The feeling that you’re fragile, vulnerable, unable to defend yourself, the feeling that you always need someone to be with you, is always there. That original fear—and its other face, original desire—is always there. The infant, with his fear and his desire, is always alive in us.

Modeling calm in the face of fear,

Our ancestors suffered from hunger and other dangers, and there were moments when they were extremely anxious.

When you are carried away by anxiety and fear, you are like a queen or king deposed. The practice here is to regain your sovereignty.

That kind of fear has been transmitted to us; every one of us has that fear inside.

That child is afraid to come out to the present moment, and so your mindfulness, your breath, can help this child to realize that she is safe and can be free.

We need to have a nonviolent attitude toward our suffering, our pain, our fear.

Because it’s so easy to be caught in the past, it’s helpful to have a reminder to stay in the present. In Plum Village, we use a bell. When we hear the bell, we practice breathing in and out mindfully, and we say, “I listen to the bell. This wonderful sound brings me back to my true home.” My true home is in the here and now. The past is not my tru

We don’t need to drink some wine or host a dinner party to celebrate life; we can celebrate in every moment with our breathing and our steps.