November 20, 2025:
Nourishment & Healing; Experiencing & Embracing Our Feelings
The Path of Emancipation, Parallax, 2000
Chapter 5 - Experiencing our Body - Pages 67 - 80
Chapter 6 - Embracing our Feelings - Pages 81 - 91

Verse 5:
Breathing in, I experience joy.

Breathing out, I experience joy.

Verse 6:
Breathing in, I experience happiness (bliss).

Breathing out, I experience happiness (bliss).

Verse 7:
Breathing in, I’m aware of my feelings (mental formations).

Breathing out, I’m aware of my feelings (mental formations).

Verse 8:
Breathing in, I calm my feelings (mental formations).

Breathing out, I calm my feelings (mental formations).

Our practice sessions are open to anyone who would like to participate; there is no requirement to have attended prior sessions. 

Practice Exercises for November

1. Continue to use a bell of mindfulness (from the Plum Village app or your own timer) throughout the day. When you hear the bell, stop and return to your breathing. Notice what is going your body, what you are doing, and how you are doing it, without judgement. Use your conscious breathing to relax and return to the present moment, letting go of nonstop thinking or patterns of tension.

2. Thay encourages us to practice awareness of each movement of the body. Choose a short period of time during the day to practice mindful breathing and bringing all of your attention to the movements of your body. This could be while you perform a simple task, or just a time frame during which you can pay close attention to every movement. Notice how this feels in your body, and if this practice helps you become more aware of your activity during other periods of the day. (See pgs. 41-42 in The Path of Emancipation for more info.)

3. We learn this month that happiness can come from "leaving something behind," or "releasing our cows." Spend some time in quiet meditation, then reflect on what you believe you need to be happy. Make a list of those things, then look deeply at each item and ask, "Is this necessary for my happiness, or is it an obstacle to my happiness?" Without judgement, take note of what arises when you ask this question.

4. Thay tells us that conditions for our happiness are everywhere in us and around us, but because we aren't mindful, we don't recognize them. Start a gratitude journal to use during your meditation time or at the end of the day, and list the things that have contributed to your happiness in the past 24 hours.

5. Practice cultivating happiness and gratitude by beginning your day with the gatha for waking up: "Waking up this morning, I smile; 24 brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment, and to look at all beings with the eyes of compassion."

Enjoy, dear friends! 🙏

Optional Recommended Resources

• Video and Song below