Sunday Morning Order of Practice

10:00 a.m. Session

·        Moment of silence to come into the present, into the company of those who also seek

·        Introductions

·        Mineral, flower, instrument, bird, tree, color, insect, someone you cherish

·        Reading/exercise    

·        Processing

·        Brief closing sit

10:30 a.m. Session

·        Put cushion out

·        Ask someone to be the greeter

·        Ask someone to do the incense & candle ceremony

·        Introductions

·        Info for newcomers

·        Community practices primarily in the teaching tradition of Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hahn, open to wisdom from many sources

·        Review order of practice

·        Open with refuge chant

·        Go directly into 25 minute sitting meditation

·        Walking meditation

·        Each Sunday given over to a different practice aspect in second half

·        1^st: Review the 5 precepts

·        2^nd: 2  25 minute sits

·        3^rd: 14 mindfulness trainings

·        4^th: guided meditation or shared readings

·        5^th: Day of Mindfulness

·        Conventions

·        Bowing to one another

·        Bowing to indicate you wish to speak

·        Clunking the bell

·        Review practice plan for the morning

·        How many brought readings

·        Recite refuge chant

·        In pairs, sitting next to another, starting to the left

·        Bell: creates a reflective space to consider each verse; let that space resolve itself fully before starting the next verse

·        All buddhas and bodhisattvas read last verse together

·        Twenty-five minute sit

·        Walking meditation

·        Intro comments:

·        Note cushion placement; inner and outer; 2 times around

·        Thay calls for us to bring mindfulness into all that we do; walking meditation is a form of mindfulness practice, a way of reminding ourselves to remain in the present moment

·        Take a moment to get centered in your body

·        Second activity

·        Process anything that came up in meditation

·        Practice issues and other thoughts

·        Concerns, appreciations and intentions

·        Closing verse