Monday, February 24, 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.
Dear friends,
This week, we will meet Monday evening, Feb. 24, from 7-8:30PM EST in person at our meditation space (3812 Northampton Street NW); Wednesday morning, Feb. 26, from 7-8AM EST online; and Friday, Feb. 28, from 12-1PM EST in person & online (hybrid).
On Monday, Ellen will facilitate. Ellen shares:
I recently heard a wonderful podcast that really touched me deeply about “resetting and letting go” (from the Mindfulness 12 Minute Meditation series). It made me think of the teachings from Thich Nhat Hanh that bring us back to our breath and help us see our breath as a way of grounding ourselves, being in the present moment, and letting go of everything else.
The Pocket Thich Nhat Hanh chapter titled “Your True Home” includes this:
“Your true home is in the here and the now….When breathing in, you don’t think of anything; you just focus our attention on the in-breath…. There is a concentration on your in-breath that will make body and mind come together in just one moment. And suddenly you find yourself fully present, fully alive.”
I find this to be a particularly difficult time in every aspect of my life to let go, so the idea of a “reset” and using my breath to be fully present and focused is a powerful one. I see a connection with this and our sangha’s recent conversations on “othering.” Thay’s teachings about the power of our breath is a gift if we use it well. This idea of mindfully letting go feels like a powerful tool. On Monday, we will consider this, and these questions:
What challenges do you have around letting go?
What helps you let go?
What helps you come back to your breath?
I look forward to our in-person gathering on February 24th.
Ellen