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Memphis area - sangha meetup
Just to put this out there--perhaps also for lurkers out there...
There is a small sangha -- of only three! -- that would be nice to have, well, more than just three. So I'd like to invite anyone to come, please.
It is in the Thich Nhat Hahn tradition and meets every Thursday night at 6 pm and lasts about an hour.
We meet at Quan Am Monastery at 3500 S. Goodlett St. in Memphis, Tennessee
If you are interested, contact me here and I can give you an email address--someone you can contact just in case the Thursday night meeting ever gets cancelled (and you can be on a mailing list for any cancellations should something arise).
Just FYI...
There is a small sangha -- of only three! -- that would be nice to have, well, more than just three. So I'd like to invite anyone to come, please.
It is in the Thich Nhat Hahn tradition and meets every Thursday night at 6 pm and lasts about an hour.
We meet at Quan Am Monastery at 3500 S. Goodlett St. in Memphis, Tennessee
If you are interested, contact me here and I can give you an email address--someone you can contact just in case the Thursday night meeting ever gets cancelled (and you can be on a mailing list for any cancellations should something arise).
Just FYI...
6
Comments
I'm in.
--- here is one for Missouri, with ice cream tea . . .
THIS IS AN OPEN INVITATION TO ANYONE IN THE AREA OF IRONTON, MO TO COME
OUT TO THE NEW HEARTMIND MEDITATION CLASSES THAT SISTER KHEMA IS TEACHING
IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
WHAT'S UP?
WHAT? FREE MEDITATION INSTRUCTION
WHERE? ARCADIA ACADEMY MEDITATION ROOM
WHEN? APRIL 18TH--- and every THURSDAY EVENING AFTER THAT
TIME? 6 PM to 7:30 PM
(also you can visit the Ice Cremery at the Abbey from 7:30 PM until 8 PM for Ice Cream, Tea, or Coffee before leaving.
If you have never been into the Academy at the Abby Kitchen, you are in for a treat! )
------
You know what happened last time.
Disclosure: I'll e-mail so you guys know I'm comin',
but If I don't hear anything....I'm still showin' up! , haha
gentleman welcoming me to Thursday, and included was a
thoughtful quote about mindfulness.
here at work. I put up a total of 6.....so....
'If you build it, they will come'...
My son joined us and especially
enjoyed chanting the Heart Sutra.
He's never sat for longer than 15 mins...
(he's 10)...but tonight, he made it all 30 mins.
I admit, I was impressed with him.
Right before the timer was set, I locked eyes with him
one more time.... before I turned my head,
he whispered...."I don't think I can do this"
I said...."You don't have to do anything".
Needless to say...I was a mental wreck for the next
few minutes...but I had to let it go. I couldn't
worry about him and how he was doing...or what
he was doing....or...whatever...
The exhale came to me.
He not only listened, but contributed to the
discussion about Right View too!
Songs played by @riverflow on the bamboo flute topped off the
night!
http://www.facebook.com/MagnoliaSangha
I'm also toying with the idea of a website for the sangha. There appears to be some confusion about the meetup days and times I hope we can fix. But the information here is accurate and up to date.
Out of the mouths of babes:
We exchanged a greeting with a Nun....after we got in the car,
she asked about the clothing the Nun was wearing. I explained that
it was to live simply, and not pay attention to the clothes and
what we wear....take attention away from what we look like...
She said "Then why did you make me wear clothes that were
matching?...See Mommy? You should have let me wear my
penguin shirt with the orange jogging pants"
It's been a long time since I sat in a building ....no air....
90 outside......Damn...my sitting has been too cushy and
comfy at home, the last years. Dealing with the sweat alone
made it work, and I have a shit load of real -life Johnny crap on my plate
right now...so today....30 mins felt like a sweaty...heavy
headed....heavy hearted...not fun....sitting there kind of thing.
All my problems....all the possible outcomes.....salty sweat dripping
everywhere....damn dog. The struggle was real today. Felt like
3 hours. I did have a good spurt going that seemed fast...but you
just don't know if that's dehydration and heat stroke or strike of
insight....lolololol....
For discussion.....
I usually talk away....and I felt like I didn't want to be bothered...
I talked myself down off several cliffs this evening.....
Listened more....I needed that lesson anyway, probably..
I'm tired today.
Anyway....@riverflow will be getting one of my basil plants
next week....for all the stuff he has been doing for the group.
