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Dear Friends,

On Saturday, April 18th, a small group of us attended a Day of Mindfulness hosted by the Sandhill Crane Sangha of Grass Lake, MI.  It was a beautiful day retreat held at the Michigan Friends Center in Chelsea, MI.

Kathleen opened the day by honoring the indigenous Iroquois and Anishinaabeg people who first inhabited the land on which we gathered. We shared sitting meditation, deep relaxation, a deeply moving chant of Avalokiteshvara, noble silence, mindful eating, forest bathing, walking meditation, and practiced dharma sharing in small groups.

Barbara Newell gave an insightful Dharma Talk on Deep Listening. She shared some of her experiences as nun at Plum Village, the root temple of our teacher, Thích Nhất Hạnh (Thay). We learned about the importance of the bell and the stained-glass windows found in each of the meditation halls at the monastery. These windows bear the Sanskrit words, "Smṛti, Samādhi, and Prajñā" (Mindfulness, Concentration, and Insight), representing the core path of practice in our tradition.

• Mindfulness (Smrti): Being fully present in the moment.
• Concentration (Samādhi): Sustained mindfulness that allows one to look deeply.
• Insight (Prajñā): The understanding that arises from sustained concentration.

She also described the five spiritual powers used in Buddhist practice to help overcome obstacles. Faith, diligence, concentration, and insight are the four wheels that support the vehicle of mindfulness:

• Faith (Saddhā): Not blind belief, but confidence and trust in the path, the teachings, and one's own ability to realize the truth.
• Diligence (Viriya): Also known as energy or effort; the vitality to continue the practice even when facing difficulties.
• Mindfulness (Sati): The ability to dwell fully in the present moment, acting as a balance for the other powers.
• Concentration (Samādhi): The capacity to focus the mind on a single object, leading to stillness.
• Insight (Paññā): Wisdom or deep understanding that arises when mindfulness and concentration are present

Barbara's teaching included sharing the RAIN technique: Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture, developed by Michele McDonald and popularized by Tara Brach.  This four-step mindfulness practice is designed to help us manage difficult emotions, reduce stress, and cultivate self-compassion. It encourages us to pause and acknowledge our experience without judgement and to respond with kindness. 

Barbara also shared the concept of a "sacred pause" based in wisdom and teachings of Victor Frankl and Tara Brach. When we pause and listen inwardly, we begin to respond from presence rather than from habit.

It was a "RAIN-y" day that provided us the opportunity to live in the present moment.  We paused to acknowledge the rain, just as Thay would during his teachings. We shifted the schedule of activities to allow for outdoor walking meditation, compassionately cared for an injured sister, and gracefully accommodated a plumbing system not accustomed to such loving presence. It was a lovely opportunity to commune with our friends from other regional sanghas.

We closed the day by each sharing our favorite parts of the experience and singing together. The song list is shared in a gallery below, along with the retreat flyer and a representation of the stained glass at Plum Village.

The trip to and from the retreat center gave us a wonderful opportunity to chat and get to know one another outside of our formal Sunday sits. We look forward to sharing more experiences like this.