings be safe and free from accidents.

May all beings be free from anger, unwholesome states of mind, fear and worries.

May all beings know how to look at themselves with the eyes of understanding and compassion.

May all beings be able to recognize and touch the seeds of joy and happiness in themselves.

May all beings learn how to nourish themselves with joy each day.

May all beings be able to live fresh, solid and free.

May all beings not fall into the state of indifference or be caught in the extremes of attachment or aversion.

ISBN: 978-1-61544-876-0

Running Time: 75-minutes