Community of Mindfulness New York Metro
Inspired by the teachings and the practice of Thich Nhat Hanh
Invites you to an online
Day Of Mindfulness
10:00am-1:00pm
[See below for Zoom Link.]
Interbeing together
Practicing as a sangha
Facilitated by:
Wake Up New York Sangha
We will be exploring the theme of interbeing, especially as it relates to practicing in community. “To be” is always to “inter-be.”
We inter-are with one another and with all life.
The whole planet is one giant, living, breathing cell, with all its working parts linked in symbiosis.
Everything relies on everything else in the cosmos in order to manifest—
whether a star, a cloud, a flower, a tree, or you and me.
We are the continuation of all our ancestors.
When we practice as a community, we can see interbeing clearly in action.
We can draw from our collective learning & energy of mindfulness to
heal and more deeply enjoy the present moment together.
In line with the theme of interbeing, we will discuss how science
explains the effects of meditation on our emotions, mind and body.
About Wake Up New York (WUNY) Sangha
We are a diverse group of young people practicing the living art of mindfulness and meditation. We meet on
Friday evenings from 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM at Still Mind Zendo Center in NYC. We are part of a worldwide
movement (Wake Up) of young Buddhists and non-Buddhists practicing mindful living, which has grown
out of the teachings of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, under his guidance. We share a determination to live
in an awakened way, to realize the path of understanding and love, and to help our society face the roots of
its ignorance, which manifests as the intolerance, discrimination, craving, anger, and despair that seems so
commonplace today. We aim to experience joy and ease in our pursuits, keeping it real with the laughter,
sanity, and friendship that bloom from practicing mindfulness together. Our practitioners are (roughly) aged 18-35.
About our facilitators:
Max Weidmann began practicing meditation in the winter of 2014-15, initially focused on the “wisdom
wing” of the path, but increasingly in touch with the energy of compassion. He fell in love with Wake Up
and the Plum Village tradition from his first visit in January 2015 and now practices regularly with Wake
Up and Middle Way sanghas. He aspires to integrate his mindfulness practice with his work as a
psychotherapist in training, continue sangha building and deepen his practice through formal teacher training.
Julie Nguyen began her mindfulness and meditation journey in 2012 after reading Thich Nhat
Hanh’s Peace Is Every Step, inspired by the practice of cultivating understanding and compassion by
looking deeply at the present moment. Her spiritual path led her to complete yoga teacher training and to
walk the Camino de Santiago and Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes solo, becoming a Dual Pilgrim. She
moved to NYC in 2018 and currently practices with the Wake Up sangha. A physician by profession, Julie
aspires to serve others with loving-kindness.
Stephanie Lau has been a meditation practitioner since 2011, trained in mindfulness-based stress
reduction (MBSR), reiki healing, and primordial sound meditation. Her work with Access Mindfulness
allows her to facilitate mindfulness presentations to schools, teachers, parents, and underserved
communities. A filmmaker, painter, writer and SAG-AFTRA professional, she aims to support others
through mindful coaching, writing, and the arts, realizing that when we cultivate self-awareness and
compassion, we create space for more peace and love.
Jairo Mata has been meditating since college. A meditator with Wake-Up New York since 2018, Jairo
integrates mindfulness techniques as a way to enhance self-awareness and understanding with others as
well as himself. By profession, Jairo works in social media as well as spends time volunteering with the
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society under their young professionals board. A New York City native, Jairo
aspires to continue his meditation practice through learning and leadership, hence the interest in facilitation.
Tushar Bhagat was born and raised in the theravada buddhist tradition in India and became a
practitioner of Vipassana (Goenka) meditation since 1997. He joined the Wake Up New York family in 2016
and got a chance to support it. On the path to become a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
teacher along with learning and including race relations and LGBTIQ+ into his mindfulness training, he
offers mindfulness to the cancer patients at his work and a homeless shelter. A biomedical scientist and
medical educator by the worldly profession, he aspires to integrate science and the understanding of core
buddhist principles in his personal practice and teaching towards building a greater mindful,
compassionate sangha along the way.
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10:00am-1:00pm
Join Zoom Meeting [Enter Meeting 5-10 minutes early, if possible.]
