Tulip Tree Family — Novice Ordination Ceremony 2024

On October 27th, in the Still Water Meditation of Dharma Cloud Temple (Plum Village, France), a group of seven young men and women, with the witness of their relatives, friends, and the entire Plum Village community, shed their hair to become novice monks and nuns. Coming from different countries (Germany, Norway, USA, Canada, UK, Netherlands and Belgium), these young people have come together to embark on this path of healing, transformation and service.

Their Dharma names, in the order of ordination are:

Sister Chân Thắng Hạnh – Sister True Victorious ActionBrother Chân Nhất Ngân – Brother True Resonance of OnenessSister Chân Quy Hạnh – Sister True Action of RefugeBrother Chân Nhất Quán – Brother True Contemplation of OnenessBrother Chân Nhất Từ – Brother True Loving OnenessSister Chân Tri Hạnh – Sister True Action of UnderstandingSister Chân Tạng Hạnh – Sister True Action of Treasure Store

Please enjoy these moments from the ordination day.

Formal request for ordinationOrdination ceremonyBreathing together to the sound of the bellIncense offeringThay is present with us.Sister Dieu NghiemSister Chan KhongBrother Phap UngSeven ordineesIn gratitude to our parents, teachers, friends and all beingsPurification of waterShedding my hair completely,I make the great vow todayTo transform all my afflictionsAnd to bring happiness to all beings.How wondrous is the robe of freedomIt is the field of all good seedsI bow my head to receive it today And to express my profound gratitude.Sr. Thắng Hạnh receiving novice robe from Sr. Chan KhongReceiving Ordination CertificateNew novices with Sr. Chan KhongThis is a happy moment!Sr. Tạng Hạnh and Sr. Tâm ĐứcPaying respect to Thay and the ancestral teachersBr. Nhất Ngân sharingBr. Nhất QuánSr. Tạng HạnhSr. Quy HạnhSr. Tri HạnhGift for the youngest SisterNew Hamlet sisters offered the song “Virtuous Ones” in the Be-In

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Sharing from the heart (Novice Monks and Nuns)

I feel full of gratitude for the opportunity to be pursuing my aspirations and to be witnessed by the whole community and for my parents to have come all this way. It means the world to me. It is a deep gift to be in an experience that on the one hand can feel nerve-wracking and at the same time feels like a precious gift to be walking toward what I want most in the world, for peace and freedom for all people and beings.

Sister Chân Quy Hạnh (True Action of Refuge)

When we were sitting before the ceremony started, I was trying to invite all of my friends and my family and actually everyone that I met in my life before and also maybe everyone that I will meet in my life. Then everyone that I haven’t met and will never meet. I practiced to bring the whole universe, I felt it gathering for the seven of us to make a little lotus flower in our living room today. For me it was a beautiful moment

Brother Chân Nhất Quán (True Contemplation of Oneness)

For me, I really felt like shaving my hair would be the most emotional part my life. But actually, those moments, I think I smiled the most. And it felt very light. It felt very relieving. I cannot really phrase it, I think I still need to digest it all, but it’s like you are not just letting go of your hair, you’re letting go of so much, and it’s so wonderful

Sister Chân Tri Hạnh – Sister True Action of Understanding

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Sharing from the heart (family and friends)

I just want to share my happiness and see all the kindness that is in this community. That’s something the world really needs.

Father of Brother Chân Nhất Ngân – Brother True Resonance of Oneness

Why has he ended up coming here?  I mean, he wants to save the world. And this is really what he wants to do. And hardly, I mean, Peter said it, it was actually the happiness. He’s found a happiness to be able to address some of the things that he wants to address with the peace that you hold, through the practices which you have here.

Father of Brother Chân Nhất Từ – Brother True Loving Oneness

For me, she has always been someone who’ s always out and about. She’s always somewhere out in the world. I never knew where she was at, but I knew that for Christmas. She would come home. So when she told me that she found a place where she would stay, it was surprising to me. And I’ve never been here before. She told me she found this monastery that she feels very happy at. And now being here, seeing her with all these people who are now also her new family and people who care and love her so much, it makes me also very happy. Knowing that she’s well, even though she might not come home for Christmas anymore, just knowing that she’s well and happy here makes me feel really at peace.

Younger sister of Sister Chân Thắng Hạnh – Sister True Victorious Action

I’ve always been very proud of my daughter. She was a very shining baby, always happy, always. Just look at her, she was smiling. And then I was proud when she went to travel, very young, with a small backpack. I was proud when she went to study at the other side of the world. I’m proud that she’s here. It’s not an easy choice she makes. I don’t think it’s easy for her. It isn’t easy for me, and I’m still at the beginning of my thought of acceptance. But it’s nice to know that you all support her and support me that I can feel the warmth you all do to help us. She’s a beautiful person. She always was. Now she is bold and beautiful.

Mother of Sister Chân Tạng Hạnh – Sister True Action of Treasure Store

Learn more

Introduction to basic monastic training – “Stepping into Freedom“Becoming a monastic