Download - The Mindfulness Bell

sangha NEWS
Protestant pastor,
who have invited
the monks and
nuns to their
churches to speak
to their congregations.
The county
construction
committee has
the duty to make
sure that we bring
the building
up to date with
the latest safety
regulations. It
seems that the
military did not
need to fulfill
these requirements
and so we
have a great deal
of expensive work
to complete. Until
this work is completed
we are not
allowed to receive
overnight guests
in the building.
Fortunately right
next to us is a
school for conscientious objectors who are training in voluntary
service and this school has beds for rent on the weekends. This
means that we can organise weekend retreats.
Traveling With a Bag Full of Moon
When Thay visited us in November, many monks and nuns also
came. They drove from Plum Village, stopping overnight in the
Paris meditation centre La Maison de l’Inspir. Once everyone
was here Thay led us on a wonderful walk around the grounds
of the Institute. This included the beautiful apple orchard on a
hill with wide views and the local park just below the front of
the Institute. Thay pointed out that the feng shui of the building
is good, with the high mountains lying behind and the valley
in front. We were delighted to find three bushes still in fragrant
flower amidst the falling golden leaves.
The next morning the full moon was in the early-morning sky
and a bell at 5:30 invited us to full moon meditation. There is
a court at the top of the steps that is the perfect place to see
the full moon. At first the sky was clear and we saw that bright
reflection of the sun’s light. Then clouds came and we saw the
moon go into her room but the radiance still came through
its walls. In freedom she came in and out of the clouds. After
twenty minutes outside we came into the building and sat in the
hall where Thay had given the press conference in September.
We watched the moon through the large windows. Then Thay
spoke about poems describing the moon. We heard an explanation
of the Vietnamese expression, “traveling with a bag full
of moon.” This refers to someone like Thay Giac Thanh who
needed few material things because he had plenty of freedom to
enjoy the wonderful and beautiful things in life.
On the weekend a public talk and Day of Mindfulness were
given for the people of Waldbröl. For this the auditorium of the
neighbouring hospital was rented. Over three hundred people
attended, including Sangha friends from Holland.
Thay gave warm and inclusive teachings on mindfulness and
the non-sectarian nature of Buddhist practice. The mindfulness
day began at 5:30 with walking meditation to the auditorium
while it was still dark. This was followed by sitting meditation,
breakfast, and then a Dharma talk on the Four Mantras and how
we can deal with our angry feelings. We had walking meditation
in the park below the Institute and sat for a while together.
Future Retreats
We are now practicing the three-month winter retreat. Our
doors are open for the local people to come and join us for walking
and sitting meditation as well as two mindfulness days every
week. We have an overnight retreat at the end of each month and
go to the library to lead a two-hour session in basic mindfulness
every week. Local people express their appreciation of the peace
and joy they feel when they are with us.
For the 700 people taken from
their home on 14 Nov. 1938
Dear friends, dear children,
Seventy years ago, you were treated badly. They took
you from your home and forced you into camps, they
sterilized you so that you wouldn’t have a continuation,
and they killed many of you through euthanasia. The
suffering was enormous. Not many people were aware
of what was happening to you. You have suffered from
that time on.
Now the Sangha has come, the Sangha has heard
and understood your suffering and the injustice you
endured. The Sangha has practiced mindful walking,
sitting, breathing, and chanting. The Sangha has
asked the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Patriarchs, and
other great beings to transfer to you their merits
and their freedom, so that you have a chance to
be released from the injustice you suffered and remanifest
in beautiful new forms of life. The people who
caused your suffering have also suffered a lot. They
did not know what they were doing at that time. So
please allow compassion and forgiveness to be born
in your heart so that they also can have a chance to
transform and to heal. Please support the Sangha and
the next many generations of practitioners so that we
can transform these places of suffering into places of
transformation and healing, not only for Waldbröl but
for the whole country of Germany and the world.
42 Winter/Spring 2009