Next Gathering

SUNDAY January 10th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
Beginners Mind Gathering 2:15 to 2:45 PM
Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh
Our Regular Sitting Practice will meet after Beginner's Mind Gathering
2:45-5 PM5
Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version)
Please Bring your Chanting Books with you

Though The Weather Outside Was Frightful…..

Despite blizzard warnings our intrepid sangha continued forward with cookie practice!

baking cookies for the Blue Cliff Monastery and Winter Retreat is becoming a tradition of our merry band of vegan bakers...those who are master craft persons worked side by side with novice culinarians creating editable delights....beginner mind prevailed along with a good ol' dose of happy holiday cheer!

Cookie Joy


These cookies are the gifts of the whole universe

( and the sangha)

the earth, the sky, and much fun work.

May we make cookies and eat cookies in mindfulness so as to be worthy to receive and give them.

May we transform our
states of mind and learn to eat cookies in joy!

May we take cookies that nourish us in body and spirit!

We accept and give these cookies so that we may realise the path of understanding and love.

SNOW!........

Green island Sangha Sit Canceled Sunday Dec 20th due to Snow Meditation

Be Safe
Be Zen
and
Watch and meditate on the falling snow
Be
Warm
and
Mindful
at
Home
in the
Snow..

Childlike wonder
Beginner's mind
Fresh
Free
New
Joy

Alive!

Happy Blessings of the Holidays to All!

See you all in the New Year at St Ignatius or for the Holiday Retreat at Blue Cliff!

Next Meeting Information

SUNDAY December 20th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice
Peace is Every Step Reading
(please bring your copy with you)

Green Island Holiday Generosity Practice:
Please Bring non Perishable Food (Canned or Boxed) for a Local Food Pantry Donation during the month of December. We will collect it at our sits and offer it as a sangha donation from us all.

The Newsletter of the Mindfulness Practice Center of Fairfax

Our practice invites us to be very gentle and non violent with ourselves but also to not avoid any hidden wounds that are still needing clearing and healing...
Please see the below link to the newsletter from a Sangha in Virgina with an interview with a lovely sister in the practice who is also Thay's niece...Anh Huong-Nguyen...


Along the Path – Winter 2009

http://mpcf.org/Newsletters/Along%20the%20Path%20-%20Winter%202009.pdf

copy and paste the above address into your browser to view the newsletter....

Support Our Sangha's Home

Dear Friends

Besides our free will donation to help support the care,heat, use and upkeep of the zendo and Inisfada , each year St Ignatius teams up w Barnes and Noble for a fund raiser for the retreat house and invites our participation.

By optaining the cupon and bringing it to any B&N this weekend December 11th, 12th and 13th and giving it to the cashier when you make your purchase , a percentage of your sale will be given to St Ignatius as a donation! Easy! Please help our hosts and neighbors as you buy your holiday book gifts and when we are sitting and walking in the beauty of St Ignatius we will also have the gift of knowing we are helping the retreat house continue to be there for us and all.

Please email Grnislandsangha@aol.com for a copy of this PDF coupon.

Schedule

Green Island Sangha
December, January
Schedule


Green Island Holiday Generosity Practice:
Please Bring non Perishable Food (Canned or Boxed) for a Local Food Pantry Donation during the month of November & December. We will collect it at our sits and offer it as a sangha donation from us all.


SUNDAY December 6th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
New Beginners Mind Gathering
2:15 to 2:45 PM
Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh
Our Regular Sitting Practice will meet after Beginner's Mind Gathering 2:45-5 PM
5 Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version)
Please Bring your Chanting Books with you


SUNDAY December 20th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice
Peace is Every Step Reading
(please bring your copy w you)

SUNDAY January 10th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
New Beginners Mind Gathering
2:15 to 2:45 PM
Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh
Our Regular Sitting Practice will meet after Beginner's Mind Gathering 2:45-5 PM
5 Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version)
Please Bring your Chanting Books with you


SUNDAY January 17th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice
Peace is Every Step Reading
(please bring your copy w you)


SUNDAY January 24that St Ignatius Retreat House
2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice

Happy Thanksgiving

Alive!
by Chan Phap Ho from Deer Park Monastery

Thank you! What a wonderful thing to think and say. Thanksgiving is coming up... Let's start practice today, so that when Thanksgiving Day is here we are prepared and already in grateful mode.

