Good afternoon dear friends
Last evening we practiced with Thay’s story about writing the poem “Dedication,” read the poem itself, and listened to the practice song that put the poem to music: “Alone again” This may be found at https://plumvillage.org/articles/blog/poems-of-thay/alone-again-song-recommendation-thays-poetry/
We also listened to Dharma teacher Larry Ward’s poem and video talk “USA: The business that became a country.” This may be found at <https://www.thelotusinstitute.org/blog/thebusinessthatbecameacountry>
Our hearts were full!
Next week – July 2 – we will recite the Five Mindfulness Trainings developed by Marisela Gomez and Valerie Brown and supported by ARISE Sangha:
Contemplations on the Five Mindfulness Trainings, a new paradigm for racial justice and the global pandemic: “Let us open to a new and deeper way of understanding the Five Mindfulness Trainings, guiding principles for mindful and ethical living, which call us toward individual and collective awakening, compassion, and peace. We are aware that we are interconnected. What happens in Wuhan, China affects people in New York City. What happens to the Black body affects all bodies. We are called forward.” https://arisesangha.org/june-2020-special-newsletter
And on June 9 we will bring practice songs and offer them to each other! Please let us know at wwsangha@gmail.com what songs you might like to offer OR simply ask the Sangha to sing! We will have words and folk who are willing to teach the songs.
We are changing one of our Zoom practices – we will begin next week! There will be a waiting room that you enter when you use the meeting ID and the password. Someone will be in the waiting room to allow you to enter. It is important that we see who you are so please turn on your video. If you are uncomfortable having your image present throughout Sangha please try to have a background, preferably one that includes your face, if you turn off video.
We will no longer be admitting those who log in without a face to begin with and then a name and image to carry on. This is partly for security reasons but also because we come together to practice in community and we cannot “commune” so well with “iPhone on a black background”!
Please join us – and let us know if you need any help getting on-line.
With a smiling bow, Bethan
