JOIN US FOR A BOOK STUDY
The Midwest Moon Sangha is beginning a book study twice a month starting with Thay’s book “The World We Have” © 2008 Parallax Press.
Meetings will begin Saturday, September 21, 2019 following the normal sangha gathering. We will plan to cover at least one chapter per meeting. Everyone will be asked to read the chapter prior to the meeting and come prepared to answer two questions regarding the chapter. The questions are:
- What one sentence in this week’s reading had the most impact for me?
- What one thing might we do in the coming weeks as a result of our discussion today?
Join us at Magnolia Grove Monastery to experience joy as a spiritual family. Each one of us takes part in creating the garden of humanity. Creating joy sometimes eludes us though. The emphasis of this retreat will be to enhance your practice of planting seeds of joy in yourself and others.
We will use the practices of mindfulness to touch the joy of life in the midst of the mundane. The retreat includes daily teachings on mindfulness and sessions of walking meditation, sitting meditation and eating meditation. We will also have the chance to strengthen our capacities for deep listening and loving speech through the practices of Deep Relaxation, Touchings of the Earth, Beginning Anew, and Dharma sharing. It’s a time to celebrate togetherness with a joyful and supportive spiritual community.
There will also be opportunities to share mindfully and joyfully in the daily tasks of maintaining the monastery through the practice of working meditation. Everyone will work together in small groups―washing pots, gardening, cleaning the meditation hall, and so on.
The retreat is open to all, including beginners, those who have previously attended retreats, and families with children. The nuns and monks will offer separate practice programs for teens (ages 13-17) and children (ages 6-12). The first part of the each Dharma talks is dedicated to children. Parents are welcome to participate/volunteer to help out in the children’s program if they would like.
Join our members as we practice engaged Buddhism as part of the global Earth Holders Sangha. Our mission is bringing mindfulness, compassion, healing and nonviolence to protecting ourselves, each other, all beings and the Earth.
The Loving Work Foundation organizes annual mindfulness retreats celebrating the cultural vibrancy, historical, and spiritual roots and everyday lives of the people of Viet Nam. We hold these retreats in Viet Nam, with the goal of building a global community that connects to the Homeland of our teacher.
Our Loving Work Retreats partner with humanitarian project throughout Viet Nam, engaging in service projects at a grass-roots, hands-on level. Our Homeland Retreats take us to sites of spiritual and historical significance related to our teacher and our Buddhist roots.
Loving Work Retreat March 6 – March 20, 2020
Togetherness Retreat March 19 – March 28, 2020
Homeland Retreat March 27 – April 12, 2020