Tilda Moose's Typography

Thich Nhat Hanh is an enduring hero of mine. He carried the can so much further and harder than I ever will; left an incredible legacy of philosophy, poetry, study centres, social media bots spouting his wisdom, hopefully traceably correct.

Experiencing family and friends dying around him in Vietnam, dodging death several times himself, yet still finding the compassion to see the humanity in both the oppressor and oppressed – these were the conditions to compress this man's soul into a kind of diamond. Our world is unarguably so much richer for his experiences and contributions.

A particular concept that he promoted, that I love, is what he calls 'interbeing'. In this, we investigate the deep interconnection between all people, creatures, phenomena.

[He] created this practice to help people develop the insight of the interconnected nature of reality and the human experience, which could then lead to a “collective awakening”.[9]

So, by looking and seeing more deeply into ~

the interconnectedness of life, what gives rise to what, what each and every thing depends upon to be and become, . . it certainly helps to calm my chronic cancer/death anxiety that's fairly recently become unbearable. How?

No health means no wealth. Can't, and don't really want to, party on a sick body or mind! So the priority is gratitude and reverence for the incredible fact of experiencing conscious life in a human lifetime, and make the most of every remaining breath of it. Therefore, the stuff and things we amass in this lifetime ought to be of far less concern than maintaining a fit vehicle for this temporary little earth life.

Not clinging to this life, given its demonstrably temporary and changeable nature. I throw myself upon the open oceans of the universe to carry me, as they already have and likely will a little further.

Not clinging to moments, memories, nostalgic narratives; nor plans, imaginings, or speculations.

While I still have the gift of the present moment, I can practice compassion, love, gratitude, kindness, curiosity, repairs, healing. If I can bring any of these to just one other, my life won't have been a waste.