No mud, no lotus - Thich Nhat Hanh

Thay often says, 'no mud, no lotus', what does this mean? That without suffering there can be no happiness, without the grit there is nothing to create a pearl. There has to be something that wakes us out of dullness and mechanical living to be able to appreciate the present moment. It recently occurred to me that Thay talks a great deal about happiness, much more so than suffering. Whilst acknowledging suffering he doesn't dwell on it, but speaks instead of the fruits of happiness, of the wonders and joys to be found in the present moment, unadulterated by desires and fluctuating emotions.
In writing my thesis I am fortunate to be immersed in his teachings and his beautiful poetic words, they are my inspiration. Here is my interpretation of what Thay calls the wonders of life.

Hello nowness

Precious moments
frittered away by bursting bubbles
can't take them back,
can't rewrite the script,
can only take a mindful breath
that wipes clean the blackboard
of what has gone before
and presents a new moment
fresh and clean,
full of potentiality and promise.

No regrets,
no need to replay conversations,
situations
and write your part in a different way.
Let it go.
Take a mindful breath,
a mindful step into
here and now.
'Hello nowness, what do you have to offer?'
A life full of possibilities.

A script unwritten,
a blank page.
No need to rush towards
some future moment,
leap-frogging supposedly dull moments
and forging on to the next excitement.
Take one mindful breath,
one mindful step
to see what is available
'hello nowness'.

© 6 July 2012

Hello nowness audio