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Meet the Monastics

by Deer Park Monastery

Conversations with monks and nuns about their journey to monastic life and what inspires them today, hosted by Brother Minh An, a Buddhist monk in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

From the show's RSS feed, refreshed Oct 28, 2025. Source feed.

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Episodes

  1. Sister Chua Xua: Enjoy Your Free Life

    Sister Chua Xua was a social worker and left a long-term relationship to become ordained as a nun at Bát Nhã, a Plum Village monastery that closed due to harassment from the Vietnamese government. "I also have a dream. I have a wish that I can support the young Western people to take the monastic...

  2. Brother Phap Hoi: Lucky for Me

    Brother Phap Hoi is a Vietnamese refugee and the most senior Brother at Deer Park Monastery. "Because the Sangha embrace all of the people, even you are high level or low level of good background or not. You all have the chance in the Sangha if you go in the right direction of practice." 3:16...

  3. Sister Phu Nghiem: We Are a Buddhist Family

    Sister Phu Nghiem is one of three nuns in her immediate blood family and is passionate about bringing mindfulness to children. "So I focus a lot more on my steps. On how I choose the food when I come to a meal. I learn to enjoy the meal and enjoy my siblings. And that has supported me a whole lot...

  4. Brother Phap Luu: American Awakening

    Brother Phap Luu, the eldest non-Vietnamese American monk in the Plum Village tradition, graduated from Dartmouth College and started meditating after going through a depression. "What is more satisfying in life than helping people to transform their suffering? I mean, who cares about money and…

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  5. Sister Le Nghiem: Put Your Heart into the Practice

    Sister Le Nghiem came to the practice after the death of her brother, and typically does solo retreat at the monastery for a few weeks a year. "So the practice gives me the greatest happiness. And this practice gives me being with others. Being with friends on retreat. Being with my siblings....

  6. Sister Trung Chinh: The Whole Universe Embraces Us

    Sister Sr. Trung Chinh left Vietnam as a refugee and has been a nun for over fifty years. "The aspiration of a monk or a nun is that we have to arrive to the most peaceful place, the happiest place in ourselves. And there's only the daily practice. The daily practice only helps us to arrive to…

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  7. Brother Minh Nhan: See For Yourself

    Brother Minh Nhan, one of the only monastics in the Plum Village tradition of Mexican descent, is a monk of many interests: music, mushrooms, math, and more. "To join a community that maybe looks different, maybe don't see others like myself in it, let's say. Yeah, I mean, that's one way to look…

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  8. Sister Boi Nghiem: The Hard Work Has Been Done

    Sister Boi Nghiem studied nursing before being ordained, and works regularly as a nun with the BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and teen communities. "I think I have a very healthy relationship with myself. Very healthy mental dialogue with myself. There were times I comforted myself. There were times I'm very...

  9. Brother Phap Dung: Now You Get to Choose

    Brother Phap Dung is a Vietnamese refugee who worked as an architect in Los Angeles before finding the practice, healing his relationship with his father, and changing the course of his life. "Now you get to choose, and it's deliberate. That is a monk. I choose to be in this intimate way with the...

  10. Sister Kinh Nghiem: Run Away Now

    Sister Kinh Nghiem, one of the funniest and most stylish nuns in the world, was ordained when she was only 14. "Get rid of all of your ideas of what monastic practice is. You know, you come here, I mean, the practice is wonderful. And it's for you to come and see for yourself. But if you start...

  11. Building a Practice Space Within

    Brother Minh Luong was raised in Laguna Beach, California, and went to NYU, where he read a book that changed his life. "I realized recently that there really is no separation between the practice and everything we do in our daily life. Either we're creating conditions for a practice space, like…

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  12. Meet the Monastics Teaser

    From Deer Park Monastery, it's Meet the Monastics. As monastics, the most common question asked of us is, you guessed it, why did you become a monastic? I'm Brother Minh-An, a Buddhist monk in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. And this podcast is for anyone who's ever…

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About this show

Conversations with monks and nuns about their journey to monastic life and what inspires them today, hosted by Brother Minh An, a Buddhist monk in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

Hosted by

Deer Park Monastery

Frequently asked questions

How many episodes does Meet the Monastics have?

Meet the Monastics has 12 episodes on PodParley. The most recent episode was published on January 10, 2025.

What is Meet the Monastics about?

Conversations with monks and nuns about their journey to monastic life and what inspires them today, hosted by Brother Minh An, a Buddhist monk in the Plum Village tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

How often does Meet the Monastics release new episodes?

Meet the Monastics publishes weekly, based on its 12 episodes since September 2024.

Who hosts Meet the Monastics?

Meet the Monastics is created and hosted by Deer Park Monastery.
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