Dear friends –
So many of us met Brother Christopher this summer during the Vancouver retreat. His smile, his kindness, his loving compassion touched many people! And we know where there is a blooming flower there is also compost nourishing it. Just as he experienced joy, so he experienced suffering.
Last Monday, in the woods of Upper Hamlet in Plum Village, Brother Christopher took his own life. This is not the way I would like to talk with you about this! Yet, now, so many in our deep and lovely community have heard – and they too are suffering.
Just as Brother Christopher was never alone, we are never alone. There may be within us so strong a sense of disconnection that we cannot continue. At the same time we are held. We are all holding the Plum Village Sangha in our hearts and we are holding each other.
On Thursday, we will offer our practice to Brother Christopher with a special ceremony as well as remembrances and loving speech. We will feel within and around us the strength of the Sangha, of the teachings and our own compassion.
To water those seeds, you may want to listen to the Metta Chant from Upaya Zen posted on the wavesandwater.org website under RESOURCES
http://wavesandwater.org/site/resources/metta-chant-from-upaya/
The brief note from Sr Chan Khong to the community is here: http://deerparkmonastery.org/events/message-from-sr-chan-khong-regarding-our-brothers-death
Peace to Brother Phap Kinh, may he continue beautifully in all of us.
