Sunday December 26
We will recite the 14 Mindfulness Trainings and perhaps sing a few Buddhaful carols, along with our usual meditation and Dharma sharing. Marge will facilitate.
💗🎋
practicing mindfulness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh
Sunday December 19
Dear friends,
On Sunday, I will offer a practice entitled “Touching the Earth to Mother Earth”, based on texts from Thay’s book Love Letters to the Earth (2013). “Touching the Earth” is the name Thay has given to the practice of combining a contemplative text with a deep, mindful, full-body prostration on the ground. Touching the Earth is part of the daily mindfulness practice in Plum Village practice centers around the world, and is usually done after a session of sitting meditation. The whole community touches the earth at the same time after having heard the text being read. We allow the words to fall gently like rain, and slowly penetrate our consciousness, where they can bring about insight, deep healing and transformation. The collective energy of concentration is very powerful and has the capacity to bring healing and transformation. The practice of Touching the Earth deepens over time. For anyone who is unable to do a full body prostration, an alternative version will be demonstrated. I look forward to sharing this beautiful practice with each of you.
Here is a beautiful quote from Thay:
"When we look into our own bodily formation, we see Mother Earth inside us, and so the whole universe is inside us, too. Once we have this insight of interbeing, it is possible to have real communication, real communion, with the Earth. This is the highest possible form of prayer. To express our reverence for the Earth is not to deify her or believe she is any more sacred than ourselves. It is to love her, to take care of her and to take refuge in her. When we suffer, the Earth embraces us, accepts us, and restores our energy, making us strong and stable again. The relief that we seek is right under our feet and all around us. Much of our suffering can be healed if we realize this. If we understand our deep connection and relationship with the Earth, we will have enough love, strength, and awakening to look after ourselves and the Earth so that we both can thrive.”
Flowers to all,
Donna
🙏💗
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