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September 20 Online Day of Mindfulness
September 20, 2020 @ 10:00 am
Opening Our Hearts to Impermanence
Sangha Offerings from Morning Sun residential practitioners and ordained Dharma Teachers Fern Dorresteyn and Michael Ciborski.
Dear friends on the path,
We feel fortunate to hold an online gathering, a Day of Mindfulness, to help us develop our highest mind and potential for ourselves, our loved ones, and the world.
Our theme this month is Opening Our Hearts to Impermanence
“The Buddha taught that everything is impermanent — flowers, tables, mountains, political regimes, bodies, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness. We cannot find anything that is permanent. Flowers decompose, but knowing this does not prevent us from loving flowers. In fact, we are able to love them more because we know how to treasure them while they are still alive. If we learn to look at a flower in a way that impermanence is revealed to us, when it dies, we will not suffer. Impermanence is more than an idea. It is a practice to help us touch reality.”
“Understanding impermanence can give us confidence, peace, and joy. Impermanence does not necessarily lead to suffering. Without impermanence, life could not be. Without impermanence, your daughter could not grow up into a beautiful young lady. Without impermanence, oppressive political regimes would never change. We think impermanence makes us suffer. The Buddha gave the example of a dog that was hit by a stone and got angry at the stone. It is not impermanence that makes us suffer. What makes us suffer is wanting things to be permanent when they are not.”
-Thich Nhat Hanh, Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching
We will touch into the basic practices of Plum Village, such as mindful breathing, sitting meditation, deep relaxation, and dharma sharing, in order to water seeds of connection, ease, and true love.
Schedule (Eastern Time, Turtle Island/USA):
- 10 am Welcome to the Sangha
- 10:30 am Guided sitting meditation
- 11:00 am Mindful movements and break
- 11:15 am Dharma talks
- 12:30 pm Lunch meditation/walking meditation (offline)
- 1:30 pm Guided deep relaxation
- 2:00 pm Dharma sharing
- 2:40 pm Closing and gratitude
- 2:50 pm Goodbyes
Registration does not include dana ($ gift).
Logistics:
After you register, you will receive an email with information on how to connect from home to this online event.