- H E A L I N G –

Recently, in social networks, in every corner of forums, even in the daily lives of young people, the word "healing" is suddenly more popular than ever, which has become a massive movement. It can be said that most people follow the "healing" movement. To put it simply, happiness is also "healing" as well as sadness is also "healing", causing people to doubt the meaning of this phrase. So, is "healing" simply a trend for people to follow, or the real need of healing for the majority?

One day, while going on social networks to update some news for the new day, I suddenly saw an image of an acquaintance accompanied by a status line full of hurt feelings, ending with the sentence "need to be healed". Suddenly startled, I thought, "Is there a problem happening in her life, or a bad thing has happened that caused her spirit to become so desperate and miserable?" With my nature of listening and willingness to share joys and sorrows with others, I did not hesitate to text and ask about the problem and encourage her to overcome it. After giving solace and explaining about the nature of suffering and the path to its cessation, as well as the principle of causal conditions, the response I received made me want to cry silently, "I'm fine. You know, healing is a hot trend these days”. Attached is a text message with two emotional words "hihi". At this moment, I suddenly understood, "Now, I am the one who needs to be healed."

From that day, I began to pay attention and often saw the word "healing" everywhere. Gradually, many people understand that this is a trend among young people, some just say it for fun, but in reality, there are many cases that need real healing. However, how many people have identified their problems, and where they need to heal, or what they need to do to truly be "healed". At this point, I remember another story about healing. During a retreat for the youth that I was assigned to be the judge by the organizing committee, at break time a little girl suddenly walked up to me and timidly asked, "Dear master, do you remember who I am?" I was silent and hesitated for a while, still not having any impression in my memory. The girl quickly asked again, "Do you remember me yet?" I said, "Ah, I remember, but I remember that I forgot!". For a moment, the girl looked slightly disappointed. But shortly after, she happily reintroduced herself. As a result, old images gradually appeared in my mind. That girl was a member of the Buddhist Family at Vien Quang Pagoda, where I participated in activities before becoming a monk. At that time, she was a little girl in Oanh Vu's class, while I was a leader in the Buddhist Family. It's been more than 10 years, so many things have changed. From a little girl who often cried when people teased her, she has become a smiling shy girl whose appearance is hard to recognize after ten years. She was happy to see me again, as if she was reunited with an older brother who had been lost after many years of separation. Because we were from the same hometown and had known each other before, she did not hesitate to confide all the joys and sorrows cherished for a long time.

Indeed, her life is not easy at all. Born and raised in an unhappy family, with her parents arguing all the time, she had to struggle with life at an early age to pursue her dreams as well as support partly for family. She said, "Whenever I have free time, I just like to go to the pagoda. When I return to the pagoda, I can listen to prayers, then serve and learn Buddhist teachings, thanks to which I can understand my parents and the people around me better, know how to sympathize and forgive easily. I can forgive others when they do things that are unpleasant to me, master!” By virtue of having a spiritual home and a solid spiritual fulcrum, the Three Jewels, she can continue to try and rise up in this life that is inherently full of troubles. 

During the entire conversation, the girl I knew never mentioned the word "healing". However, I understand that she knows how to heal herself, soothe and solve her own difficult problems. There are people who complain and suffer all year round, traveling from east to west, experiencing from south to north, looking for every way to soothe their souls and love themselves. But they go on healing over and over again. Before the mental wounds could heal, they had to repair their gradual tearing wallets with the few remaining coins, and their bodies were tired from the sun and wind of the long journey. Does suffering or happiness come from outside so people are busy running away or looking for it? Or does it come from within? Just being alert and recognizing it is enough for people to change the game, turn the situation around, and take control of their own house of consciousness. There are people who just need to go back, find their inner self, rely on the teachings of Buddha, thanks to that, long-standing mental wounds can be healed without wasting effort and money. We are free to find the most suitable ways to heal. 

However, identifying the root of the problem yourself is important. If a person has a long-term infection and only superficially uses antiseptics, how can the wound be healed? It continues to smolder and fester over time. When the right conditions are met, the wound will still be seriously ulcerated. more important than at the beginning. There is an ancient saying, "To cure a disease, you must cure it at the root". We should understand the nature of the disease, or its origin, and use effective methods to get to the root so that the disease does not recur. The root of mental illness is the mind. People who know how to return to taking care of their mind, look back at themselves, and cultivate a solid inner mind, will hardly have any external influences that will make them suffer, despair, lose direction, get depressed, or even become autistic to be healed. If this life throws us a mess of strings, we should try to persevere in untying each knot, then tie beautiful bows. Wouldn't that be better?

When I was young, I was passionately "drunk" with religion. From that passion, I cherished the wish "Seek Buddha's path from above, transform sentient beings", helping myself and others to walk on the path of happiness. Hey buddy! You are also a young person full of vitality and enthusiasm. I hope you, the future owner of the country, will also be passionate in Dharma with truly miraculous things. The mystery here is not magical powers of transformation, but the joy of being awake, living fully and meaningfully every day, every hour, every breath with beautiful thoughts, beautiful words, and beautiful actions, which brings the flowers making life more gorgeous and glorious. Someone is in a hurry! Please stop! Don't wander around chasing the hustle and bustle of the crowd. Slow down your words, so you don't have to say things that you'll regret later when you look back. Slow down a step, so you don't forget the good things behind you. Slow down a beat to look back at yourself. Slow down to see clearly what we need and what we really want.

Those who ask the question, “What is the purpose of going to the pagoda?” Once I can answer that question, I firmly believe that after each "healing trip", Gen Z will feel happy, regenerate energy, feel relaxed and become positive. On the contrary, a person comes to the pagoda just for fun, to make a lot of friends, or worse, to find "the partner", to express personality, or to change the environment to experience... without being aware of the value of practice and care of the mind. The "Healing" journey of those people will become meaningless.

Di Nhiên

Translated into English by Huynh Thi Khanh Phung