Keeping up the Fb thing....giving out books....leading group
while Sir L was out of town....he really gets a bow a gratitude
from me for all the stuff he is keeping up with.
thunderstorms in the background....
and the temple dog sitting in the middle.
They were preparing for a ceremony, so there
were big flower arrangements being made.
I could smell them. It was just a
gorgeous backdrop that night!
The group is making a day trip to Magnolia
Grove in Baitsville tomorrow! I'm excited about
going. I got the kids covered for the day and was
able to make a go of it!
building that night though. Children were hurt.
Of course, we had no way of knowing that....but over the last day
the whole duality of the situation in my mind has been crazy to
see going on. The 'same moments' experienced so much
differently. Dependent on so many things.....
Views are a pain in the ass.
We started out with just our once a week...2 people
at first...riverflow and Sir L...then C and me....and we are averaging
about 2 visitors a week now....no one coming back yet...but
hey...no expectations, right? hahaha..... We have added a social
hour after, and it really has been nice bonding with my brothers
in a different setting....just talking about what's going on in
our life outside the Temple....kicking back and laughing together.
We are making the trips to Magnolia Grove together, and that
has been really great for us as a group.
This past week-end, one of the nuns and I were
under a tree talking,
She said..." Do not want many people....big group.. it's better
small at first. It's important to have good foundation,
and good practice going first. Foundation most important"
Each week at the Temple....each day trip to the Monastery...
each experience I have with the group....I feel the foundation
strengthening. My practice benefits in ways I can't express with
words.
Gratitude for my Sangha.
And with much gratitude, yes... /\
Though from another book of his I quite like the phrase, which I'm probably actually paraphrasing, "When I see a rain cloud I see a piece of paper."
Rain clouds are made of non-rain cloud things....like a piece of paper.
A flower is made of non-flower things....like a rain cloud.
Vastmind is made up of non-Vastmind things.
He has certainly helped me loosen by own grip on unhelpful views too (and boy, could I grip!!! hahaha).
TNH comes from the Thien (= Chan = Zen) tradition, but sans sticks, and the approach that I've seen at the Days of Mindfulness at the local monastery lacks a certain "strictness" that I (mis-?)perceive in Japanese Zen for example. Certainly they have a certain decorum and rituals, but it seems to me more easier to relate to.
As I've practiced more with our sangha and also at the monastery, I have discovered a new affinity with my own Catholic past (and also my interest in Orthodoxy many years ago) via the rituals we perform. It has opened up new and fruitful avenues of discussion with my mother (my parents have always been lovingly supportive of everything I've ever done). In one of our recent conversations, I told her how I actually felt closer to my Catholic roots (despite of all my differences!) because of the rituals. I realized then that when I prostrated to the Buddha ("touching the earth" as they call it) and all the other rituals, that my Catholic heritage was WITH me, not separate from me. I carry it with me, and with each gesture. And so I don't have to have this "I'm not an X anymore, but a Y" sort of exclusive mentality. It surprised me to feel that way about it.
I find it a bit sad, in a post-Reformation world that ritual takes on a very different set of connotations: "its just a ritual," meaning "lifeless," or "just going through the motions" or some backward mentality that we should ditch (I think the split begins there rather than the later developments of secularization, which was, ironically, not possible without the Reformation. This for me represents one of the downsides of the Reformation, stripping the sacraments of their symbolic value, and actually damaged Christianity in the process I think). Ritual has a way of teaching in a way that sometimes straightforward verbalization can't touch--if one applies the right attitude toward it. At first, I felt uncertain about the ritual aspect, but now I totally relate to it, thanks to Catholicism. So I can smile at my own past and embrace it rather than frowning upon it as some "other religion." Funny how things work out that way-- it took Buddhism to help me reconcile with Catholicism.
Incidentally, I bought my mother a copy of Living Buddha, Living Christ and she really enjoyed it too!
"We will now chant the heart sutra".....OK, done that a million times
before. Business as usual.
Sir L put his hands on the cushion that holds the drum, pushes it
in front of my cushion and says "I'll let you......"
:hair: My thoughts: What? No...NO..@riverflow does all this...I don't know
what I'm doing!... I think I'm going to pee my pants.....I still can't pronounce
some words...what if I mess everyone up? What's our
usual rhythm? I don't know the right way to drum.....
I only said Ok, and bowed.
My next thought: There's Nothing to it, but to do it! I took a moment of
compassion for myself and went with what I knew. After all, no
ears, no mouth, right? hahaha
I talk fast anyway, so my speed was all over the place, to say the
least, but I got all the way through it, to say the most.
