ABOUT OUR PRACTICE

Mindfulness

“Life can be found only in the present moment. The past is gone,the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.”

Through mindfulness, we experience the present moment with an attentive heart in order to enjoy life’s constant unfolding and to reconnect with our true selves. By letting go of judgment, control, negative habit energies, and other distractions, we are able to repose in the fullness of silence. Our life blossoms in meaning and satisfaction as mindfulness is gradually allowed to permeate all aspects of it. There is no failure when practicing mindfulness; only a growing awareness of what does and doesn’t serve us.

Sitting Meditation

“Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts.”

Sitting is the most common form of meditation in Buddhism and other contemplative traditions. Arrange yourself on a cushion or chair, bringing a relaxed awareness to your posture. Rediscover and honor the full natural length of your spine, imagining it as a silken cord stretching from earth to sky. A hand mudra, such as joining the thumb and first finger or cradling the hands, may help keep you both centered and receptive. Place your focus on the breath, following every inhalation and exhalation from beginning to end. While staying with the breath, you may choose to momentarily shift your focus to sensations in different parts of your body or onto an object. You may also extend loving-kindness to others in order to absorb and release their suffering. When thoughts and emotions inevitably arise in the mind, take a moment to acknowledge, identify, and embrace them and then gently turn your attention back to the breath.

Walking Meditation

“I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child - our own two eyes. All is a miracle.”

In walking meditation, the sangha body moves together - silently and mindfully - like a flowing stream. Step in harmony with the rhythms of your natural breath (e.g., taking two steps for the inhale and three steps for the exhale), adjusting your pace as necessary to stay with the group. A short mantra such as “Arrived” or “Home” may help keep you anchored in the present moment. Place awareness in your feet, lighten your body, and feel the earth lift up to caress your soles as they make contact. Keeping the gaze level, trust in your body to find the surest path and protect you. You may want to invite dear ones who cannot join you in physical form to walk with you in spirit.

Compassionate Listening

“When you love someone, the best thing you can offer is your presence. How can you love if you are not there?”

Compassionate listening affords us an ever present opportunity to help alleviate the suffering of a loved one, acquaintance, or even a stranger. Retire to the quietest and most peaceful environment you can, preferably in nature or near flowers. Breathe together, then allow the other to share without interrupting or reacting. [Any wrong perceptions can be discussed later.] Giving someone your full attention and creating a sacred space for them to unburden their heart is a rare gift which reflects your appreciation of them and the relationship. A related practice - selective watering of one another’s positive qualities (e.g., thanking them for their kindness or loyalty) - allows our innate beauty, understanding, and love to thrive.

Mindful Eating

“Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos - the trees, the clouds, everything.”

Mindful eating elevates a simple meal into a spiritual experience as you reflect on every element - earth, air, water, sunshine, vegetable, animal, human - and action necessary to manifest the meal. Thus, come to recognize each apple or grain of rice you ingest as a microcosm of the universe. Especially if you are consuming animal products, vow to use the energy they provide to benefit others.

The Five Mindfulness Trainings

According to the Plum Village website, The Five Mindfulness Trainings are one of the most concrete ways to practice mindfulness. They are nonsectarian, and their nature is universal. They are true practices of compassion and understanding. All spiritual traditions have their equivalent to the Five Mindfulness Trainings.

The first training is to protect life, to decrease violence in oneself, in the family and in society. The second training is to practice social justice, generosity, not stealing and not exploiting other living beings. The third is the practice of responsible sexual behavior in order to protect individuals, couples, families and children. The fourth is the practice of deep listening and loving speech to restore communication and reconcile. The fifth is about mindful consumption, to help us not bring toxins and poisons into our body or mind.

“Practicing the mindfulness trainings helps us be more calm and concentrated, and brings more insight and enlightenment.” (from Happiness: Essential Mindfulness Practices [2009])

The Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings

According to the Plum Village website, The Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings are a modern distillation of the traditional Bodhisattva precepts of Mahayana Buddhism, and were created by Thich Nhat Hanh in Saigon in 1966. Monastics and lay friends who have made a vow in a formal ceremony, to receive, study and observe these fourteen trainings are known as “Members of the Order of Interbeing.”

“These Fourteen Trainings outline a way of practicing harmoniously in community followed by residents at all of the international monastic practice centers in the Plum Village tradition. There are now more than 2,000 lay- men and women Members of the Order of Interbeing active in local communities worldwide.”

The Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings are:

Openness
Non-Attachment to Views
Freedom of Thought
Awareness of Suffering
Compassionate, Healthy Living
Taking Care of Anger
Dwelling Happily in the Present Moment
True Community and Communication
Truthful and Loving Speech
Protecting and Nourishing the Sangha
Right Livelihood
Reverence for Life
Generosity
True Love