Here's a letter from Alex Parmalee from Honey Locust Sangha in Omaha. He has attended a few days of mindfulness in Kansas City. Please enjoy his letter, written May 15, 2006, shortly after settling into Plum Village.
Dear Ones,
Like so many that have come before me I have found that every effort that was required for making the move to Plum Village has been validated by the experience of being here. Living with a large community of people from all over the world, practicing mindfulness and meditation, is transforming everything I know.
At first I was surprised how poor and under-developed the location actually is. Over 20 years of living here very little has been done to modernize or improve the land or the buildings. However, it sends a strong message that maybe just being happy is a better way. Everything is kept very humble which exagerates the beauty of the human beings there. It is a beautiful scene to observe a monk in a tattered robe and sitting on a torn cushion smiling into the setting sun.
I was late for a meeting, walking slowly and mindfully, I asked a monk if he knew where I was supposed to be, he just smiled and said "enjoy". I never found the meeting...
I met an Irishman who said he was a roman catholic priest and wondered if I could believe that! I asked if he had ever been to Plum Village before and he replied that "I" (emphasized) have never been here before.
The kitchen is full of pots that were originally brought from Viet Nam. The monastery has many very wealthy benefactors and could afford new ones. But these work just fine.
We were watching a DVD of buddhist psychology and the machine quit working. Rather than make any attempts to fix it, we took time to bow and then went out to look at the flowers. There were about 300 of us.
Thank you my friends for making my life possible today and for making me beautiful in every way.
Enjoy
alex
P.S. I took the parts from some bicycles that have been left here and made one that works (kind of). So I am now able to ride to a nearby town on Monday's where there is a small internet cafe. I wish that I could send pictures and elaborate more on the experience here but I haven't the time. Please write if you like and I will respond as soon as I am able. I think of you every day and I hope you know that a part of you is here at Plum Village, that I will bring back everything I learn and the changes that are made, and that in truth...Plum Village is everywhere.
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