Hello, what’s your name, how old are you this year?

My name is Nguyen Khoi Linh, I was born in 2003, I am 18 years old this year

When did you take Nhu Khong (Suchness) course?

I attended the Nhu Khong course held on August 22-28, 2022 in Hanoi

Before participating in Suchness, did you practice Mindfulness Observation?

I have not done any meditation or spiritual practice yet

What makes the course effective for you?

The exercises are simple, easy to understand, unserious, but still makes me activate many different reflexes. Ms. Ly strongly encourages honesty and authenticity, so the classroom atmosphere is fun, relaxed, respectful and sincere. The exercises were in the form of a games, so I could see the results immediately while having fun, not only that, but I could also immediately connect the theory with the practice of mindfulness in the class.

How do you feel after learning “Suchness”?

I see life’s diversity and am willing to embrace that diversity. I feel awake and understand how to stay awake. I see that life is not perfect, but there is no need to make it more difficult for myself

How do you perform the act of observing your mind, body, feelings, circumstances.. in daily life, after Nhu Khong course?

Enforcement is still being carried out on a daily basis. Sometimes I still get dragged along with my thoughts, but after I realize what just happened, I feel like I can notice more naturally.

Has anything changed in the way you see yourself and your surroundings, after the Suchness course?

There are more changes in the way of my observation, because the pull of the mind can be noticed, I am awake before my mind starts dragging me.

I feel I am more aware of my body and emotions. Everything seems so much lighter. Although it is not 100% complete, it is still an improvement. I’ve been able to pay more attention to my surroundings, but I still get swept up in other people from time to time. In addition, I find everything quite interesting, from my own thoughts to my reality, or before a certain situation.

Previously I would ask myself why is this, and why is something or someone like that, now I do not even need to ask and I can see the answer right in front of me.

As for everything around me as usual, I still witness, but with a light and pure noticing. I feel like I know myself a little better. Turns out it’s not so terrible and difficult as I thought before

What is the difference in yourself that you realize after taken Nhu Khong course?

I find myself thinking more open and free, the way I deal with life is also lighter, I don’t see anything scary or threatening. I knew what was going on and what was my way to solve it. In the face of self-involvement, I find myself dealing with things more directly and clearly than before. As for things related to other people, if I see that I can help, I will help, or else I follow the flow.

I don’t see the future as a concern anymore, I think I’ll enjoy what comes with whether it’s good or bad, and I’m enjoying this very thing.

I also understanding myself more. In the past, I would drunkenly force myself to do things that I thought would be good, now I give myself more choices and decisions, listening to what I really want and feel.

I feel so much more comfortable with everything I do, even if it’s something I don’t like, I still find something I like in it and enjoy doing it.

I receive many compliments from people, some say that I am more mature and wiser than before, some people find me more relax, and some say there is something about me that makes them feel more secure than before. I probably wouldn’t have thought about this before, but now I really like my current self.

Does your self-satisfaction change after Nhu Khong workshop?

Back in the day, I used to be bored with myself, exaggerating everything I missed and pressuring myself against society’s standards.

I used to feel that I was nothing or nobody because I felt that I was too pale to be with everyone. And I always felt the pressure due to my own endless worries and concerns about my studies, future, family, ..

I have to thank the course very much because through it I can also explained all the conflicts in my heart for so long. My heart now feels as light as a feather. I don’t feel the same pressure as before or feel like I need to push myself or do this to help someone or something.

Faced with my own shortcomings, I find it very normal.

In the past, I was very sad about my current life. Always felt that I was better than others and yet not as good as anyone. So I often felt guilty with life because I did not know how to express myself.

Whatever I felt, I could only encapsulate it in my heart. After the course, I find myself looking at everything lighter, I don’t feel as uneasy as before, perhaps to describe it correctly, I feel “enough”. I see everything like a river, like how Ms Ly told the whole class, so I would enjoy what I have.

Has the way you deal with unpleasant things changed after Nhu Khong?

I feel I am more relaxed with unsatisfactory situations, of course sometimes my emotions are very strong with that unsatisfactory. Instead of suppressing my feelings like before, I loosened up more and let it appear and then it went away. At first, I was quite surprised about it, then I felt very good and very normal. I just saw it right then and there and noticed that the thoughts and feelings about it don’t last as long as they used to.

How did your view of Happiness change after the course?

Honestly, I have no concept of happiness of my own. But always wonder what it is and is it the final destination of man?

Later, when I approached the Dharma, I learned that the happiness that people create is due to their suffering. After learning, I realized that there is no happiness at all, it is all some concepts or beliefs created by people to cling to it.

What is your view on “how to maintain happiness?” after the course?

Whether in the past or even now, I feel the question “How to maintain happiness?” is impossible to answer :’))). Now perhaps I would say, happiness is the time when we are not attached to anything or to a certain desire. Simply seeing.

What in Nhu Khong is the key to help you answer the questions “What is happiness?”

Awareness is the key to answer the question “What is happiness?” When we are awake, it doesn’t matter what happiness is, we won’t cling to a certain definition or belief about happiness, we simply know body, mind and reality.