As Thich Nhat Hanh taught us, in a practice community you wake up and brush your teeth mindfully, your neighbor drinks her tea with love, and you know you are practicing for each other, so you are filled with gratitude and the practice energy grows.
Surrounding the Mindfulness Center at Morning Sun are 8 homes of our resident community: from a tiny-house cabin and a beautiful yurt, to straw-bale and solar, to super insulated and energy efficient houses, we have them all. (with room for many more – read through our member process if you are interested).
Our resident community is comprised of long-term stewards, homeowners, and other short-term residents and guests. The fabric of our life is knit out of our individual and shared practice of mindful living, and our efforts to co-create the programming of the Mindfulness Center.
Happiness in the Present Moment!
As a practice community we intentionally practice to lay down our burdens, projects, judgments and anxieties, and open our mind to notice the unique wonder of the person next to us and allow in the beauty of life in this moment.
1) Picnic dinner on boats together with dragon flies on the pond, 2) Hiking local mountains with children, dogs, and blueberries 3) Candle lit ice skating is like skating among the stars 4) Altar from a Full moon celebration offered by Sara Henry
Inviting Healing
Living the practice also means learning how to face our suffering together. In the last year we have intentionally been developing the practice of deep listening circles, creating a loving space to support healing, and deepen our understanding of each other. In this space we can share our deeper pain and history.
After the shooting at the Synagogue in Pittsburgh we came together as a community to sit, to be present and generate compassion for all involved. Being together it felt easier to open our hearts and find stability. This fall all of the men at Morning Sun traveled to join a small men’s retreat, where they were deeply present for the pain that can be transmitted to men in our society
Remembering Annie Desmond
Co-founder of Morning Sun
Anyone who has seen Annie Desmond in the last three years has surely been inspired and amazed at how bright she was, even though she was living with cancer. She was a master of finding wonder in life. On December 18th she passed from this life. Annie is beloved by friends near and far. The light she offered to everyone she met will surely continue to shine brightly within each of us.
We feel especially grateful to all who supported her these last few years. Many people offered care, contributed a meal, or were simply present.
“During the last weeks of Annie’s life I took time to sit quietly and meditate on Annie in order to experience a deeper connection to what was happening. I could see how in every moment of her life the world was entering her, becoming part of her. The sun, the forest, her loving parents, her activist grandmother, all the conversations with friends over the years. And she was entering and creating the world around her in every moment, her work and determination to make the world a better place for all, the deep listening and care she offered to all she met, her whispering in her son’s ear to listen to the voice of the wind in the trees.
I imagine if the world were a painting, and she was a certain color mixed from other colors, perhaps some blue and yellow to make a lovely green, then her green has been beautifully spread here and there on the canvas of the world, making it deeper, stronger and more joyful. A little touch in me, a little touch in the child who attended her children’s program. When all the color is used up off the palate, does that mean she is gone? No, she is already a little bit everywhere. The stream of life is flowing, and we all only have our color and actions to offer to the steam, none of us are permanent, but all of us have an opportunity to help paint the future, and her colors are certainly spectacular and far reaching!” ~ Fern Dorresteyn