Where to begin... There are so many things to be grateful for, isn't there...
In the tradition we talk about the Four Gratitudes:

to our mother and our father, who as brought us life to our teachers, who have taught us how to love, understand and to live deeply in the present moment. to our friends, who guide and support us especially in difficult moments to all beings in the animal, vegetable and mineral world, who makes our life possible When there is gratitude in my heart, I feel happy and at ease. I feel connected and alive.

I read an article a while back in Scientific America Mind. It was called "We are hard wired to care". Researchers have found that our happiness and well being increases when we do kind things. I think we already know this, but sometimes we forget. With the practice of coming back to the present moment to be aware of our thoughts, words and actions we have a wonderful opportunity to run a little experiment on ourselves. Saying thank you, opening our heart to receive and to give, helps us to be happy. Does this ring true for you as well?

I feel so grateful for our teacher and innumerable teachers and practitioners that show and tread the path of joy, compassion and freedom. Just remembering that I have a practice that can help me deal with whatever comes up, helps me to cultivate happiness and enables me to transform suffering. Thank you!

Eating Meditation

This piece of bread is an ambassador from the entire cosmos. Eating a meal together is a meditative practice. We should try to offer our presence for every meal. As we serve our food we can already begin practicing. Serving ourselves, we realize that many elements, such as the rain, sunshine, earth, air and love, have all come together to form this wonderful meal. In fact, through this food we see that the entire universe is supporting our existence.

We are aware of the whole sangha as we serve ourselves and we should take an amount of food that is good for us. Before eating, the bell will be invited for three sounds and we can enjoy breathing in and out while practicing the five contemplations.

This food is a gift of the earth, the sky, numerous living beings and much hard work.
May we eat with mindfulness and gratitude so as to be worthy to receive it.
May we recognize and transform our unwholesome mental formations, especially our greed, and learn to eat with moderation.

May we keep our compassion alive by eating in such a way that we reduce the suffering of living beings, preserve our planet and reverse the process of global warming.

We accept this food so that we may nurture our brotherhood and sisterhood, strengthen our sangha and nourish our ideal of serving all beings.

We should take our time as we eat, chewing each mouthful at least 30 times, until the food becomes liquefied. This aids the digestive process. Let us enjoy every morsel of our food and the presence of the dharma brothers and sisters around us. Let us establish ourselves in the present moment, eating in such a way that solidity, joy and peace be possible during the time of eating.
Eating in silence, the food becomes real with our mindfulness and we are fully aware of its nourishment.

In order to deepen our practice of mindful eating and support the peaceful atmosphere, we remain seated during this silent period. After twenty minutes of silent eating, two sounds of the bell will be invited. We may then start a mindful conversation with our friend or begin to get up from the table.

Upon finishing our meal, we take a few moments to notice that we have finished, our bowl is now empty and our hunger is satisfied. Gratitude fills us as we realize how fortunate we are to have had this nourishing food to eat, supporting us on the path of love and understanding.

From The Deer Park Website

Next Gathering

SUNDAY December 6th

at St Ignatius Retreat House

New Beginners Mind Gathering 2:15 to 2:45 PM

Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh

Our Regular Sitting Practice

2:45-5:00 PM

Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version)

Please Bring your Chanting Books with you

New Dharma Talk Posted

Cultivating Peace, Joy, and Happiness
November 19, 2009 dharma talk by Thich Nhat Hanh from New Hamlet in Plum Village.

In this talk Thay demonstrates the importance of gathas, short verses for practice, in the cultivating of peace, joy, and happiness.

Water flows from high in the mountains.
Water runs deep in the Earth
Miraculously, water comes to us, and sustains all life.

During the second part of the talk, we hear about the first few exercises from the Sutra on the Full Awareness of Breathing.




http://tnhaudio.org/2009/11/25/cultivating-peace-joy-and-happiness/

Our Teacher!

From the album:
"The New Meditation Hall" by Phap Huu, from a link from Face Book

Another Resource for listening to Dharma

The below letter and dharma talk link comes from a sister in the OI....enjoy!


Dear friends,
I have created a new web site for listening to recent dharma talks by our
Teacher. Most talks have been available on the Vietnamese site for some
years, but some English-speaking users find it difficult to navigate and
there is no automatic notification when new talks are posted. Therefore,
this new site will allow you to subscribe using iTunes or RSS. It will
include English language dharma talks and you may listen to the talk on the
web site and/or download the file to your computer.

