Dear all.

After a beautiful week in Cornwall and another beautiful 24hours or so in London , I was blessed with Isa, Nina and Hannah’s farewell from Peckham Rye and so to France…

Plum Village is the home of Nobel peace prize writer Thich Nhat Hanh (wikipedia), whose books, poetry, peace activism and social projects I have became fond of some years ago.

As a young monk during the War in Vietnam  he founded a social movement aimed at helping those who were affected by the violence; rebuilding villages and offering education and support where possible. Together with his supporters they kept their hearts on not taking sides and worked instead from what he would call a ‘middle way’, a place of compassion and understanding. Also in the middle action and rest, keeping the contemplative practices throughout their work.

Since these pro peace actions Thich Nhat Hanh’s work has seen him bring the mindfulness practices he learned as a young monk into the lives of many all over the world. Today he continues to promote them and a ‘middle way’, being in touch with peace in yourself and working for it in the world.

I’ve been a part of the young adults Plum Village group in London for a few years and inspired by this spent 3 months in Plum Village over Winter last on their Winter stay.

I am here again, returning as an intern for 6 months helping with their education programme, one of their works this year, the schools project – a book and website supporting teachers who wish to use mindfulness in their classrooms –

I am blessed with an invitation to be here to make recordings for the project and also to make other recordings around the village that may be used by the community in other ways.

I’m going to keep this site with posts every 10 days or so and a soundcloud with the collected music and words.

Next week Plum Village are holding a young adults week for around 400 …

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Another project I am running with Elina Kat and Cata from our London group is to send out a picture a day while I am here (180 in all) see link about to Instagram for this -click on menu above #joeinplumvillage

With my love
Joe

 

attached ‘last night i had the strangest dream’ a song by Ed Mcurdy – the song was later sung by a peace activist folk singer,  Pete Seegar and Simon and Garfunkel-

trying out the recording room here – photograph credit from an art day at Amnesty International I attended some months ago…

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