Waves and Water Sangha Vancouver

Sunshine this morning!

During the Waves and Water Sangha Day of Mindfulness on March 12 we will have a transmission ceremony for the Five Mindfulness Trainings. The Five Mindfulness Trainings are Thich Nhat Hanh’s (Thay’s) vision for engaged mindfulness in daily life. With the Three Refuges, they will be transmitted in Thay’s lineage from Dharma teacher, Kristin Penn and the Greater Vancouver Order of Interbeing Sangha. If you are interested in receiving the Mindfulness Trainings please let us know at wwsangha[at]gmail.com as soon as possible before March 5.

Members of all Sanghas in our tradition are welcome to attend and receive or renew any of the Trainings. If you do not attend a local Sangha regularly, please contact us soon so we can talk about your interest.

Tutorial for Chanting the Insight Sutra – our new translation of the Heart Sutra.

We have been studying and practicing the Insight Sutra with the help of the Plum Village nuns! Please see the Resources page on the website for the materials we are using (http://wavesandwater.org/site/resources/new-heart-sutra/).

Shane (who I believe may live in Victoria) has offered a very effective tutorial for the chant! Please find him and his engaging teaching at SanghaSongs.blogspot.com At the end there is a lovely video of him chanting with the Sisters and Brothers from Deer Park.

Smiling, looking forward to practicing with you soon….

Dear friends –

This is a New Year for so many of us. In the New Year Ceremony from the Plum Village book of Buddhist Ceremonies and Daily Practices – Chanting from the Heart – a section of the Address to our Ancestors at the New Year reads:

“Trees have their roots and water has its source. We know that you, our ancestors, are our roots and we are your continuation…. We are determined to build a society in which people are not always busy, where little is consumed, and there is plenty of time to live with nature, look after nature, and bring happiness to, care for, and smile to each other…. We promise to let go of all our anger, sadness, and resentment, and to forgive, love and accept each other. We know that only by doing this do we really express our feelings of gratitude and loyalty towards you.”

Please know that Waves and Water Sangha welcomes all those who wish to practice in the Plum Village tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Our first Thursday of this New Year – January 7 – we will recite the 14 Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing (OI). We will have a panel who share their experience of practicing the 14 Trainings as an OI Member, an OI Aspirant and a Sangha member who feels nourished by the 14 Trainings. There will be time for discussion.

As we move through January and February together we will study and practice the Insight that Brings Us to the Other Shore – Thich Nhat Hanh’s revised translation of the Heart Sutra. The words, music and chanting of the Sutra are available at http://wavesandwater.org/site/resources/new-heart-sutra/

Plum Village has released a New Year Prayer. It is available at http://plumvillage.org/news/new-years-prayer-2016/ May we all have the opportunity to welcome this prayer into our heart as we continue our practice together.

Plum Village
December 24, 2015

To all Plum Village Practice Centers,
To all Practice Centers and Sanghas world wide,
To our Dear Beloved Friends,

Our monastic centers in the United States and Europe are now a month into our traditional annual practice of the three-month Winter Retreat, observing ninety continuous days of mindfulness practice, without leaving the monastery to teach outside. In this spirit, the attendants taking care of Thay in San Francisco have also opened a Winter Retreat practice period with Thay, including early morning sitting meditation, walking meditation, silent meals, watching videos of Thay’s Dharma Talks and participating in Dharma sharings. Every day, Thay has enjoyed joining the brothers and sisters in all of these practices, and we can see that practicing with the community is an important source of spiritual nourishment for Thay, supporting his recovery in every respect.

Thay recently enjoyed watching an old Dharma talk that he gave many years ago in the UK. He listened attentively to the entire talk, often smiling and nodding when his younger self made key points. The specialists tell us that this kind of activity is very therapeutic and supportive to speech recovery. Sadly, at this time, Thay has made only slight improvements and is still unable to speak. He continues to sing with us, and is making more and more recognizable words whenever we sing the Plum Village songs he remembers so well. We witness Thay putting a lot of effort and energy into trying to form the words, even though it can sometimes be frustrating for him. We are happy to report that we have now found a new speech therapist who will be working with Thay on a daily basis throughout January. In addition, we continue to explore many new and groundbreaking neuroplastic healing techniques, including neurofeedback, and cold laser therapy.

Thay continues to enjoy peaceful and happy moments gazing at the Golden Gate Bridge and making outings to the botanical gardens and other beautiful scenic spots in San Francisco. With the support of a brace on his right leg, Thay has begun to put more weight through the right side of his body and is training to become gradually more independent in terms of balance and standing. He continues to practice walking every day, for several hours per day, with the support of his physiotherapist and monastic attendants, who are receiving expert guidance and training.