At this time, the three most recent talks have been posted (from November).
I would highly recommend the talk "Deep Desire: Spiritual Strength" from
November 5. In this talk, Thich Nhat Hanh explore the idea of aspiration. He
also suggests a new part to the Five Mindfulness Trainings Transmission
Ceremony liturgy.

Get started at http://tnhaudio.org

November, December & January

Green Island Sangha
November, December, January
Schedule

SUNDAY November 22 nd
at St Ignatius Retreat House
2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice

Green Island Thanksgiving & Holiday Generosity Practice:
Please Bring non Perishable Food (Canned or Boxed) for a Local Food Pantry Donation during the month of November & December. We will collect it at our sits and offer it as a sangha donation from us all.


SUNDAY December 6th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
New Beginners Mind Gathering
2:15 to 2:45 PM
Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh
Our Regular Sitting Practice will meet after Beginner's Mind Gathering 2:45-5 PM
5 Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version)
Please Bring your Chanting Books with you


SUNDAY December 20th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice
Peace is Every Step Reading
(please bring your copy w you)

SUNDAY January 10 th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
New Beginners Mind Gathering
2:15 to 2:45 PM
Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh
Our Regular Sitting Practice will meet after Beginner's Mind Gathering 2:45-5 PM
5 Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version)
Please Bring your Chanting Books with you


SUNDAY January 17th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice
Peace is Every Step Reading
(please bring your copy w you)


SUNDAY January 24th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice

Audio of Thich Nhat Hanh from 1968

Newest Schedule

Green Island Sangha
November, December, January Schedule





Dear Friends,


The Green Island Sangha is moving to a weekly sitting schedule. Our hosts, The Saint Francis Retreat House and the White Plum Sangha, (it is their Zendo that we use) on occasion have activities planned for the Sundays we would meet. On those occasions we will skip the weekly sit and gather on the next available Sunday. Check this blog site for the updates on our schedule. We hope you will join us for our weekly gatherings!


See you at Sangha!



SUNDAY November 8th

at St Ignatius Retreat House
New Beginners Mind Gathering
2:15 to 2:45 PM
Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh
Our Regular Sitting Practice will meet after Beginner's Mind Gathering 2:45-5 PM
5 Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version)
Please Bring your Chanting Books with you


SUNDAY November 15th

at St Ignatius Retreat House
2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice
we will continue to read Peace is Every Step
(please bring your copy w you if you have , if not there will be copies to share)


SUNDAY November 22nd

at St Ignatius Retreat House
2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice


SUNDAY December 6th

at St Ignatius Retreat House
Beginners Mind Gathering
2:15 to 2:45 PM
Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh
Our Regular Sitting Practice will meet after Beginner's Mind Gathering 2:45-5 PM
5 Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version)
Please Bring your Chanting Books with you


SUNDAY December 20th

at St Ignatius Retreat House
2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice
Peace is Every Step Reading
(please bring your copy w you if you have , if not there will be copies to share)

SUNDAY January 10th

at St Ignatius Retreat House
Beginners Mind Gathering
2:15 to 2:45 PM
Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh
Our Regular Sitting Practice will meet after Beginner's Mind Gathering 2:45-5 PM
5 Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version)
Please Bring your Chanting Books with you


SUNDAY January 17th

at St Ignatius Retreat House
2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice
Peace is Every Step Reading
(please bring your copy w you if you have , if not there will be copies to share)


SUNDAY January 24th

at St Ignatius Retreat House
2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice

Scroll down through this page to find information about our practice, videos and links to other Internet resources

Next Meeting Information

SUNDAY October 25th
at StIgnatius Retreat House2:45-5 PM
Our Regular Sitting Practice Peace is Every Step Reading (please bring your copy w you)

Dharma Talk: Cultivating Wisdom, Transforming Mano

In this talk given at Stonehill College during the 2009 U.S. Tour, Thay shares on three themes: the beauty and importance of the sangha; transforming mano; and the 16 Exercises of Mindful Breathing.

Cultivating wisdom, transforming "Mano" from Plum Village on Vimeo.

