The Monks and Me
How 40 Days at Thich Nhat Hanh's French Monastery Guided Me Home
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- $17.99
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
"Death can be a destabilizing force. And when it touches you closely, you must somehow discover a way to find and rebuild your secure home," popular yoga instructor Mary Paterson writes. With the death of her father, she felt as if she had no place to stand. She had lost her home.
Paterson's response to this life crisis, was to embark on a pilgrimage to Plum Village, the retreat of Nobel Prize-nominated Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. This wonderfully frank and funny chronicle of her 40-day sojourn offers readers the 40 Buddhist precepts that she learned. The primary theme is the necessity of discovering how to "take refuge" or find a permanent home within ourselves--without taking oneself too seriously.
With chapters such as The Lesson in a Bad Fish, The Man Who Nicked My Headphones, How a Monk Washes His Face, and How Not to Be Sneaky, this lyrical, wise, and witty personal journey book is inspirational and a joy to read. Paterson's sensibility is grounded, realistic, and engaging.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Trying to find "home" as embodied in the Buddhist idea of taking refuge, Paterson seeks guidance from Vietnamese Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh at his monastery in rural France. Her 40-day retreat provides a variety of learning experiences for the Canadian yoga teacher as she seeks peace after her father's difficult death. She attends inspiring dharma (teaching) talks by Nhat Hanh, does chores, takes walks with the nuns and fellow pilgrims, and copes with difficult individuals. Seeking out her fellow guests, Paterson discovers that many, like her, are in search of healing from a painful past. Each chapter, based on topics such as patience, clarity, and nonself, is well illustrated by detailed anecdotes, discussions of Nhat Hanh's teachings, and the author's own insights. She is particularly affected by the master's emphasis on interdependence. She draws inspiration from Buddhism to find strength, without adhering to that religion's practice of taking refuge in the Buddha, the dharma, and the sangha (community). While the writing is sometimes overly fulsome, Paterson's ability to illustrate abstract Buddhist principles with concrete stories from a famous community is engaging.