Mindfulnesskc

New Events Too Numerous to Mention!

Please take a look at our website, www.mindfulnesskc.org.  We've updated the Upcoming Events section on the left hand side with many opportunities to practice together. 

Please mark your calendar and we look forward to our time together!

New Year's Eve Party

Join us for a New Year's Eve at Christopher's house anytime after 8:00 pm.  Please bring a snack or beverage to share.  Click here to RSVP and for location information.

Happiness: A Daylong Mindfulness Retreat January 16th

The love offering information was left out of the previous email.

Please join us for Happiness:  A daylong mindfulness retreat in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.  We will share practices for attaining real and lasting happiness from his new book by the same name.  Please join us at Unity Temple on the Plaza, Classroom C from 9 am - 4 pm on Saturday, January 16, 2010.  Unity is located at 707 W 47th Street, Kansas City, MO 64112. RSVP here.

The retreat is offered on a love offering basis.  $35 - $90 is suggested for the day.  RSVP here.

Please bring a sack lunch, a blanket and your meditation pillow, if you have one.  You may also order lunch from Eden Alley. Hot tea will be provided. RSVP here.

Happiness: A Daylong Mindfulness Retreat January 16th

Please join us for Happiness:  A daylong mindfulness retreat in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.  We will share practices for attaining real and lasting happiness from his new book by the same name.  Please join us at Unity Temple on the Plaza, Classroom C from 9 am - 4 pm, Saturday, January 16, 2010.  Unity is located at 707 W 47th Street, Kansas City, MO 64112. RSVP here.

The retreat is offered on a love offering basis.  $35 - $90 is suggested for the day.  RSVP here.

Please bring a sack lunch, a blanket and your meditation pillow, if you have one.  You may also order lunch from Eden Alley. Hot tea will be provided. RSVP here.

Join Us for Eating Meditation on Monday, 11/30 at Cafe Seed

Mindful eating is a joyful practice, and even more so with friends.  It's another way to take meditation off the cushion and into daily life.  We begin by breathing and smiling with our friends.  How fortunate we are to gather in an atmosphere of friendship and understanding!  This is an important practice to develop at home.  Then, we look deeply into our food.  Think about this:  our food contains earth, sky, rain, compost, energies of the farm and the cook, and much more.  But, it also contains much suffering.  There are many in this world who go hungry because of our abundance.  This is interbeing.  When I see the world through my dinner plate,  I am filled with gratitude at my great fortune and filled with compassion for those without nourishing food, friends and family.  

In some Buddhist traditions, meditation is ended by offering the merit of the practice to the benefit of all beings. That is, the seeds of compassion, love and understanding are watered, so that we may live in a way that brings joy and relieves suffering.  Practice eating meditation for a while, and see what compassion bubbles up in you.  

We will gather on Monday November 30th at 5:30 pm at Cafe Seed, 2932 Cherry St.  We are ordering off their delicious vegan menu.  RSVP here.

Day of Mindfulness in Nebraska on November 7

Dear Friends,

 

We will be having our fall Day of Mindfulness (DOM) on Saturday, November 7.  Please RSVP if you plan to attend so we can plan accommodations. Please pass along to interested parties.  I attached a picture from a previous DOM to show you the beauty of the space we will be using.

 

Blessings,

Mike

A daylong meditation retreat in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh

Throughout the day, we will nourish our mindfulness and calm through sitting, walking and eating meditation and gentle silence 

Saturday November 7, 2009

10am - 4pm

At our friend's cabin on the Platte River,

midway between Omaha and Lincoln (directions below)

We have a limited number of cushions for sitting meditation, so if you have one please bring it. There will be chairs available.  Also please bring, a sack lunch, a blanket to rest your knees or bottom on (the floor is hardwood), and warm clothes for outdoor walking meditation. We will provide tea and water. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

If you'd like to bring a poem or prayer or story or song to share at the tea ceremony, that would be great.  Also it is a time to talk about our experience of the day, something about ourselves, our practice, etc, so you don't need to bring anything.

Tentative Schedule

10:00 AM Arrive, Settle in, Intro to retreat

10:30AM Silent Sitting and Walking Meditation

11:00 AM Guided Sitting Meditation

11:20 AM Outdoor Walking Meditation (Weather Permitting)

12:00 Noon Eating Meditation- Silent Sack Lunch

1:00 PM Mindful Movement

1:15 PM Total relaxation and Touching the Earth

2:15 PM  Dharma talk

3:00 PM  Tea Meditation

4:00 PM  End of retreat

Location: 

Some friends have loaned us the use of their lovely cabin on the Platte River. The western wall of the cabin is all windows showing the Platte gently flowing by.  It will be a very soothing environment.  Also great for outdoor walking meditation (Dress warm).The floor is hardwood and there is a rug covering a portion of it, so good to bring a blanket to sit on.  We will bring the cushions we usually use for meditation.

