Sharing: I want to talk about the Happy Mind hall. That place is for the mental patients. In the last few months, you’re not here, the international volunteer started to watch their conditions of life there, the conditions were very bad. People who are locked there for 24 hours a day and they never get to see the sunshine, they never get to breathe fresh air. I get 100% confirmation from the doctor that none of them are dangerous. We are trying to talk to the most important people in Tharbawa about this condition of life because all human beings, no matter if they suffer from mental disease, deserve to see the sunshine and fresh air, not to be locked 24 hours a day in a room. It is really simple to unlock the main gate and let them stay in the yard but the people in charge and holding the key don’t want to do that. I understand that it’s really hard to find local volunteers but still I think the situation needs to be solved!

“Here in this country, most of the people used to do like this. No freedom, only for the safety of the patients. Here they are taking care of them too much… Even myself, I was well-known so many people are taking care of me. I’m not free. But they can’t see from my side. They donate nutritious food or medicine… If I take this, they will donate a lot. I can’t endure, even the tonic, vitamin. So I have to share with other patients. Most people are like this. That is the nature of people here. No balance. If they like, they will take care very much. If they don’t like it, they will ignore it. It’s difficult to change their habits. I also have to deal with this problem, but I’m able to change some of their habits but it needs time. I have to do many things to change their habits and mind, especially with the old people who have a strong attachment to do things like this. Because they also have their own experience with their parents or teachers. So it is not easy to do like this. We may find the solution but it will take time. Also we don’t have enough volunteers. Most people are just followers. They are not skillful as a leader. They can’t understand from the other side. Most people do like this and they don’t think of the mind. For me I’m a meditation teacher, I emphasized the mind. Therefore I can do many things. Most of the people here, just emphasize the works, the disciplines, the orders… I will go and see it. I will try. ”

Sharing: I just want to add that the volunteers are doing their best. They donated a lot of money, to build the roof that helps patients sit outside without the sunlight, they painted the house, they put beds, arranged many things… They spent time and money, trying to make the conditions of life better. The condition now is much nicer. The patients need to sit outside and breathe fresh air, not to be locked inside the room. I think it needs to be changed.

“I use the method of doing only, no rejecting, no attaching, just doing only. That’s really effective. If you want to solve this problem. You must try to be doing only. You must point out the weakness. You should understand that It is not easy to change. You must be patient. You must be guided only, not to be urgent… Besides, You must emphasize practice instead of guiding them. One of the international volunteers should be in charge of those patients. So only by practicing, they can learn clearly and they can follow. If you can’t do it by practice, you can’t understand. You should try to do it by practice. You can teach them, It is better to do this, not by words. You must try doing-only. You may get a lot of failure, but you don’t give up, you can get success. Most of the problems are concerned with the culture, the nature of people here. It is difficult to change the culture and nature. If you see the side of the Westerners, you are right. But if you see the side of the people here, they are right… Most of the people here accept to do this, but it’s not complete. So We need to correct it. We should try. This is meditation in daily like. I emphasize mindfulness in daily activities. It’s necessary. If we are not mindful, we can’t do this for a long time. If we have to use the power of mindfulness and detachment to correct these mistakes, to solve the problems of people here, without the power of mindfulness and detachment, we can’t succeed. Mindfulness and detachment are really useful. We can do many things. So you should emphasize practicing more and more mindfulness and detachment. Not much relying on our ability and intelligence, just relying on the practice of mindfulness and detachment. “