We are inspired by Thay’s spiritual vitality, his strong perseverance, and his immense will that has directed his recovery from the start. Thay is teaching us that he does not appreciate pity; he appreciates practice – and is sensitive to the mindfulness and true presence of everyone around him. We are learning from Thay’s great dignity in accepting what he has. We can see in his whole way of being that, for Thay, what he has is enough. This does not hold us back, however, from doing everything we can to support his recovery; nor does it hold Thay back from diligently re-training body and mind. We are reminded of Thay’s powerful calligraphy phrase: “This is it”.

In our efforts to support Thay’s recovery, we are grounding our practice in our acceptance of the present moment, embracing it just as it is, without fear for the future, nor regrets about the past. Thay has always reminded us that the Buddha was a human being. Thay is grappling with this human challenge and we, his spiritual continuation, are always at his side. We can be at peace because we know all of us are doing our best to practice and to be there for our Teacher.

We feel deeply that Thay’s physical recovery is inextricably linked to the health and flourishing of our fourfold spiritual family. This has been evident in the recent ordination of twenty young men and women into the “Redwood Ordination Family”. Nine were ordained in Thailand, and another ten ordained in Plum Village, from Ireland, France, Holland, Italy, Indonesia and Australia. These novices ordained because they are inspired by the strength of Thay’s Sangha Body and his living Dharma Body of teachings and practices. As a community, we are taking care of every aspect of Thay’s body because we see deeply that he is not just in San Francisco. We can see his Sangha Body thriving a little bit everywhere, in ourselves, in each of the new novices, and in everyone. Thay’s vision of the next Buddha manifesting as a Sangha is being realized.

We would like to express our deep gratitude to our spiritual family for being there, practicing wholeheartedly wherever you are. Each one of us is a cell in Thay’s Sangha Body, and we contribute to taking care of Thay by coming home to take care of ourselves, our practice and our loved ones. In this way we are a beautiful, active cell in Thay’s Sangha Body and Dharma Body.

Thank you for being there for us. We are here for you.
Wishing you all a peaceful holiday season,

With love and trust,
The Monks and Nuns of Plum Village

Good evening!

Please consider offering yourself and others some seasonal stillness and silence this Saturday. We will gather from 9:45 to 3:15, focusing our practice on the gifts of giving and of receiving. There will be sitting and walking meditation, Sutra service, deep relaxation, a reading and discussions.We will have a mindful meal – please bring a bag lunch.

Following our current path of exploring “Joyfully Together,” we will consider our experiences of offering and receiving as a practice. We can begin with something as straightforward as the ways in which we engage in tea meditation on Thursday evenings.

This is a such a timely practice! So many seeds to water! Please respond to wwsangha[at]gmail.com if you are planning to attend.

Once again, dusk envelopes us in the early afternoon

Dear friends –

As mentioned in our last post, Plum Village is encouraging us all to participate in any way we can in Climate Change Prayer activities over the next weeks. http://plumvillage.org/news/call-to-action-peoples-climate-prayer/

This Sunday, November 29, the One Earth Sangha will be gathering under the banner “BUDDHISTS ACTING FOR THE PROTECTION OF ALL BEINGS” You can meet up at 12:45 near Pacific Centre Mall at Georgia and Howe
find the banner in the march itself.

As dusk arrives in the sky, on the mountains and oceans and rivers, the  earth and all that inhabit it….

Dear friends –

On Thursday evening we practiced walking and sitting meditation and tea meditation. We read together a letter written by Sister Mai Nghiem who is a French citizen who has practiced for many years with the Plum Village Sangha and is currently practicing in Deer Park Monastery. She was here in British Columbia earlier this year and perhaps you met her then. Here is her letter:

Dear President Hollande

After reading the letter together, we had Dharma discussion and shared our own responses to the attacks in France.

Also, we can read and listen to teachings from Thich Nhat Hanh – especially those following the attacks in the USA on September 11, 2001. Transcripts of two talks are in the links below.

http://www.mindfulnessbell.org/wp/2013/04/dharma-talk-cultivating-compassion-responding-to-violence/

http://dharmagates.org/embracing_anger.html

When we are in the midst of pain and suffering, it is wonderful to be able to go to the Plum Village website (plumvillage.org), to the Mindfulness Bell website (mindfulnessbell.org) and also to Deer Park Monastery website (deerparkmonastery.org). There are Dharma talks and writings both recent and from the past that may support our practice.

May all beings be safe and free from injury.

