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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.

On Saturday, January 21, from 1:30-3:30, a few folk will be gathering at the meditation hall to learn and practice the small bell and big bell used for sitting and walking meditation as well as for the Five Mindfulness Training Recitation Ceremony. EVERYONE interested in bells and chanting is welcome! No one attending this gathering will be asked to sound bells or lead chants during Sangha unless they are comfortable!

Those who attend the first gathering will be able to attend follow-up gatherings as well as we gradually become more confident in our practice and move toward sharing our practice with the Sangha.

If you cannot attend the first gathering but are really interested, let Bethan know at wwsangha [at] gmail [dot] com and we will see what we can work out!

Waves and Water Sangha will hold a Day of Mindfulness on Saturday, February 11, in our Thursday Night meditation hall.

We will begin at 10:00 – please arrive by 9:50 so we can begin with the bell! And we will finish close to 3:45. PLEASE BRING A BAG LUNCH. There will be tea!

We will practice sitting and walking and eating meditation. We will practice deep relaxation. And our Dharma study will focus on TAKING REFUGE. What does it mean to us, personally, when we chant “I take refuge in the Buddha. . . . the Dharma. . . . the Sangha” at the end of the Five Mindfulness Trainings Recitation Ceremony? We will look closely at the words of the chant, practice chanting it together and then share in Dharma discussion.

Please let us know if you are planning to attend – everyone is welcome!

Check www.wavesandwater.org for directions and more information about the Sangha. If you would like to get these kinds of e-mails from Waves and Water Sangha please SUBSCRIBE VIA EMAIL on the home page.

The North Shore Mindfulness Community will host a Day of Mindfulness on Sunday, January 22 from 10:00 to 3:30. It will include a potluck lunch.

Please RSVP to janbob835@hotmail.com Janice and Bob are available for responses and questions right now but  they will be on retreat just before January 22 and would appreciate an early response.

Waves and Water Sangha has a blog attached to the website. We’re not sure what will happen here – but we can begin by thanking Bethan’s son, Jacob Zimmer.

He sat with Bethan first on Skype to discuss what was involved in the process. Then, they worked together at his dining room table in Toronto as he communicated with the site administrator about an early problem and did some of the structural work before teaching Bethan some of the development and maintenance work. Thank you, Jacob!