a community of practice in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh
Noble Silence - We practice noble silence from when you enter the meditation hall until after the final period of walking meditation.
Bowing – As a mindfulness practice we bow when entering the meditation hall, to our cushion before we sit, to each other before and after speaking, and to the alter after sharing the merit.
Walking - Whenever possible we walk in right angles to the alter.
Sitting meditation:
Sitting meditation is like returning home to give full attention to and care for our self. Like the peaceful image of the Buddha on the altar, we too can radiate peace and stability. We sit upright with dignity, and return to our breathing. We bring our full attention to what is within and around us. We let our mind become spacious and our heart soft and kind.
Sitting meditation is very healing. We realize we can just be with whatever is within us- our pain, anger, and irritation, or our joy, love, and peace. We are with whatever is there without being carried away by it. Let it come, let it stay, then let it go. No need to push, to oppress, or to pretend our thoughts are not there. Observe the thoughts and images of our mind with an accepting and loving eye. We are free to be still and calm despite the storms that might arise in us.
If our legs or feet fall asleep or begin to hurt during the sitting, we are free to adjust our position quietly. We can maintain our concentration by following our breathing and slowly, and attentively change our posture.
Walking Meditation:
In between sessions of sitting meditation, we practice Kinh Hanh, which is indoor walking meditation. We take one step with each in-breath and each out-breath. Aware of the Sangha around us, we feel in harmony with the larger body. Everybody is moving together, slowly, and mindfully. When in public or for outdoor meditation, we may choose to take two or three steps for every in breath and out breath.
Wherever we walk, we can practice meditation. This means that we know that we are walking. We walk just for walking. We walk with freedom and solidity, no longer in a hurry. We are present with each step.
Walking in this way should not be a privilege. We should be able to do it in every moment. Look around and see how vast life is, the trees, the white clouds, the limitless sky. Listen to the birds. Feel the fresh breeze. Life is all around and we are alive and healthy and capable of walking in peace.
Let us walk as a free person and feel our steps get lighter. Let us enjoy every step we make. Each step is nourishing and healing. As we walk, imprint our gratitude and our love on the earth.
We may like to use a gatha as we walk:
Breathing in "I have arrived"; Breathing out "I am home"
Breathing in "In the here"; Breathing out "In the now"
Breathing in "I am solid"; Breathing out "I am free"
Breathing in "In the ultimate"; Breathing out "I dwell"
Touching the Earth:
When we touch the Earth, we breathe in all the strength and stability of the Earth, and breathe out our suffering- our feelings of anger, hatred, fear, inadequacy and grief.
Our hands join to form a lotus bud and we gently lower ourselves to the ground so that all four limbs and our forehead are resting comfortably on the floor. While we are Touching the Earth we turn our palms face up, showing our openness to the three jewels, the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.
For those who may be new to dharma discussion, I wanted to share a few guidelines taken from the True Peace Sangha in Toronto:
"Dharma sharing is an opportunity to benefit from each other’s insights and experience of the practice. It is a special time for us to share our experiences, our joys, our difficulties, and our questions relating to the practice of mindfulness. We may wish to share our insights or experience with the Dharma reading or Dharma talk that we are about to hear, or with any of the meditations in the first half of the meditation session.
We can help to create a calm and receptive environment by practicing deep listening while others are speaking. We contribute to the collective insight and understanding of the Sangha by learning to speak out about our happiness and our difficulties in the practice. Dharma sharing is therefore a valuable practice where we may realize that others share similar difficulties and aspirations. Sitting, listening, and sharing together, we recognize our true connections to one another and we realize that our problems are not unique."
The guidelines for Dharma sharing protect each other and offer direction towards clear and compassionate communication:
Thich Nhat Hanh has developed exercises called Mindful Movements. These simple, deep motions, based in yoga and tai-chi, have been taught and practiced in Plum Village for over two decades. In our sangha we practice the first three, explained below.
“The Mindful Movements are another wonderful way of connecting your mind and body in mindfulness. They are a way to touch the sky, to smile at your own body, and to touch your heart. When you do them, please enjoy each part of each movement. They are not like aerobics, where you have to move as quickly as possible. There is no need to rush. When I do them, I find I cannot help smiling. I hope they bring you joy."
1. Lifting Your Arms
Begin with your feet slightly apart, arms at your sides. Breathing in, keep your elbows straight as you lift your arms in front of you until they're shoulder level, horizontal to the ground. Breathing out, bring your arms down again to your sides. Repeat the movement three more times.
2. Touch the Sky!
This movement can be done with your palms either facing inward, toward each other, or facing out to the front as you reach up to the sky. Breathing in, lift your arms in front of you and bring them all the way up, stretching them above your head. Touch the sky! Breathing out, bring your arms slowly down again to your sides. Repeat three more times.
3. Open Like a Flower
Breathing in, lift your arms out to the side, palms up, until your arms are horizontal to the ground. Breathing out, touch your shoulders with your fingertips, keeping your upper arms horizontal. Breathing in, open your arms, extending them until they're stretched out to a horizontal position again. Breathing out, bend your elbows, bringing your fingertips back to your shoulders. When you breathe in, you are like a flower opening to the warm sun. Breathing out, the flower closes. From this position with your fingertips back at your shoulders, do the movement three more times. Then lower your arms back down to your sides.