Good afternoon dear friends –

Waves and Water Sangha has been exploring a practice of being “Joyfully Together” over the last weeks. As fall transitions to winter – and this year to the next – we have opportunities to gather for practice in its many different forms. Sometimes two or three of us meet to sit and chant together. Sometimes five or six of us join with family and friends for a Ceremony for the Deceased or a Blessing Ceremony for a child. We travel together to retreats and we offer soup and rides and housekeeping services to each other when we are ill or hurt.

Over the next six weeks we have several opportunities for practice together.

Saturday, November 21: Waves and Water Caretaking Council

The Waves and Water Caretaking Council meets to share our experiences of practice in the Sangha and to discuss matters related to programming, finances, regular caretaking responsibilities on Thursday evenings and training opportunities. We encourage you to let the Council members know if you have any contributions, ideas or concerns you would like to share.

http://wavesandwater.org/site/about/

Sunday, November 29: Global Climate March

The Plum Village Sangha is encouraging us all to participate in Global Climate March on November 29, one day before the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris.

In Vancouver, many people will be gathering at 1:00 at the Vancouver Art Gallery. We will post more information on exactly where Sangha members may travel or meet together to participate.

http://plumvillage.org/news/call-to-action-peoples-climate-prayer/

Saturday, December 12: Day of Mindfulness

We will practice together from 9:45 to 3:15 – Exploring the gift of giving and the gift of receiving. Please bring a bag lunch and join us for this celebration of the season.

Thursday, December 24: There will be no regular Sangha gathering.

Thursday, December 31: Sitting and Chanting for Peace

For the last three years, on New Year’s Eve, members of Waves and Water Sangha have joined Mountain Rain Community and other Sanghas that practice in the Wall Street Zendo to chant and sit. We begin sitting at 7:00 and end with 108 bells that finish at midnight. Sitting periods of 40 minutes are followed by walking meditation and chanting. Everyone is welcome to join at any point and leave at any point in the evening.

http://www.mountainrainzen.org/events/2015/12/31/new-years-eve-sitting-and-chanting-for-peace-on-earth

Good morning dear friends –

Trees are changing colour, impermanently we experience times of earlier darkness and beautiful big morning moons…. Our practice has so many Dharma doors….

DAY OF MINDFULNESS: On Saturday, October 10, we have the opportunity to gather for a Day of Mindfulness. During difficult times, we can forget to offer thanks for all the fruits of our practice. To live in the world, with our hearts undisturbed by the world, is a great happiness and we will nourish our connection with all beings during the day. Please arrive by 9:45 and remember to bring a bag lunch! We will complete this day at 3:00

PEOPLE OF COLOUR RETREAT, SEATTLE On Friday, Saturday, Sunday October 23, 24, 25th the Mindfulness Community of Puget Sound will host a non-residential retreat with Dr. Larry Ward, a Dharma Teacher ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh and an ordained Christian Minister. The theme of this retreat is “The Alchemy of Grief: Turning Suffering into Light”. The recent and continuing events in the news may have inflamed the generational suffering in our bones. This retreat will explore how Buddhist Psychology and its practices can aid in the process of healing and transforming both our individual and collective suffering into insight and compassion. Participants will experience meditations, Dharma talks and individual/group reflections. For more information: https://dharmagate.wufoo.com/forms/m1ap2lb319l6bvi/

Good evening dear friends –

This message was sent out from Plum Village yesterday:

Plum Village, France
September 8, 2015

To all Plum Village Practice Centers,
To all Practice Centers and Sanghas worldwide,
To our Dear Beloved Friends,

It has been two months now since Thay arrived in America, with the hope of getting more intensive treatment to recover from his stroke. Thanks to the incredible support of our Beloved Community we have been able to obtain the very best doctors and therapists for Thay, across all treatment modalities. We are happy to be able to share that Thay is benefitting from the best of Western, Eastern, conventional, and alternative medical approaches. Thay is receiving acupuncture every day, as well as physical therapy, speech therapy, osteopathy, and neurofeedback, with the support and oversight of a phenomenal team of doctors at UCSF.

With Thay’s advanced age, the severity of the hemorrhage, as well as various complex health issues, recovery is extremely challenging. When Thay first started physical therapy, Thay was very engaged and enthusiastic with his therapists and the program that they had created for him. Preparing for Thay’s sessions of physical therapy, we could all feel the joyful determination in his body language. We would tell him, “Thay, let’s get ready for physical therapy” and Thay would raise his fist in the air and smile, as if to say “Let’s go!”

