Tracy McMahon is a long-term practitioner, member of the Mountain Mindfulness Sangha in Asheville, NC, and frequent visitor of Magnolia Grove Monastery in Mississippi. For the past few years, Tracy has asked her friends and family to make a donation to the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation for her birthday and for holidays, instead of giving her material gifts.

“I’ve been going through purging material items. If there’s any organization that I really want to support, it’s this one. And I knew it would be easy for my friends and family to go online and donate,” Tracy shared.

Tracy with friends from the Mountain Mindfulness and Earth Holder Sanghas, Climate Justice Rally, September 2019, Asheville NC

Tracy first encountered Buddhist teachings in a library as a child. The books were a little complex, but she enjoyed the contemplation they encouraged. “Looking back,” she says, “those books watered seeds of being interested in and open to Thay’s teachings.”

Later, as part of her massage therapy training, Tracy read the Miracle of Mindfulness, a book written by Thich Nhat Hanh in 1975 to help young Vietnamese social workers avoid getting burnt out. Since then, Tracy has regularly attended retreats and become a member of her local Sanghas.

“This practice has kept me alive. It has helped me a lot with anxiety and depression, and I have been able to really advance my healing around childhood trauma. When times are tough, I turn to the practice. I ask myself, ‘what do the Three Jewels say?’”

“Now,” Tracy adds, “I try to infuse our practice in everything. It helps me with my work. It makes me a good listener. The greatest gift we can give someone is our presence, deep listening and loving speech.”

Thank you so much Tracy for giving back so generously to the community, making the practice available to so many others, and for planting the seeds of generosity in your loved ones.

We know you are there and we are very happy. With palms joined,

The Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation Family