Then, I had to sit with a belly full of nervous energy.
@Vastmind , Cedric and I will be spending a Day of Mindfulness tomorrow at the Magnolia Grove Monastery in Batesville with Thich Nhat Hanh.
And all three of us will be receiving the Five Mindfulness Trainings together, along with who knows how many others. The total turnout will be something around 900 people!
:thumbsup: :clap: :om:
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
THE FIVE MINDFULNESS TRAININGS
1. Reverence For Life
Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating the insight of interbeing and compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, or in my way of life. Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger, fear, greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from dualistic and discriminative thinking, I will cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the world.
2. True Happiness
Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I am committed to practicing generosity in my thinking, speaking, and acting. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others; and I will share my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need. I will practice looking deeply to see that the happiness and suffering of others are not separate from my own happiness and suffering; that true happiness is not possible without understanding and compassion; and that running after wealth, fame, power and sensual pleasures can bring much suffering and despair. I am aware that happiness depends on my mental attitude and not on external conditions, and that I can live happily in the present moment simply by remembering that I already have more than enough conditions to be happy. I am committed to practicing Right Livelihood so that I can help reduce the suffering of living beings on Earth and reverse the process of global warming.
3. True Love
Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I am committed to cultivating responsibility and learning ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. Knowing that sexual desire is not love, and that sexual activity motivated by craving always harms myself as well as others, I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without true love and a deep, long-term commitment made known to my family and friends. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct. Seeing that body and mind are one, I am committed to learning appropriate ways to take care of my sexual energy and cultivating loving kindness, compassion, joy and inclusiveness – which are the four basic elements of true love – for my greater happiness and the greater happiness of others. Practicing true love, we know that we will continue beautifully into the future.
4. Loving Speech and Deep Listening
Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and compassionate listening in order to relieve suffering and to promote reconciliation and peace in myself and among other people, ethnic and religious groups, and nations. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am committed to speaking truthfully and using words that inspire confidence, joy, and hope. When anger is manifesting in me, I am determined not to speak. I will practice mindful breathing and walking in order to recognize and to look deeply into my anger. I know that the roots of anger can be found in my wrong perceptions and lack of understanding of the suffering in myself and in the other person. I will speak and listen in a way that can help myself and the other person to transform suffering and see the way out of difficult situations. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to utter words that can cause division or discord. I will practice Right Diligence to nourish my capacity for understanding, love, joy, and inclusiveness, and gradually transform anger, violence, and fear that lie deep in my consciousness.
5. Nourishment and Healing
Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I will practice looking deeply into how I consume the Four Kinds of Nutriments, namely edible foods, sense impressions, volition, and consciousness. I am determined not to gamble, or to use alcohol, drugs, or any other products which contain toxins, such as certain websites, electronic games, TV programs, films, magazines, books, and conversations. I will practice coming back to the present moment to be in touch with the refreshing, healing and nourishing elements in me and around me, not letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past nor letting anxieties, fear, or craving pull me out of the present moment. I am determined not to try to cover up loneliness, anxiety, or other suffering by losing myself in consumption. I will contemplate interbeing and consume in a way that preserves peace, joy, and well-being in my body and consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family, my society and the Earth.
Very simple.
Sitting.
Gathering.
Changing.
joy to read
the last two classes we had all to ourselves, haha.
Deep relaxation meditation and touching the earth. The nun guiding them
will be one of my favorite parts of today
TNH gave a Dharma talk and though I had heard his bullet points many
times before, I gained a couple more ideas for practice and he was just
as endearing and teaching in person! He tries and does cover many things,
so I always learn something new listening to him. The place looked great,
and there were volunteers/workers everywhere, making sure things were done.
We meet here once a week as a Sangha group...
....and I'm really digging it! It's more of a challenge.......I'm
a fast walker and a heavy stepper, so the exercise really
forces me to be 'there' without the force coming from me.
Does that make sense? I have never been able to count
AND breath while sitting....for me, the counting always
ended up taking over. Walking...my stride does the counting
for me.
Quick little: My son was with me last night (10)....after
siting and walking, we were having an intro with a couple
of new people that came....one woman said "Well, I don't have
a car to come every week, I had to borrow my daughter's car
to come here tonight"....My son reached over and whispered
in my ear.." Mommy, tell her it's ok...she can do the five trainings
at home, and she can do all this anywhere."