Directions to Cabin

Take I-80 to Mahoney state park exit.

Driving from Lincoln, go Right/South at the Mahoney exit which is just BEFORE you reach the Platte River. 

Driving  from Omaha, go Left/South at the Mahoney is exit which is just AFTER you pass the Platte River.

Take Mahoney exit and head South.

Go three or four miles to South Bend
Go through South Bend
Continue about a half mile
Take the first left. (It's  at the foot of a hill, and just before the bridge)

Go through gate "Middle Island"
Keep right  and go about two miles.
you'll go around a curve and the river will be on your right.
You'll pass a number of cabins on the left

Ours is the first cabin on the right (cedar wood)

Thich Nhat Hanh Film Series in Columbia

White Cloud Blue Sky Sangha*

 

Mindfulness Practice and Gathering

In the Tradition of Zen** Master Thich Nhat Hanh

In Columbia, Missouri

 

When:  Third TUESDAYS, 7-9 pm

 

Thich Nhat Hanh Film Series

Interviews, Public Talks, and Dharma Talks

 

When:  Second TUESDAYS, 7 pm

Where:  COLUMBIA INTERFAITH CENTER

4006 West Broadway, Columbia

 

For more information or to be added to e-mail notification list:

Win@GraceFamilyMusic.com * (573) 443-2819

Information about this practice tradition: www.PlumVillage.org

 

Donations:  Donations will be graciously accepted for room rental and expenses.

 

Both meditation cushions and chairs are available for sitting meditation.

Activities on mindfulness practice night:  Sitting meditation, walking meditation, readings from Thich Nhat Hanh, readings, mindfulness practice songs, tea ceremony, mindful eating, inviting the bell, pebble meditation, mindful movements, dharma discussion, tea and cookies, Five Mindfulness Trainings, total relaxation, touching the earth.

 

Film Night:  We will mainly be viewing the film.  There will be no tea and cookies this night, so feel free to bring your own refreshments. 

 

Sangha* means community.

Zen** This Zen tradition is happy, laughing Zen.

 

    "We lead extremely busy lives. Even though we do not have to do as much manual labor as people in former times, we never seem to have enough time for ourselves. I know people who say they do not even have enough time to eat or breathe, and it appears to me to be true! What can we do about this? Can we take hold of time with both hands and slow it down?

        First, let us light the torch of our awareness and learn again how to drink tea, eat, wash dishes, walk, sit, drive and work in awareness. We do not have to be swept along by circumstances. We are not just a leaf or a log in a rushing river. With awareness, each of our daily acts takes on a new meaning, and we discover that we are more than machines, that our activities are not just mindless repetitions. We find that life is a miracle, the universe is a miracle, and we too are a miracle.

-- Thich Nhat Hanh

Sangha Social and Movie - Sunday November 1st

We will gather at Mario's on Sunday November 1st from 2:00 - 4:30 pm for some fellowship time over food and a movie.  Please bring a snack or hors d'oeuvre to share.  Click here to RSVP and for Mario's address.  See you there!

We will see the movie Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring.

No Sangha on Labor Day

Unity Temple on the Plaza is closed on Labor Day, thus the Heartland Community of Mindful Living will not meet.  See you the next Monday, September 14th.

More on Shining Light Practice...

Brother David-ji, Brother David and Sister Bethany request everyone reflect on how you will support Christopher in his aspiration and ordination during the Shining Light practice tomorrow July 13th.

Here are some questions to ask and then to potentially share with Christopher during the practice:

1. What are Christopher's special gifts, talents, qualities and actions that have nourished or inspired your practice?  During the practice, you are invited to offer up to three ways in the spirit of watering his flower.

2. Is there a beautiful seed that Christopher may not see, or does not water enough, a seed that would benefit him and the greater Sangha?  You may water one one of these seeds following the flower watering above.  If you offer this, do so with the mind and heart of love and compassion. This is the chance to further nourish Christopher's aspiration.  It is not a time to voice grievance, anger, criticism, or judgment, but then that wouldn't be watering a beautiful seed would it?

All participants should emerge from the Shining the Light ceremony with feelings of love and gratitude for our practice together.

Shining the Light practice is a very special occasion.  It is one of Br. David-ji's treasured memories of the aspirant and ordination process. The loving offerings continue to resonate and guide him.