Monday, December 2, we will meet in person.
Go to calendar for our schedule
Address for OHMC meditation space:
3812 Northampton St. NW, Washington DC 20015
Please arrive a few minutes early so we can invite the bell on time. You may also arrive 15 minutes early to practice working meditation by helping us set up cushions.
New to sangha?
This Monday we are offering an optional Newcomers Orientation.
Learn more and sign up here
Dear friends,
This week, we will meet Monday evening, Dec. 2, from 7-8:30PM EST in person at our meditation space (3812 Northampton Street NW); Wednesday morning, Dec. 4, from 7-8AM EST online; and Friday, Dec. 6, from 12-1PM EST in person.
This Monday evening, Annie will facilitate. Annie shares:
While in Plum Village this fall, I had the opportunity to listen to several dharma talks, including some recordings of Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) from 2012.
The day before Halloween, we listened to a talk in which Thay shared that we all have the capacity to become someone who can perform miracles, someone with a magic wand who can magically bring happiness to ourselves and others. I thought this was an apt Halloween metaphor and a reminder of the power of our mindfulness practice. Thay shared that once we see the roots of suffering, ours and others’, we will know how to help and we will be motivated to help.
Like you, there are days I feel like a bodhisattva (someone who practices to transform their own suffering and the suffering of others) when I can use my magic wand to bring joy to others, and there are other days when I feel powerless and discouraged about the state of the world.
I think most of us are part-time bodhisattvas.
We get lost when we think, “I’m just one person. world is a mess. can I do?” because our thoughts loop through inadequacy, worry, and comparing ourselves to others. That kind of thinking usually deposits me in front of the TV or scrolling on my phone to avoid feelings of shame and despair.
Reigniting our bodhisattva wand starts with noticing our next in-breath.
in the Elder Discourse, the Buddha writes:
Observing life deeply,
It is possible to clearly see all that is.
Not enslaved by anything,
it is possible to put aside all craving,
resulting in a life of peace and joy.
We can begin to observe life deeply by paying close attention to what is in front of us moment after moment, starting with our next breath. When we do this, we can see that, just like the breath, everything is impermanent. Nothing is the same from moment to moment. When we cling to impermanent thoughts and objects and expect these things to save us, we remain stuck in a cycle of suffering. Our stuckness prevents us from touching peace and joy in the present moment and from offering that peace to others.
When we return to the present moment, free from our mind’s chase for what can never bring true happiness, we touch the love that is already here - in the form of mother Earth, our friends and family, our beloved animal friends, delicious food, the fresh air we have to breath, etc. - and we have the power to share that love with ourselves and others with a look, a smile, shared tears, or a kind word. In that moment, we are a bodhisattva. The basic practice of noticing our breathing provides the doorway to love and freedom, not just for ourselves but for all beings.
By following your breathing right now, you can tap into that power of love and - poof - you will have a magic wand that can transform the lives of suffering beings — those sitting beside you on the subway or sleeping next to you in bed.
Enjoy being a part-time bodhisattva and don’t wait for love. Love is already here.
After our meditation period on Monday, we will have time to share how we are practicing with awareness of breathing and coming back to the present moment and what we notice becomes possible when we are able to do that. Can you tap into love and share it with others? When do you get caught up in despairing thoughts and how do you remember to come back to your breathing? And there is always space for whatever is on your heart to share and be held by the community.
And I hope you will enjoy this Plum Village song, Don’t Wait for Love.
with love,
annie.