Monday, October 13, we will meet online.
Dear friends,
This week, we will meet Monday evening, October 13th, from 7-8:30PM ET online; Wednesday morning, October 15th, from 7-8AM ET in person at our meditation space (3812 Northampton Street NW); and Friday, October 17th, 12-1PM ET online.
On Monday night, Marie will facilitate our gathering. She shares:
One of the many gifts of facilitating sangha is the opportunity to choose a topic that we can explore together. This week, amidst the tumult of all that is going on in this world and in this country, I am drawn to two questions that affect my equilibrium—and perhaps yours:
How does your practice support you? And, how do you support your practice?
Over the years, my practice has ebbed and flowed in a myriad of ways, landing right here where it is today. And I know it will be different tonight, and again, tomorrow. Sometimes, I find the word “should” creeping into my inner dialogue about practicing, and I might judge myself based on some metrics around my practice (e.g., Did I sit? For how long? How was it?) At other times, I relax into the “art of resting,” as Rinpoche Anam Thubten describes in this excerpt from his article on Shambhala. This and nourishes me at my roots:
This kind of message is not really a new message. It’s a very old message, an age-old message. The message is that if we just rest in this natural state of consciousness, in this very present moment, then this awareness, the enlightened mind, often manifests spontaneously. Enlightenment happens unexpectedly, in the same way that we are often struck with wonder when we see whales jumping from the surface of the ocean. They take our breath away. Throughout the ages these kinds of experiences have often been experienced by meditators. This is frequently noted in the Buddhist tradition. The beauty of this is that it doesn’t require any special methodology or any special training. It often happens when we are least expecting it. Inner rest is the sacred ground on which we meet the light of enlightenment. This knowledge is inherent in all of us. That fact is indicated by the beautiful Buddhist metaphor of a hopeless, exhausted traveler who has suddenly and unexpectedly found soothing shade beneath a beautiful tree in the middle of a vast desert. The tree and shade symbolize the Dharma, or the path to enlightenment. In that sense, the path to enlightenment is utterly simple, although it may not always be easy. So there are no true excuses for us not to be ready to experience this mind. Every excuse is totally invalid and simply an example of the ego’s resistance. Actually, we all know how to awaken because we all know how to rest.
Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) teaches that we practice on the cushion so that we can live more skillfully when we’re off of it. What helps me to be a more grounded, joyful, and engaged participant in this world? Certainly not “shoulding” myself about my practice. Conversely, when I notice what has supported my practice or how practicing has affected my thoughts and actions, this brings me ease, hope, energy, and more. This feeling is rather like how I feel when I have been able to practice with the Five Mindfulness Trainings.
On Monday night, I hope you will join me in exploring these questions at a granular level. When we remember specific details about how we chose to practice and/or how that practice supported us, we water wholesome seeds within and without. The experiences that we share might help others to experiment and “freshen their practice,” a gift Thay encouraged us to give to ourselves.
I look forward to being together and learning from each other.
With love and a bow,
Marie