Zen Mindfulness, Zen Monkhood, and the Plum Village Retreat

People often ask me what I’d be if I wasn’t a psychiatrist.  Unabashedly, I tell them that I’d probably be a Zen monk. 

There’s something about Zen monkhood that draws me, and that “something” is this: It’s the call to live life fully and mindfully in the present moment. It's the call to surrender and lose oneself in the here and now.

 

At this point in my life, with all the worldly attachments that I still choose to cling on to, becoming a Zen monk has become mere aspiration. 

Once in a while though, opportunities come which allow me to temporarily live out that dream. One such opportunity was the 4-day Mindfulness Retreat entitled “Breathe, Smile, Now.”

This retreat was conducted by the monks and nuns of Plum Village, Hongkong. The original Plum Village is a Zen community in France, established by the peace advocate and Zen Master Thich Naht Hahn.

 

 Zen Master Thich Naht Hahn

Held in Tagaytay, this 4-day Mindfulness Retreat was a refreshing respite from the frenetic, chaotic hustle and bustle of my daily life.  

 

Head Facilitator Brother Thich Phap Kham

  
In this retreat, we did sitting meditation, walking meditation, and the mindful eating of vegetarian food.  It was through these activities that we kept our body and mind still.  

After undergoing the 4-day retreat, this is what I've experienced  Zen to be:  Zen is the silent stillness which you can come home to, and in that stillness, you can just breathe and simply be.

 
I hope Brother Thich Phap Kham didn't freak out searching for his 'non la' (Vietnamese headgear). I just had to seize the chance to feel like an authentic Zen monk- if not for a lifetime, at least for a selfie!  Next retreat? It'll be a selfie wearing his brown monastic robe!

Plum Village Philippines warmly invites you to join us for a Day of Mindfulness at the Titus Brandsma Center in Quezon City, starting February 2015.

We offer you relaxed Sundays of sitting and walking meditation, mindful picnics, chi-gong exercises, sharing with the community of mindfulness practitioners in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and Plum Village in the Philippines, organized by the Boat of Compassion Sangha in partnership with the Institute of Spirituality in Asia.

DAYS OF MINDFULNESS 2015
Open Group Practice Dates:

• February 1
• March 1
• March 29
• April 26
• May 31
• June 28
• July 26
• August 30
• September 27
• October 25
• November 29

The Days of Mindfulness are Sundays, 9AM-3PM.


Venue: Titus Brandsma Center, 24 Acacia St., New Manila, Quezon City, Philippines


Contact: Chelsi Angeles at 0927-7831993 (for directions to venue, or inquiries about our events)

PLEASE BRING:

• Vegetarian food for potluck/picnic lunch: sandwiches, pies, and fruits 
• Yoga/picnic mat
• Meditation cushion
• Water bottle, and/or non-alcoholic drinks
• Towel or malong
• Loose or comfortable clothing

*Please do not bring in firearms/weapons, alcoholic drinks, and illegal substances. Smoking is not allowed during the events.

To know more about the Plum Village mindfulness practice: http://plumvillage.org/mindfulness-practice

To know more about our root teacher, Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh: http://plumvillage.org/about/thich-nhat-hanh
 

The Randy Dellosa Training Workshops 2015

February 28, 2015:
Mindfulness Workshop

Like a monkey restlessly jumping from one branch to another, our “monkey minds” frenetically jump from one worry to another, one distraction to another, one concern to another. This 1-day mindfulness workshop is an invitation to engage in activities to help you slow down, be mindful, be aware, and be present in your body. In this rat race and dog-eat-dog world that we live in, mindfulness is key to living a calm and peaceful life, in the here and now! 

March 7-8, 2015: 
Touch Psychotherapy: A Body-Mind Therapy for Facilitating Self-Awareness and Emotional Healing in Others

Developed by Randy Dellosa, Touch Psychotherapy is a body-mind approach for facilitating self-awareness and emotional healing in your clients. A basic tenet in Touch Psychotherapy is that negative emotions and hurtful memories can be “trapped” in the cells, tissues, and organs of your body and must be released, otherwise, they can cause physical and psychological problems. This 2-day training program will introduce you to the scientific, artful, and ethical use of physical touch for psychotherapeutic purposes. 

April 18-19, 2015: 
Personality Development for Teens and Young Adults

The teenage and young adult years are an exciting period for answering the questions, “Who am I?” “What values and virtues do I choose to stand on?” “What direction in life do I want to take?” In this 2-day workshop, the participants have fun as they engage in art therapy, drama therapy, creative writing, and other activities to help them discover their authentic selves. 

May 9-10, 16-17, 23-24, 2015: 
Gestalt Life Coaching/ Gestalt Therapy Supervision

In this 3-weekend module, participants are given a chance to demonstrate and sharpen the attitudes and skills necessary  for being a Gestalt Life Coach / Therapist. Pre-requisite for this module is the Gestalt Skills-Building Module. 

June 6-7, 2015: 
Personality Development for Teens and Young Adults

The teenage and young adult years are an exciting period for answering the questions, “Who am I?” “What values and virtues do I choose to stand on?” “What direction in life do I want to take?” In this 2-day workshop, the participants have fun as they engage in art therapy, drama therapy, creative writing, and other activities to help them discover their authentic selves. 

June 20, 2015: 
Filipino Healing Festival

This one-day event showcases various indigenous healing methods of our Filipino forebears. Through the seminar-workshops, exhibits, and bazaars, not only will you appreciate the richness of the indigenous Filipino healing traditions but you’ll have some take-home healing skills as well. 

July 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26, 2015: 
Life Coach Certification Program

Help people overcome their blocks in life. Assist them in attaining their life goals. Help people become the best persons they can be! In this 4-weekend program, you will learn the Filipino approach to life coaching. Embark on a new career as a Life Coach certified by the Philippine Society of Life Coaches!

September 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 2015: 
Ericksonian Hypnotherapy Training Program

Milton Erickson is known as the “father of modern-day hypnotherapy” and has been hailed as “the greatest psychotherapist who ever lived.” In fact, Milton Erickson’s work influenced the development of 4 modern pychotherapeutic approaches, namely, (1) brief therapy, (2) strategic family therapy, (3) solution-focused therapy, and (4) neuro-linguistic programming. In this 3-weekend workshop, learn how to communicate with your client’s subconscious mind through the principles of Ericksonian hypnotherapy. 

October 17, 2015: 
Dream Analysis Training Workshop: Decoding the Hidden Messages of your Dreams

Be a Dream Analyst! Dreams are the language by which your subconscious mind speaks to you. Befriend your subconscious mind and learn of its inner wisdom. In this training workshop, you will learn various methods to decipher the meaning of your dreams and the dreams of your clients.

November 14-15, 21-22, 28-29, 2015: 
Gestalt Life Coach / Gestalt Therapist Certification Program Module ¼

Gestalt Therapy is the most wholistic, most creative, most person-centered, and most growth-oriented of all traditional psychotherapy approaches. This 3-weekend module is a highly-experiential and highly-interactive introduction to the philosophy, foundational principles, and key concepts of modern Gestalt Therapy. Why be a mediocre life coach, counselor, or psychotherapist when you can level up and join the elite society of certified Gestalt Life Coaches and Gestalt Therapists in the Philippines!