In-Person Winter Practice: The 4 Nutriments
Dear friends,
What a beautiful month of practising online we have had!
We are very happy to now continue practising weekly together in person, on Fridays from 7-9pm at Yoga Within (#302 - 8135 102 St NW )!
Please take a moment to review this Practice Orientation Guide, which outlines what you need to know about practising with the sangha in person. Please also note that we are currently asking sangha members to wear a mask for in-person meetings.
A special parking rate of $1 is available to sangha members who park downstairs in the parkade. Please contact us for the code!
How wonderful it has been to practice with what it means to be in sangha! To practice Going As A River – as non-self – remembering that when we are part of something bigger, we can realize so much more than we can as individuals.
Even though, it has only been 5 weeks online, we have already begun to take refuge in one another’s practice. We have all shared our gratitude for the measurable difference we feel since practising collectively, and how much more challenging it has been to maintain a mindfulness practice on our own.
We can feel that as a Sangha Body, we are a continuation of Thây and the legacy of his dream, bringing the energy and teachings of the Buddha to life as a Beloved Community.
Just like in Thây’s early days, engaged in social work in Vietnam during the war, and then in exile in France - we will continue this legacy of being refreshed and nourished by our practice together, so we can better support transformation of the suffering in ourselves and then in our communities.
What a blessing that we have the opportunity to continue practising together in person in the coming weeks!
We will continue to generate the energy of mindfulness together, as we explore the Putamansa Sutra: The Sutra on the 4 Nutriments. We will reflect on how they are relevant in our own lives.
As we approach the holiday season, we have an opportunity to practice with conscious consumption, and to reflect on nutriment - what we are feeding and nourishing in each moment.
During each of the next four weeks, we will explore and practice with one of the Four Nutriments: Edible Food, Sense Impressions, Intention/ Volition, and Consciousness.
On December 2nd (the first Friday of the month), we will also recite the 5 Mindfulness Trainings.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!
In gasho,
Alda, on behalf of the Caretaking Council
Upcoming Events:
Nov 23, 8-10am (Online)
Socially Engaged Buddhism: Hope and Action In Challenging Times
Join Br. Pháp Hữu and Br. Pháp Linh as part of a guest lecture through the University of Toronto. Register for free:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/socially-engaged-buddhism-hope-and-action-amidst-challenging-times-tickets-444169201037?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
Nov 25, 10am (Online)
Make Black Friday Brown: A Mindful Alternative to the Holiday Shopping Spree
Join the nuns and monks for a moment of togetherness, joy and resistance.
Sign up here: https://deerparkmonastery.org/event/make-black-friday-brown/
