This Sunday, December 2nd

The topic will be Practicing Happiness.  Pete will lead us and he advises folks to bring a smile.

From “Be Free Where You Are,” by Thich Nhat Hanh:

“In the exercise 'breathing in, I smile,' you may ask: Why should I smile when there is no joy in me? The answer to that is: Smiling is a practice. There are over three hundred muscles in your face. When you are angry or fearful, these muscles tense up. The tension in these muscles creates a feeling of hardness. If you know how to breathe in and produce a smile, however, the tension will disappear- it’s what I call 'mouth yoga.' Make smiling an exercise. Just breathe in and smile – the tension will disappear and you will feel much better.

There are times when your joy produces a smile. There are also times when a smile causes relaxation, calm and joy. I do not wait until there is joy in me to smile; joy will come later. Sometimes when I’m alone in my room in the dark, I practice smiling to myself. I do this to be kind to myself, to take good care of myself, to love myself. I know that if I can’t take care of myself I can’t take care of anyone else. Being compassionate to yourself is a very important practice. When you are tired, angry or in despair, you should know how to go back to yourself and take care of your tiredness, your anger, and your despair. That is why we practice smiling, mindful walking and breathing and mindful eating.”

We will meet in room 113 at the UU Church.

This Sunday, November 25th

Keith will lead us in reciting the Five Mindfulness Trainings.  We will also focus on Cultivating the Mind of Love as a practice for self transformation and serving our world.

We'll be meeting in room 323 at the UU Church.

This Sunday, November 18th

Loretta will be facilitating sangha and will be doing a "Touching the Earth" Ceremony.  Please bring a yoga mat, towel, or blanket on which to lie while touching the earth.  She will also be doing a mini deep relaxation mediation, so wear clothing that is comfortable for these activities.  Fortunately, we will have extra space to spread out since we will be meeting in Bard Hall on this Sunday which is in the large room on the main floor (there will be signs pointing the way). As always, sharing our practice strengthens it, so we look forward to seeing you there.

This Sunday, November 11th

We will meet in Room 323 at the UU Church.

Heather will be facilitating this week but as several of us will be fresh from a weekend retreat at Deer Park on strengthening the sangha builder, the topic is open to allow for sharing insight from the retreat.

This Sunday, November 4th

Pete will lead us in dealing with strong emotions.

We will be meeting in Room 113 in the long building across the campus from our regular building at the UU Church.