The Buddhist Case For Laziness (And How It Can Make You More Productive) | Brother Chân Pháp Hữu

Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris

What if one of the often overlooked keys to being productive is being lazy? That’s the case you will hear made today by Brother Pháp Hữu, a very impressive young zen Buddhist monk.

Brother Pháp Hữu is a senior Dharma teacher in Thich Nhat Hanh’s International Plum Village Community and abbot of Upper Hamlet, the monks’ community in Plum Village Monastery, a practice center founded by Thich Nhat Hanh in southwest France. Born in Vietnam, he emigrated to Canada as a child. He began training with Thich Nhat Hanh at the age of thirteen when he first entered the monastery to become a monk. Thich Nhat Hanh gave him the name Chân Pháp Hữu, which means “True Dharma Friend.” For more than ten years, he accompanied Thich Nhat Hanh on his international teaching tours as his attendant and assistant. Today, Brother Pháp Hữu is deeply committed to building community and continuing Thich Nhat Hanh’s legacy, bringing his teachings in particular to businesspeople, families, and young adults. Brother Phap Huu is passionate about basketball, music, and developing new approaches to teamwork, leadership, mentoring and coaching, and is a beloved co-host—with journalist, leadership coach, and workshop facilitator Jo Confino--of the Plum Village podcast, The Way Out is In.

In this episode we talk about:

• The origin and purpose of something called Lazy Day
• What doing nothing looks like in practicality
• Why doing nothing is so hard for people
• How you can integrate the wisdom of lazy days into your life, even if you can’t carve out a whole day
• How laziness in and of itself can be productive and how it allows for a re-examination of our own happiness.
• And The geopolitical case for being vs. doing

Related Episodes:

• The Buddha’s 8-Part Manual for a Good Life | Brother Pháp Dung
• How to Suffer Well | Brother Pháp Dung
• This Episode Will Make You Stronger | Sister Dang Nghiem
• Six Buddhist Strategies for Getting Along Better with Everyone | Sister True Dedication
• 3 Buddhist Strategies for When the News is Overwhelming | Kaira Jewel Lingo
• A Buddhist Recipe for Handling Turmoil | Kaira Jewel Lingo

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