Great Stories: Plum Village
Great Stories is a series that features positive stories.
This week I want to share a video from the Plum Village monastery that focuses on storytelling and the importance of being mindful of the stories we tell. This video touched me deeply.
PLUM VILLAGE YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Over the winter holiday, I found and watched many videos from Plum Village, the monastery founded by Vietnamese monk, Thich Nhat Hanh.
Many talks moved me but the one I want to share here speaks directly about storytelling and the way our perceptions and experiences impact the listener.
THE NEW YEAR EVE TALK OF 2016 BY BROTHER PHÁP DUNG.
In this talk Brother Pháp Dung reflects on the need to tell stories in a way that can open hearts and lead to acceptance. This perspective based on an understanding that “Nobody wants to make another person suffer. It’s only because they suffer that they cause others to suffer.” [43:50]
Rather than paraphrasing his words, I’ll share quotes from his talk and encourage you to watch the video. He shares many other insights and by watching, you can better enjoy Brother Dung’s compassion and sense of humor.
EXCEPTS
“Those of you who are in media, please tell a different story. Stop watering the seed of discrimination, hatred, other, us. You can write what happened but write in a way that waters the seed of understanding, of compassion in people. Yes, there was terror, there was injustice, but write that in a way that could open up and try to bring people together. Encourage them to look more deeply. To listen more deeply. The news now is quite toxic so we need to be very careful when we open our internet.” [45:25]
“We look at our textbooks, history books. It’s all about war, about competition and this group. We need to revisit, we need to retell and teach different things. Our relationship to mother earth, to different cultures. We need to celebrate. We need to tell a different story about our nation. Let’s get rid of it. I know it helps to have things organized. But because we tell ourselves we are from here, this nation, we’re causing a lot of suffering. So this is something for the new year and for a time to come. If you’re in a position of affecting other people. Tell a different story.” [47:02]
Brother Dung says, “Don’t add to the fear. We need to become a different kind of storyteller, for ourselves and for those we come in contact with.”
How do we listen more? How do we participate in conversations with the purpose of understanding? And how do we share stories from a point of curiosity and compassion rather than judgement?
MORE VIDEOS FROM PLUM VILLAGE
Plum Village has been uploading videos since 2012 so there are many to enjoy. If you liked this talk, I’d recommend starting with talks from their Wake Up Earth series.
#greatstories #changingthenarrative