HALLIE EPHRON: It’s always a lovely surprise and a pleasure to hear from one of our regular commenters (who feels like part of our family) is having a piece of their writing published. Today, it’s HATS OFF to Coralee Hicks, one of the “mindfulness practitioners” who contributed to an anthology coming on Amazon October 10, 2023: Tears Become Rain: Stories of Transformation and Healing Inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen master who passed away a year and a half ago.
The essays explore themes of coming home to ourselves, healing from grief and loss, facing fear, and building community and belonging. Coralee is one of 32 “mindfulness practitioners” who write about their encounter with the teachings of Zen master. I asked Coralee to share with us how her chapter (“Becoming alive: Finding a sensible way to live with food") came to be.
CORALEE HICKS: In 2014, I found a community of meditators nearby, and visited. I was hesitant, but did feel welcomed. When I told them of my disability, they made an effort on my behalf, providing an assisted hearing device. (In the photo below, Coralee is in the red shirt.)
It was a few months before I asked what tradition they followed. To my surprise, they told me: “We follow the teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hahn”.
“Oh, not me, I thought. I could never understand Zen. Truth be told, I could never understand any Buddhist text.
This was frustrating for me. I grew up with Buddhists, and was very involved with Tibetan Buddhism when I was a teenager. However I did know of Thich Nhat Hahn. The poet, the activist, the scientist, the bodhisattva.
I began to settle down and listen.
I was amazed with the kindness, and strength of purpose I found in this group of people. One of the first things that convinced me of their sincerity, was being advised that I did not have to give up my core religion in order to become a member of this community.
I was lonely, adrift, and nothing was working. Maybe I could renew myself here. I discovered why Thich Nhat Hanh was so loved.
Often called Thay, Vietnamese for ‘teacher’, he saw that Buddhism needed to become more in touch with lay people. Monks chanting in refuge, no longer could solve problems of today. While in Viet Nam, and continuing in exile, he began to develop the principles of Socially Engaged Buddhism.
However, Thich Nhat Hahn is best known for his teachings on the practice of living in the present moment.
For me, his modification of the Bodhisattva precepts in the Mahayana tradition, which led to the development of the 14 Mindfulness Trainings was a revelation. Reading them I knew that this was the way I wanted to live.
Four years after Thay’s catastrophic stroke, a group from the Washington DC Sangha proposed to create a book as a fundraiser for Thay. Notices were sent to all monasteries and Saghas requesting submissions.
Hearing Hallie’s words of encouragement, I thought why not? I submitted a piece.
The journey from idea to book took 5 years. There were many editorial changes over this time. My chapter heading changed several times, and now is listed as “What is eating me”. My piece is found in the final section: Being Here Now: the Wonders of the Present Moment.
We came from all over the world to write and celebrate Thay. All of the proceeds from the book's purchase will go to The Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. I am deeply honored to be included in this endeavor. I owe so much to my friends on Jungle Red Writers. Without your support I would not have my very own ISBN.
I bow to you in deep gratitude.
HALLIE: Oh, Coralee, we bow back to you!!
I am so delighted to have been one of the voices encouraging you! Yes, the book can be pre-ordered. Congratulations, Coralee! And congratulations to the other writers who contributed to the anthology who were fortunate enough to be touched by Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh.