Next Meeting Information

SUNDAY October 18th


at St Ignatius Retreat House


Beginners Mind Gathering 2:15 to 2:45 PM
Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradiion of Thich Nhat Hanh

Our Regular Sitting Practice will meet after Beginner's Mind Gathering2:45-5 PM 5
Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version) Please Bring your Chanting Books with you

Plum village organizes Peace walk in Paris Oct 11, 2009

Green Island Sangha

September/October

SUNDAY September 20th at StIgnatius Retreat House

Beginners Mind Gathering 2:15 to 2:45 PM Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradiion of Thich Nhat Hanh

Regular Sitting Practice will meet after Beginner's Mind Gathering 2:45-5 PM5 Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version) Please Bring your Chanting Books with you

SUNDAY September 27th

at StIgnatius Retreat House2:45-5 PM

Our Regular Sitting PracticePeace is Every Step Reading (please bring your copy with you)

FRIDAY October 2 - 6

Thich Nhat Hanh Mindfulness Retreat at Blue Cliff Monastery

Enlightenment is Now or Never Join us as we practice together as a Sangha at this special retreat

FRIDAY October 9th

Thich NhatHahn PublicTalk: Building a Peaceful & Compassionate Society

New York City, at Beacon Theatre

SATURDAY October 10th

Day of Mindfulness with Thich Nhat Hahn

at Beacon Theatre, New York City, NY

see http://www.beacontheatre.com/events/thich-nhat-hanh-1009.html

SUNDAY October 18th

at StIgnatius Retreat House

Beginners Mind Gathering 2:15 to 2:45 PM

Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradiion of Thich Nhat Hanh Our Regular Sitting Practice will meet after Beginner's Mind Gathering2:45-5 PM 5

Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version) Please Bring your Chanting Books with you

SUNDAY October 25th

at StIgnatius Retreat House2:45-5 PM

Our Regular Sitting Practice Peace is Every Step Reading (please bring your copy w you)

Come Practice with us At Inisfada
St Ignatius Retreat House
Interfaith Room
251 Searingtown RoadManhasset, NY 11030

free will donation for use of St Ignatius Retreat House

Sangha Dana (generosity) Donations for Hungry Children in VietNam and Blue Cliff Monastery Joyfully Welcomed

Thay Needs Our Help

Dear Friends
As many of you know Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) was hospitalized for a lung infection and was receiving IV antibiotics in Mass General Hospital. He was just discharged and will be continuing treatment as an outpatient which is very good news. He is 83 and was unable to go to the Colorado Retreat but will be rejoining the tour in California after his treatment ends.
But Right NOW Thay NEEDS OUR HELP

Right now 400 young Plum Village VNese monastics are under attack in VN and are being forced to leave by Sept 2. There is no place to go and the govt is trying to force them to disrobe (abandon their monastic vows)
Please see http://helpbatnha.org/ for more info and/or below .

We need you to handwrite, mail, fax, email , contact your representatives NOW ...and please send your practice energy as support
please see http://helpbatnha.org/2009/08/sample-letter-to-us-congress-rep-and-senator/#more-359 for contact info for you senators and reps

For a sample letter see below and :
http://helpbatnha.org/2009/08/immediate-help-needed-handwriting-letters-to-us-congress-rep-senator/#more-369

Please send right away!

August, September & October 2009 Full Schedule

Friday July 31st to Sunday August 2nd
Sangha Service Community Work Day
Blue Cliff Monastery

Friday July 31st: Arrival Day

Saturday August 1st: Sangha Service

Sunday August 2nd: Half Day of Mindfulness

please see the following web site for more informationhttp://www.bluecliffmonastery.org/ or email the Green Island Sangha Grnislandsangha@aol.com

Sunday August 9th 9:00am to 4:30pm
Day of Mindfulness Fundraiser for Blue Cliff Monastery with Thich Nhat Hanh at Blue Cliff Monastery please see the following web site for more information http://www.bluecliffmonastery.org/

August 11th through the 16th
Thich Nhat Hanh Retreat Stonehill College, Easton MA. please see the following web site for more information http://tnhtour.org/

Sunday August 23rd
at St. Ignatius Retreat House
Beginners Mind Gathering 2:15 to 2:45 PM
Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradiion of Thich Nhat Hanh.
Our Regular Sitting Practice 2:45-5 PM
5 Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version)
Please Bring your Chanting Books with you


Sunday August 30th
at St. Ignatius Retreat House
Our Regular Sitting Practice 2:45-5 PM
Peace is Every Step Reading (please bring your copy with you)


SUNDAY September 6th St Ignatius Retreat House Closed

SUNDAY September 20th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
Beginners Mind Gathering 2:15 to 2:45 PM
Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradiion of Thich Nhat Hanh.
Our Regular Sitting Practice 2:45-5 PM
5 Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version) Please Bring your Chanting Books with you


SUNDAY September 27th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
Our Regular Sitting Practice 2:45-5 PM
Peace is Every Step Reading (please bring your copy w you)

