Fear of Making a Commitment (FOMAC) | Dharma Talk by Br Pháp Dung, 2018 12 31

Br Phap Dung gives the New Year’s eve talk. In his talk, he pays homage to our teacher Thich Nhat Hanh who loves festivals and celebrations and talks about the importance of commitment.
New Year is a time to look back on the old year and a time to look forward to the new year ahead. It is also a time to make or renew our commitments to ourselves and our spiritual path.
Br Phap Dung shares stories about his personal practice in relation to making commitments as well as anecdotes of the times he was an attendant to Thay. He shares how he practiced with his fear of commitment, his habit energy of deserting situations and relationships. He talks about the importance of beginning with small commitments and building internal strength and integrity by keeping them consistently. He also shares how commitment sustained him during times of depression when he found no joy in anything and no practices seemed to work.
It is important to understand ourselves and not wait for others to understand us. We have to renew our aspirations that give us purpose and meaning in life, it does not have to be something large or grand. Commitment needs to be fed and kept alive, and we have to start with little things.
He recommends that we make one hard commitment for this year, that reduces our consumption. We have to do what is possible for the environment, within our own abilities, while not judging what others do and do not do. As a society we have to reexamine the underlying beliefs of many things, such as how we have achieved our own material success, and on a broader scale, platforms such as politics and education.
You can support us by:
- donating: plumvillage.org/support
- helping to caption & translate: amara.org/en/profiles/videos/... or kzbin.info_cs_p...
Help us caption & translate this video!
amara.org/v/mym7/

[@patriciawilliams7107]

As always, I appreciate Plum Village sharing these videos. I particularly enjoy Br Phap Dung's way of talking, esp when he uses his light-heartedness, sense of humor, yet getting to the point of his teaching, and referring to stories about Thay and his own experiences. Easy to understand and relate to.😊 His voice even calms our border collie and German shepherd down! 😀 Please continue to share these teachings from Br Phap Dung. Sharing all of these videos of Thay and brothers and sisters teaching has really helped me to practice this way of life, and you are helping so many others by giving access to these videos when we can't visit Plum Village. Even the long resonance of your bell relaxes me and helps me breathe. Our dogs and I thank you!

[@angrysammo]

An hour and a half ago I was feeling defeated and worthless and now I feel inspired and reinvigorated. Thank you 🙏🏼

[@snehduggal5235]

Enjoy Bro's talks so much as they are so human and also humorous.🌻

[@soulful2393]

🙏Thank you for the honesty you've shared about your path...the ups and downs...even feeling disillusioned and keeping up the "crawling"...putting one foot in front of the other. You inspire with your stories and helps with my commitment to this Way Of Life. My acupuncturist shares that since coming to him he's noticed I've grabbed more of a zest for life. Breathing...meditating...listening to all of the monks and nuns and our Teacher's Dharma talks are the things that have taught me about mindfulness, concentration and insight. With gratitude I bow to all of you for the making of this Worldwide Sangha.🙏

[@fikita09]

I feel like if Pháp Dung was my friend, even though I don't know him personally. Thank you for sharing so much with us.

[@HelenasUkulele]

Thank you Br Phap Dung for sharing about your own seeds of abandoning and their roots. Your commitment to the practice - awareness when was “talking the talk” but not “walking the walk”. At a time when you couldn’t uphold an idea you had about yourself, which led to a depressive episode and you committed to going for a run, touch the Earth and then going morning meditation everyday which supported you. The little things matter, they are the foundation on which everything else lies. A lotus for you

[@looping.dude1009]

This is one of the most brilliant Dharma Talks I have heard on my smartphone Thank you bros

[@tinaoldenskov]

Merci pour Votre authenticité 💜

[@mariona.5261]

The sequence this senior brother invites laypeople to come and help make Plum Village more sustainable and environmentally friendly sends shivers down my spine. I have never heard anyone say this before. What a powerful stance of humility, pragmatism and openness. I am so moved. Thank you so very much, Br.Pháp Dung, for this powerful gesture. The connection he makes between mindfulness practices and the commitment to specific gestures towards reducing our ecological footprint is very inspiring, as well. PV truly is our future for all species. In 2019 I am joyfully committing to reducing my consumption drastically and to only eat healthy plant-based foods.

[@swadenashville]

Thank you for your honesty.

[@northofyou33]

I have spent my entire life ready and willing to abandon ship. And I have done it many times. This is a great talk for taking stock of my approach to living and being.

