Zen and the art of green
Plum village in the Dordogne region of France is not your average eco-community, as all the inhabitants belong to a monastic order, The Order of Interbeing. The community was founded by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen master who’s followers are growing in numbers as people increasingly identify with the environmental principles of his doctrines. The system encourages followers to consume not only food and goods with awareness but media and culture as consumption of harmful media can lead to harm for the individual and the planet.
In The World We Have, Thich Nhat Hanh’s book he writes: “The situation the Earth is in today has been created by unmindful production and unmindful consumption. We consume to forget our worries and our anxieties. Tranquilising ourselves with over-consumption is not the way.”
The 84 year old Zen master is among the most influential Buddhist leaders, who’s admirers include The Prince of Wales, Oprah Winfrey and the Dalai Lama. His book on ecology, The World We Have, is a best-seller and tomorrow he is making a rare visit to the UK to give a talk at London’s Hammersmith Apollo.
Rooted in Buddhist tradition, the system of behaviour teaches respect and compassion for the environment through a code of practice called the five mindfulness trainings. Devotees are encouraged to adopt and practice these in everyday life, by introducing meditative periods into their day and by eating in silence to contemplate the origin and ethics of their food. The key message of the teachings is simple – consume with compassion.
The Interbeing way of life is a simple one, and it is this that has struck a chord with many new followers, and numbers continue to grow. From 100 monastic members in France and America a few years ago, there are now 600 members and centres in Germany, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong.
After his London appearance he will hold a week-long retreat in the Midlands, where 500 people, including children and families, will be able to experience his blend of environmental spiritualism.
He says: “We all have to reconsider our values in society and live a simpler life. We have to reconsider our version of happiness.
“People are getting busier and busier. We are like fishes living in a place where water is lacking. We don’t feel comfortable, we don’t have space, we lack time. We may have more money than in the past but we have less space and less happiness and less love. So we should have a revolution which must start with a collective awakening. We have to stop and look for another direction.”
