As many of you know, Thay had a practice of writing love letters to cultivate love, peace, and reconciliation with those around him instead of fear, anger, or blame. He taught us how to write love letters to loved ones (living or deceased), the fathers and mothers within us, mother earth, and even our political leaders in times of shock, turmoil and fear. Writing love letters can be a powerful way to show compassion, understanding, and a vision for harmony and peace in the world.
If you feel inspired by this practice, please write a love letter to Deer Park to share with the sangha so everyone might be nourished by your experience. You might write about:
- What Deer Park means to you
- How it has nourished and enriched you
- Your first visit to Deer Park
- What you are grateful for
- Any aspirations you have to water the seeds Deer Park monastics have planted in you
Your letter can be in prose or poetry format. It should be 500 words or less. You can email it to loveletters@deerparkmonastery.org. Please include your name and Dharma name if you have one.
We look forward to reading your letters!
“A real love letter is made of insight, understanding, and compassion. A true love letter can produce a transformation in those who read it, and therefore in the world. But before it produces a transformation in the other person, it has to produce a transformation within us.
—Your True Home: The Everyday Wisdom of Thich Nhat Hanh
Resources:
Love Letter | Dharma Talk by Thich Nhat Hanh at Israeli Palestinian Retreat 10/22/2003
Love Letter to The Earth | Book by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Art of Communicating | Book by Thich Nhat Hanh (page 49)
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