Contemplative Monday

The following is Thich Nhat Hanh's response to the question: What can we do to help someone in a difficult situation without getting overwhelmed?

    "When you feel overwhelmed, you're trying too hard. That kind of energy does not help

  the other person and it does not help you. You should not be too eager to help right away.

        There are two things: to be and to do. Don't think too much about to do-----to be is first.

                  To be peace. To be joy. To be happiness. And then to do joy, to do happiness-----

            on the basis of being. So first you have to focus on the practice of being. Being fresh.

                      Being peaceful. Being attentive. Being generous. Being compassionate.

         This is the basic practice. It's like as if the other person is sitting at the foot of a tree.

   The tree does not do anything, but the tree is fresh and alive. When you are like that tree,

sending out waves of freshness, you help to calm down the suffering in the other person.

          Your presence should be pleasant, it should be calm, and you should be there for him 

             or her. That is a lot already.When children like to come and sit close to you, it's not 

            because you have a lot of cookies to give, but because sitting close to you is nice,

 it's refreshing. So sit next to the person who is suffering and try your best to be your best---

    Beach grass in winter.

pleasant, attentive and fresh." 


Taken from an interview by Andrea Miller in the January 2012 edition of the 'Shambhala Sun' magazine.