[@LeaLittleDanishGirl]

41:18 Love the authenticity of this brother! I think this is training mentalisation between "self" and others too... 🙏 52:27 This is a good safe guard against spiritual bypassing... 🤎 This is what spiritual communities really need sometimes... 🙏 That balance... .....

[@charlene6384]

Wow, this talk is exactly what I needed to hear 🙏. I can relate so much to the abandoning and the fear of commitment and the suffering inside. Thank you for sharing so deeply ❤ 🙏.

[@Dylan20]

This was a very powerful and moving dharma talk. Thank you for sharing such deep experiences. Making small commitments - that's where it's at! 🙏

[@winniethuo9736]

Every journey start with a single step. 🙏

[@thuydang852]

Thank you so much for your teaching with this "difficult" practice: TO COMMIT 🙂💐🙏

[@cindyau-thach762]

Thank you brother Phap Dung for your sharing. In a time like this during the pandemic, I deeply feel the challenge you shared about . Your encouragement of sticking to the path and not abandoning and your experience lift that thousands pounds rock from my heart. Your honestly and vulnerability are such a gift for me this morning. A lotus to you! ❤️

[@markhogan77]

Thank you sooo much br Phap Dung - I absolutely love how you share with such honesty and pure integrity and humanity - very very touching and next level - thank you soo much br Phap Dung 🙏🙏🙏

[@alisonhilaryco1898]

What a great talk. So rich and full. Thank you so much. 😊

[@javasroe6541]

Boyan Slat - This guy is a hero, cleaning up the entire ocean is not something simple ;) and he does it

[@traceyseymour2652]

Thank you for your honesty about your path. Its easy to think other people have everything worked out. You are a huge inspiration

[@casamilagro7137]

thank you for the great inspiration! deep bow

[@sharonlujan9497]

Thanks for the invite!!!

[@bernadettemelsen7981]

Dear brother Paph Ding, listening to you drives me to tears. With a lot of respect for you, I continue my day with gratitude for you giving life-examples🙏🍀🐳

[@Peace4All09]

I enjoy the laughs, humor is the highest sense so people learn with ease when understandings are given in smiles. I understand what You said about "commitment", even though you felt that they were only of value to you, the listener can understand that these tasks you practiced were "cultivating essence" or as You would say, practicing Mindfulness. Good examples because the little things can make the biggest impact. "Yes i can do it" maybe not every time but i can do it... hehehe, i really like that authenticity Br Pháp Dung, perfection is a continuum & not a station, i haven't met a perfect human Soul yet but some Soul's have come close & that is okay, whilst on Earth, practice is ongoing. I am at 35.50 on this video talk but here in Australia it is late & i am committed to getting up at 3.30 am for Meditation so i will save this talk & come back to listen more. Thank You, i really enjoy listening to your Heart Songs. Om Shanti 😊🙏

[@MGCaverly]

Thank you for your honesty, brother

[@Me-yf9lt]

God bless you Dung. Fantastic video.

[@peggypate1983]

Thank you so very much for your honesty and generosity in sharing, Br. Phap Dung. Your sharing brought Thay to me this morning and the profound way he taught. I love you, and send gratitude to you and all of the brothers and sisters of Plum Village. My living is being transformed by your loving.

[@ConexionHumanaOficial]

Thank you so much Br, Phap Dung. As always I love to learn from your great wisdom. You have helped me a lot. Evangelina Cortes.

[@hannahphu4208]

Thank you very much for the complete Dharma talk and the bell at the end. I really involve with the retreat!

[@ConexionHumanaOficial]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Br, Phap Dung this Dharma talk representa great gift to me. Evangelina Cortes.

[@s.terris9537]

Thank you Br. Phap Dung for sharing your stories about your younger years and the difference between desert and dessert. Since your teaching now is very encouraging to me, I am inspired by the impermanence of an immature practice. Happy New Year and keep teaching.

[@lynngallerno6547]

Thank you

[@j.t.vandenberg9166]

For Br Phap Dung , The Dutch ocean clean up guy is called Boyan Slat

[@thyeslaluz3312]

Thank youu

[@TheCatchProductions]

Phap Dung! I have a story I would like to share with you one day, if I return to plum village I will be happy to share it with you 🙏🏾 thanks for being you 👍🏾🌖

[@nongyaosimon3027]

สาธุๆๆๆ

[@stephiedrown795]

❤

[@stephiedrown795]

Thank you so so much.🥰❤

[@angelabruin3500]

Thank you