Within the last few days, Master Thich Nhat Hanh was hospitalized with a brain hemorrhage. Thay, as he is called among his adherents and students, is currently in observed condition but is said to be making a speedy recovery. Before anything else, the energies and hopes of The Retreat go out to him for a full recovery and many more years of peace and love.
This brings up something that I believe needs to be mentioned, that being the impermanence of life. Whatever your belief system, the truth of the matter is that life is impermanent. We have a measured number of days on the plant to live, laugh, learn, and love. Filling those days with hate is a waste of a lifetime. Anger, love, joy, sadness…all of these are normal emotions that define us. We feel sad at loss, love to those who enter our hearts and even anger at pain or emotional turmoil. Hate though is not a feeling, it is a state of mind that is grown. Whether it is grown out of rage or fear or ignorance, it is possible to stop its growth. It can be ripped out by the roots or trimmed and trimmed until it no longer fills the same mental landscape as before.
Many times we ask for good energies or prayers for loved ones, friends, family and those we feel for. During the last few weeks I have had several conversations both live and online about religion, spirituality, faith and belief. With this in mind, I ask in honor of not only Thay but yourselves that you look at your own gardens and landscapes, find those areas where hate grows, even small among the cracks and do a little gardening. Leave the world a better place.
Namaste.
Xiong Nai Xin Retreat 
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