However, the level of fatigue and physical discomfort that Thay was experiencing when we first arrived in the US limited his ability to participate in the sessions. With the help of the whole team of doctors and therapists we have been able create an integrated program of treatment which allows Thay to have restful sleep, and more alertness, ease and peace in his body, enabling him to more fully participate in the sessions of therapy.

A recent breakthrough has been that whilst using a partial weight support walking frame, Thay’s right leg has started to make small movements, initiating the stepping motion.

Thay has received training from three different speech therapists over the last two months, one of whom was able to help Thay speak his first words since the stroke. It was a legendary day. We are happy to be able to share his very first words:

In, out (several times)
Happy (several times)
Thank you (several times)

and “Vui quá” (meaning, “So happy,” in Vietnamese)

It was like a guided meditation. Everyone was crying and laughing at the same time, including Thay.

Unfortunately, as the speech therapist who helped him to achieve this breakthrough lives far from San Francisco, she had to go back home after three days and Thay lost some momentum. We have tried a number of other speech therapists but have not been able to maintain Thay’s initial rapid progress. We are still looking for a local speech therapist, ideally fluent in Vietnamese, who would be able to work with Thay several times per week.

Besides all the medical treatments and therapy, Thay has been able to enjoy the Bay Area, going to visit the beach at least twice a week, enjoying beautiful views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge, being in touch with nature and the wonderful fresh Pacific air. Every day Thay continues to remind us to enjoy the wonders of life, often pointing at the blue sky and helping us come back to the present moment. Sometimes Thay playfully switches roles with the doctors and therapists, putting a finger on his lips and inviting them to stop. In these moments he often indicates for us to prepare tea so his doctors can have a chance to enjoy a cup of tea in mindfulness. One therapist knelt down by his side, looking out of the window and began to cry silently. She later shared with us that it was perhaps the first time in her life that she had really stopped and appreciated the blue of the sky.

A very good friend of Thay’s came to visit and shared his own experience of balancing his intention to live in the present moment with the natural wish for a loved one to recover as much as they can. He said that every moment with Thay is a “bonus moment,” and that all we have to do is cherish these bonus moments. Every moment that Thay has to breathe, to smile, and to enjoy the blue sky is indeed a bonus moment, reminding us all to appreciate life fully, without expectation, peacefully accepting things as they manifest.

This is the spirit in which we have been continuing our large mindfulness retreats, both in Europe and now in the United States. We know that it has long been Thay’s deepest wish to build a Beloved Community of practitioners, and it has been powerful and joyful for thousands of us to come together and realise that dream in France, Germany and now here at Blue Cliff Monastery in New York, where we have just finished a 5-day retreat. We have generated a strong collective energy in our silent sitting meditations under starlit skies, and in our walking meditations along streams and forest paths. We have sung together, laughed together, cried together, and celebrated the miracle of community. We see so clearly our Teacher’s presence here with us at this retreat; he is not only in San Francisco. As Thay said in 2009 when for health reasons he could not be at the retreat in Colorado:

The presence of the Sangha carries Thay’s presence. Please let me walk with your strong feet, breathe with your healthy lungs and smile with your beautiful smiles.

With great gratitude we thank you for keeping your practice alive, with your mindful breathing, your mindful steps, and your gentle smiles. When we come together to generate a strong collective energy of mindfulness, compassion and insight, we are manifesting Thay’s vision for our collective future. Together we are discovering ways to continue Thay’s legacy of bringing peace, happiness and healing to ourselves and the world.

Please join us at our retreats and events in the US this fall: tnhtour.org

With love and trust,

The Plum Village Monks and Nuns

Future official reports on Thay’s recovery will be posted from time to time at plumvillage.org, langmai.org, villagedespruniers.org, and www.facebook.com/thichnhathanh.

Dear Friends

Our third non-residential retreat – Silence, Stillness, Sangha – is only one weekend away. Please let us know if you are planning to attend – this will support our planning process. You will find more information concerning the retreat as well as the registration form at : http://wavesandwater.org/site/retreats-2

On Saturday evening, there will be an opportunity for participants to receive or renew the Three Refuges and Five Mindfulness Trainings. You may also receive a Dharma name at that time. If you are interested, please contact us at wwsangha@gmail.com as soon as possible.

Tomorrow evening, Thursday, we will be reciting the Trainings and Sangha members who have participated in the Ceremony will be sharing their experiences – including their decision to receive the Training and the consequences of this on their lives and practice. You are warmly invited to attend, especially if you are curious about formally receiving the Mindfulness Trainings. We will discuss what it means to “study, practice, and observe” them. We will especially discuss how they are aspirational in the context of our lives and how it is possible to receive one or two or three or four or five Trainings.