Good morning dear friends
This morning’s autumn chill reminds us of the joy of living on that line between summer and fall. I am so grateful to live in a geographic zone that has four seasons! We can see the most wonderful manifestations of impermanence and feel deeply our interbeing with the rhythms of nature. The shifting of darkness and light by minutes each day remind us that dawn, day, dusk, night arise everyday in our hearts and minds as well as through our senses.
As the seasons change, we are returning to in-person gatherings at the Mountain Rain Zendo as well as continuing with our Zoom Sangha. As always, our deepest gratitude to Mountain Rain Zen Community for not only their space, but their open-hearted guidance during these unusual times. May we continue to support each other as we experience impermanence in moving forward. Our policies and guidelines will no doubt be changing over time as the interbeing nature of the pandemic continues to affect our everyday lives.
The blogpost contains much information! Our practice for September; Covid protocols for those of us meeting in person; a September 26 Day of Mindfulness; and a Transmission of the Five Mindfulness Trainings October 3 during our regular Sangha gathering. Also, we have included information from Plum Village concerning a new podcast, Earth Holder retreat, Race as a Dharma door and a resource for White practitioners committed to group reflection and action on healing racism.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 at 6:30 we return to our Sangha practice. NOTE: Both the day and time of our gatherings have changed to Sundays and to 6:30-8:30. You may enter the Zendo or Zoom at 7:00 if that better supports your practice. The first half hour is a period of sitting and walking. Then there is a second period of sitting and walking followed by an hour of study and practice.
Our pngoing study and practice of the Five Powers will continue with the Fourth Power – CONCENTRATION – explored from the perspective of Loving Kindness. We will begin the month with a recitation of the Five Mndfulness Trainings and Dharma discussion concerning our return to Sangha practice. The second week will include a Dharma talk focused on Concentration with a comparison to Mindfulness in the context of loving kindness. The third will explore the Love Meditation as a tool for Concentration practice and the fourth will be based on a reading that helps us better understand the benefits of nourishing Concentration.
Our Zoom protocols and access will continue as in the past. Please see the website for full details: (http://wavesandwater.org/site/sangha/about/sunday/)
Up to 10 people will be able to attend in-person. To register for the first week, please send an e-mail as soon as possible to wwsangha@gmail.com. You may want to indicate whether you have the intention to attend each week or if you think you will attend the first Sunday of the month, etc. If you have the aspiration to attend each week, please let us know by Wednesday morning if you cannot attend that week. There may be a wait list!
COVID response: Two air purifiers have been added to the Zendo. There are enhanced cleaning protocols in place. Practitioners who wish to attend in person must be fully vaccinated. Once we have vaccination passports, we will ask to see them the first time you attend in person. We appreciate everyone’s care and compassion as we proceed along the path. For any questions concerning these practices, please e-mail us!
DAY OF MINDFULNESS in three parts: Please consider joining us for a Day of Mindfulness Sunday September 26 from 10:00-2:00. This will be offered both on Zoom and in person for up to six people. The first four hours will be held in South Vancouver near Champlain Park. From 2:00-6:00 will be “free time” during which you are encouraged to to maintain mindfulness during your everyday activities. From 6:30 to 8:30 we will finish the day with our regular Sangha gathering on Zoom or in person in the Zendo.
TRANSMISSION OF THE FIVE MINDFULNESS TRAININGS: There will be a Transmission of the Five Mindfulness Trainings during our regular Sangha gathering on Sunday October 3, 2021 from 6:30-8:30. Anyone who would like to receive the Five Mindfulness Trainings or renew their Five Mindfulness Training transmission are welcome to let us know by Saturday, September 25. The Transmission will be offered by the Waves and Water Sangha and Dharma Teacher Joann Rosen. It will be available both in-person and by Zoom. There will be an opportunity to discuss your aspiration and the process during the Day of Mindfulness Sunday, September 26. It is not necessary to be a member of the Waves and Water Sangha.
Plum Village Podcast: “THE WAY OUT IS IN” is co-hosted by Brother Phap Huu, Abbot of Upper Hamlet, and Jo Confino, formerly a journalist at The Guardian and now working at the intersection of personal transformation and systems change. “This podcast series is aimed at helping us to transcend our fear and anger so that we can be more engaged in the world in a way that develops love and compassion. Thich Nhat Hanh’s calligraphy ‘The Way Out Is In’ highlights that the way out of any difficulty is to look deeply within, gain insights and then put them into practice. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, all other podcast platforms plus the Plum Village App.
Earth Holder On-Line Retreat: “THIS IS IT: Embodying Racial and Ecological Justice in the Face of the Climate Emergency”: The Earth Holder Community is the branch of the Plum Village tree that applies Thay’s core teachings on engaged Buddhism, mindful living, racial and social justice, and inter-being with Mother Earth at this time of ecological crisis. Registration is now open for THIS IS IT 3. This is a rerun of the successful retreat which has been offered twice before. Find more information at https://ehc-academy.teachable.com/p/this-is-it3
RACE: A Dharma Door: Sponsored by ARISE Sangha, this virtual six-month training to learn skillful ways to understand and practice with race, racism, and intersectionality. We can welcome in our ignorance and pain and transform this mud into lotuses of understanding, compassion, and peace. Every attempt will be made to maintain a balance of BIPOC and non-BIPOC participants at a 60:40 ratio.
LISTENING CIRCLES FOR HEALING RACISM – FOR WHITE PEOPLE: Facilitators Guidebook by John Bell (Chan Dieu Tri/True Wonderful Wisdom): This guide is designed to provide facilitators with a kind of ready-made kit to help them offer an accessible, replicable, and effective experience for participants. The guide includes framing ideas, facilitation suggestions, sample schedules and facilitator notes, and lots of resources. It can be used as is, or adapted for one’s local community, or pieces excerpted for one’s own guide. Please feel free to adapt for your own use as appropriate. For more information: a short guide for Listening Circle facilitators
