JOIN US for ONLINE sangha
MONDAY december 23, 7:00pm - 8:30pm EST
susie will facilitate
Meditation Schedule
Adopt a family for the holidays
deadline is Tuesday, December 10
Through the Adopt-A-Family project, children and their mothers share their holiday gift wish lists, and donors have the opportunity to purchase gifts directly from these lists or donate gift cards. This is Opening Heart’s fourth year supporting this heartfelt initiative.
HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE:
This year, we aim to adopt five families with a total of 13 children—six girls, six boys, and one soon-to-be-born child.
Here are some ways you can contribute:
- Adopt an entire family or provide gifts to multiple families.
- Collaborate with others if you'd like to share in adopting a family, as some members have done in previous years.
-Share the cost of any pricier gifts with fellow donors.
- Donate gift cards, which are always welcomed.
Organizations we support
VOLAR’s mission is to co-create a cooperative community in East Baltimore owned by Black and Brown people … built through the reclamation of land, healing, reconnecting and building a base of community power.
Learn how VOLAR has evolved and where it is going — and how you can be a part of this incredible initiative.
LEARN MORE
Engaged Buddhism / Deep Listening to our Differences
by Annie Mahon
In this article we explore the transformative art of deep listening while door knocking in the lead up to the US election from Annie Mahon, an engaged practitioner and Dharma teacher in The Plum Village Tradition.
New book release from friend of our sangha, Magda Cabrero:
WALKING ON EARTH WITH THICH NHAT HANH: My Experiences with Silence & The Sanctuaries & Kindred Spirits I Found in Many Places
by Dr. Magda De La Paz Cabrero
First Mindfulness Bell article in Spanish:
Inhabiting Interbeing / Habitando el Interser
We're so excited The Mindfulness Bell has published their first article in Spanish!
All are invited to join our community
Mindfulness is being here now, with kindness and open hearted curiosity.
The Opening Heart Mindfulness Community is open to everyone and meets to practice sitting and walking meditation and discuss mindfulness-related topics every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at Circle Yoga. We practice together in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
No previous mindfulness or meditation experience necessary.
No registration is required, and there is no fee to attend. Donations are joyfully accepted to support this and other similar programs Sitting meditation can be done on the floor or in a chair.
In consideration of those who have chemical sensitivities, we ask that you do not wear any fragrances (including essential oils) while attending Opening Heart meditation events.
Making-Visible
The Opening Heart Mindfulness Community created this special sangha to build awareness on the issues of social injustice facing our country and the world today.
Dear friends,
This week, we will meet Monday evening, December 23th, from 7-8:30PM EST online; Wednesday morning, Dec 25th, from 7-8AM EST in person at our meditation space (3812 Northampton Street NW); and Friday, Dec 27th, 12-1PM EST online.
On Monday night Susie will facilitate. Susie shares:
When a friend asks for help in a challenging situation or complains about something in their life, I listen deeply and ask if they want my input. If they do, I will likely respond with a suggestion, which sometimes my friend resists because they only want to repeat their story. They may be unaware that they are repeating the same story and the acting out of the same habit energies. They may have a blindspot.
I think about my own blindspots: What am I resistant to? What suggestion has a friend offered that I couldn’t receive because I wasn’t ready, and I just wanted to repeat the story I have told for decades?