FRIDAY October 2 - 6
Thich Nhat Hanh Mindfulness Retreat
at Blue Cliff Monastery Enlightenment is Now or Never
see http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102641525133&s=44&e=001bRqTATnGviBG9m2M351v1s5JXXF7pdKPON3i1bu_7hCeHUHoSWdm8nGZuSI79YNLKYBCfYMB9g3d-VxqU9881M4TSE6iHBzXKgzXYEojG5k= for more info


FRIDAY October 9th
Thich Nhat Hahn Public Talk New York City "Building a Peaceful & Compassionate Society" at Beacon Theatre


SATURDAY October 10th
Day of Mindfulness with Thich Nhat Hahn
New York City, Beacon Theatre
see http://www.beacontheatre.com/events/thich-nhat-hanh-1009.html for more info


SUNDAY October 18th
at StIgnatius Retreat House
Beginners Mind Gathering 2:15 to 2:45 PM
Our Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradiion of Thich Nhat Hanh
Our Regular Sitting Practice 2:45-5 PM
5 Mindfulness Training Recitation (New Version) Please Bring your Chanting Books with you

SUNDAY October 25th
at St Ignatius Retreat House
Our Regular Sitting Practice 2:45- 5 PM
Peace is Every Step Reading (please bring your copy w you)



Come Practice with us At St Ignatius Retreat House
Interfaith Room
251 Searingtown Road Manhasset, NY 11030
free will donation for use of St Ignatius Retreat HouseSangha
Dana (generosity) Donations for Hungry Children in VietNam and
Blue Cliff Monastery Joyfully Welcomed

Early August 2009 Schedule

Green Island Sangha

Special Early August Offerings

Friday July 31st to Sunday August 2nd

Sangha Service Community Work Day

Blue Cliff Monastery

Friday July 31st: Arrival Day
Saturday August 1st: Sangha Service
Sunday August 2nd: Half Day of Mindfulness

please see the following web site for more information
http://www.bluecliffmonastery.org/
or email the Green Island Sangha Grnislandsangha@aol.com



Sunday August 9th 9:00am to 4:30pm

Day of Mindfulness Fundraiser for Blue Cliff Monastery
with Thich Nhat Hanh
at Blue Cliff Monastery
please see the following web site for more information
http://www.bluecliffmonastery.org/


August 11th through the 16th

Thich Nhat Hanh Retreat
Stonehill College, Easton MA.
please see the following web site for more information
http://tnhtour.org/

We will be posting our 2nd half of August dates for our regularly scheduled gatherings at The St. Ignatius Retreat House soon...

check this blog for updates or email Green Island Sangha at: Grnislandsangha@aol.com

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh 2009 American Tour

August 9th:
Fundraising Day of Mindfulness at Blue Cliff Monastery, Pine Bush, NY.

August 11th - 16th:
Retreat at Stonehill College, Easton, MA.

August 21st - 26th:
Retreat at the YMCA of the Rockies, Estes Park, CO.

August 29th:
Public talk at Buell Theater at Denver, CO.

September 6th:
Day of Mindfulness at Deer Park Monastery

September 8th - 13th:
English Retreat at Deer Park Monastery

September 19th:
Public talk at Pasadena Civic Auditorium

September 20th:
Day of Mindfulness at Deer Park Monastery

September 23rd - 27th
Vietnamese Retreat at Deer Park Monastery

October 2nd - 6th:
Retreat at Blue Cliff Monastery, Pine Bush, NY.

October 9th:
Public talk at Beacon Theater, New York City, NY.

October 10th:
Day of Mindfulness in New York City, NY.

Green Island Sangha

July Schedule

Sunday July 5th Interdependence Day Practice2:45-5:00 PM

We will begin in the Zendo at 2:45 and then 3 PM will do silent walking for sitting under the big Weeping Beech Tree in the Field behind the Retreat House5 Mindfulness Trainings Recitation (please bring Chanting Book)

Sunday July 12th 2:15 to 2:45

New Beginners Mind Meeting 2:15 to 2:45 PM Our New Once a Month Pre Sit Intro Meeting for Those new to Mindfulness or New to the Tradiion of Thich Nhat Hanh

Sunday July 12th2:45-5 PM

Peace is Every Step Reading (please bring your copy w you)

Sunday July 26th

New Date New Time 2 to 5 PM Half Day of Mindfulness

DVD Dharma Talk by Thay, 5 Touchings of the Earth, Outdoor Walking Practice, Dharma Sharing