Sunday, July 30, 2017

August 19 2017: No Day of Mindfulness at Riverside Church; We will Attend 'Walk With Me' documentary and mindfulness activities at Rubin Museum; August 20th

Community of Mindfulness New York Metro
Inspired by the Teachings and Practice of Thich Nhat Hanh

Dear Friends,
We will not have our August 19 Day of Mindfulness at Riverside Church in order to participate in and support the opening of the  'Walk With Me' documentary at the Rubin Museum.   Walk With Me "is a cinematic
journey into the world of a monastic community who practice the art of mindfulness with Zen Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh."

http://rubinmuseum.org/events?event_series=5493 is the link to purchase tickets: there are two showings on Friday August 18, three showings on Saturday, and more on Sunday August 20th and during the following week.  

Friday August 18 
6.30-8.30: showing of 'Walk with Me' followed by Q and A.
8:50: Silent Meditation.
9:30-11:00pm: Walk With Me.
________________________________________
Saturday 
There will be Monks and Nuns from Blue Cliff Monastery attending and offering Mindfulness Practice:  It is possible to practice together from 10:00-3.50pm, as below.  Or to come for later showings and activities.
  
  10:00am-11:30-Sitting and Walking Meditation in Union Square led by Monastics
    11:30-12:30pm: Mindful Lunch at the Rubin Museum [bring or buy your food.]
    12:30-2:00pm:  Meet and Greet Monastics [Rubin Museum]
    2-3:30pm: Walk With Me.
   ___________________________________
   3:40-3:50:  Sitting Meditation
   4:00-5:30pm. Walk With Me
   5:40-5:50:  Sitting Meditation
    6:00-7:30pm: Walk With Me

Sunday
  3:00-4:00pm: Monastic Meet and Greet [Rubin Museum]
  4:00-6:00pm:  'Walk with Me' followed by Q and A.


Monday, July 10, 2017

July 15 2017: Day of Mindfulness. The Secret of Transformation

The Secret of Transformation: A Day of Mindfulness


"The present moment
Contains past and future.
The secret of transformation
Is in the way we handle this very moment."


In our July 15, 2017 Day of Mindfulness, we will explore this 'Secret of Transformation,'   with the Practices of Sitting and Walking Meditation, Dharma Sharing, Mindful Eating, Mindful Movements and more: all grounded in mindful breathing


"When we realize that afflictions are no other than enlightenment,
We can ride the waves of birth and death in peace"
Is this our experience right now?
Can this Teaching become a question to plant into the Storehouse Consciousness?


We will maintain Noble Silence***, supporting each other with our presence and practice.  
There will be guided meditations and suggestions for working skillfully with whatever presents itself.
And there will also be silent meditations and Individual Practice time.


Beginners Welcome.
Chairs and Cushions provided.
Lunch is from 1:00-2:00pm: bring your own vegetarian lunch.
Please do not wear fragrances.


          ***Noble Silence means: we refrain from all talking and "chit-chat" except during Dharma Sharing.  Thus
               we support our Sangha Friends in their practice.  And the 'outer silence' allows us to look more deeply into our own life.  We allow the calmness and silence to penetrate our flesh and bones.


          When: Saturday July 15, 10:00-4:30pm: come for all or part of the Day.
          Where: The Riverside Church, #20-T, 91 Claremont Avenue, in Manhattan.
By Donation [Dana, Free-Will Donation, Generosity]: Donations mainly pay the rent to Riverside  
               Church and the CMNY also donates to the TNH fund.


         David Flint will lead the Day.  David is a Dharma Teacher in the Plum Village/Thich Nhat Hanh lineage,  receiving Lamp Transmission from Thay in 2011. He practices with the Riverside and Queens Sangha.


                                                           
                                                            The Path of Practice
Meditating on the nature of interdependence
Can transform delusion into enlightenment.
Samsara and suchness are not two.
They are one and the same.
Even while blooming, the flower is already in the compost,
And the compost is already in the flower.
Flower and compost are not two.
Delusion and enlightenment inter-are.
Don't run away from birth and death.
Just look deeply into your mental formations.
When the true nature of interdependence is seen,
The truth of interbeing is realized.
Practice conscious breathing
To Water the seeds of Awakening.
Right view is a flower
Blooming in the field of mind consciousness.
When sunlight shines,
It helps all vegetation grow.
When mindfulness shines,
It transforms all mental formations
We recognize internal knots and latent tendencies
So we can transform them.
When our habit energies dissipate,
Transformation at the base is there.
The present moment
Contains past and future.
The secret of transformation
Is in the way we handle this very moment.
Transformation takes place
In our daily life.
To make the work of transformation easy,
Practice with a Sangha
Nothing is born, nothing dies.
Nothing to hold onto, nothing to release.
Samsara is nirvana.
There is nothing to attain.
When we realize that afflictions are no other than enlightenment,
We can ride the waves of birth and death in peace,
Traveling in the boat of compassion on the ocean of delusion,
Smiling the smile of non-fear."
 [From Transformation at the Base, Thich Nhat Hanh]