More from our dharma talk with Thich Nhat Hanh on Oct. 10:

Everyone must have a deep desire in order to survive, and it should be a wholesome desire, in order not to suffer later on. If we do not have a fire inside of us–a desire that is deep enough– we cannot succeed. We need that desire to transform suffering and fear inside so that we can be a happy person and in turn, transform a society full of violence, hate and despair.

What is your deepest desire? Thich Nhat Hanh says we each need to look deep to identify this. His was to be a monk, and that fire in his heart has driven his every step. MLK Junior had that kind of deep desire, that fire in his heart. Thich Nhat Hanh was a personal friend to him.

I am still looking deep.

He also stresses that to nurture the soil that will help us grow our deepest desire, we need a sangha – our beloved community, our kula– surrounding us. This group is made up of individuals who have that strong desire, that fire. With a sangha, you are buoyed on by the collective energy of mindfulness. It is not a matter of faith, he says, it is a matter of practice.

I search deep by taking a yoga class, surrounding myself with the beloved community at Easton Yoga. Since leaving the dharma talk I woke up and have made a point to get there at least once a week. There is a noticeable difference in my life when I surround myself with the beloved community and collective energy of mindfulness. I find that I walk with ease, I speak kinder words, I am emptied of negativity and full of clarity. Clarity helps me connect with my deepest desire.

The power of the beloved community cannot be overestimated. Thich Nhat Hanh also spoke of President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize. He believes that the President was bestowed this honor to help him maintain his fire, his deepest desire. And, he went on to say that Obama needs a very strong sangha surrounding him. We need to surround the President with wholesome energy to negate the energy of the military/industrial complex, which is “very strong and does not generate peace and understanding.”

He goes so far as saying that WE are responsible for President Obama’s success.