This is the third in a series of videos with Sr. Dang Nghiem. Previous videos included Befriend your Strong Emotions and To the Root of Addictions.
More and more people suffer from depression, to such an extent that suicide appears to be the only way out for them: out of their suffering. Suicide, we know, is a sensitive topic, so sensitive that people tend not to talk about it. And that seems to be part of the problem.
Plum Village monastic Sister Dang Nghiem doesn’t shy away from difficult topics. In this very personal and touching sharing, full of lived experiences, wisdom, tears, practical suggestions and a profound song at the end, Sister Dang Nghiem opens her heart about the choice to end life, inter-being and the deep wish to transform.
I made the commitment to transform my sadness and despair, my suffering, so that I can transmit healing, transformation, peace and acceptance
Sr. Dang Nghiem
Our videographer, Wouter Verhoeven, recommends this video to anybody who has thoughts about suicide (regularly), to their family members and friends, to those who have lost a loved one by suicide, and to those of us who want to have a deeper understanding of life.
4 responses to “Let’s talk about Suicide – with Sister Dang Nghiem”
Thank you dear Sister! I was so grateful looking at the trees and leaves as I heard your beautiful talk.
So much love and genuiness in a very dark subject.
I am so grateful to Google for enabling me to discover Sister Dang Nghiem. I say this as a father of a son who died mysteriously by suicide when he was 19 years old. And I say this as a grandfather of two little girls in Vietnam who,Mai Chi 9 and Thao Chi 4, like Sister Dang, were baby daughters of a young Vietnamese girl and a foreigner (my son, who did not run away like Sister Dang’s father but married the girl and stayed in Vietnam to fulfill his responsibilities as a father. I have now only listened to a little of Sister Dang on the internet, but now, in Hanoi, I want to go to a bookshop and see if I can find her book, in English and Vietnamese, as I think the art of mindfulness may be most helpful to me as I face old age and helpful to my children and grandchildren as they deal with suffering, intrusive negative thoughts and broken dreams in their lives. Thank you Sister Deng for helping many with the story of your life transforming tragedy and suffering into peace and understanding
Beloved Sister D. Thank you for your honesty and courage to speak about your negative thoughts and habits that you have been able to transform. I have adopted your healing mantras “Its okay.” “I’m here.” and “I love you.” to say to myself when I am suffering. I am learning how to be a soul mate to myself. I am learning how to smile and hold my hands open, my palms open. I have been abused and betrayed by my husband who has taken my three daughters to live in another country. My youngest daughter is thirteen. I have experienced this great loss recently. Your teaching, your dream of lying beside your mother and your song brought a light and a gift to me in this very dark place and time. I bow to you.