Spirit guide
Rousing Notes
“To dwell happily in the present moment,” was a common phrase of the Buddha. Often he advised, “Do not lose yourselves in the past, do not run after the future. The past no longer is, the future has not yet come”. Once, when organising a retreat in Plum village, we had some problems. I saw Thay in the garden and told him. Rather than tell me directly what I should do he led me to a small magnolia tree and asked if I had enjoyed the fragrance of its flowers. There are many wonderful things to enjoy, and we concentrate on what is not going well. Sometimes Thay walks through the kitchen where his disciples are preparing a meal, and he asks someone, “What are you doing, my child?” Thay can see very well that he is washing lettuce or cutting green beans. The aim is to awaken the disciple to the present moment. The answer might be: “Thank you for bringing me back to my true self,” or a smile of recognition that we are not in the present moment.
—Thich Nhat Hanh, Essential Writings
