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Interbeing Sangha of Kingston - Weekly Electronic Bulletin Vol. 2, Issue #14 - October 20th, 2018

Interbeing Sangha

Weekly Meeting

Please join us for our next weekly gathering, taking place this Sunday, October 21st, for meditation and dharma sharing, 6:30pm at Unitarian Place (Kingston Unitarian Fellowship), 206 Concession Street. Anne Coward will be bell minding.

Eating for Mother Earth

"A vegan causes approximately 1.5 fewer tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere each year than a meat-eater does….You could spend (a lot) on a Prius and still emit 50 percent more carbon dioxide than you would if you just gave up eating meat and other animal products. Do you see that, my dear spiritual family? Being vegetarian is already enough to save the world. Who amongst us has not experienced the delicious taste of vegetarian foods? Only when we are too used to eating meat we cannot see this truth."

-- Thich Nhat Hanh, Blue Cliff Letter, October 2007

Mindful Consumption

Protecting our Planet

Plum Village practice centers and retreats have always been vegetarian, but since October 2007, when Thich Nhat Hanh wrote his famous “Blue Cliff Letter“, they have also been vegan. Thay explained why the community was turning vegan to nourish compassion and help save the planet, and recommended that lay communities be courageous enough to eat vegetarian at least 15 days each month. "If we can do that, we will feel a sense of well-being. We will have peace, joy, and happiness right from the moment we make this vow and commitment.”

Compassionate Living

"The Buddha has taught us to practice looking directly into the seeds of fear in us, instead of trying to cover them up or running away from them. This is the practice of The Five Remembrances. . . When we can practice accepting these truths in this way, we will have peace, and we will have the capacity to live healthy and compassionately – no longer causing suffering to ourselves and to others.

-- Thich Nhat Hanh, Blue Cliff Letter, October 2007

Our sangha has two teams helping to share leadership and facilitation of our meetings. Our Bell Minders Team are mindful facilitators for our weekly gatherings, as well as retreats, taking beautiful care of our friends in the practice including the bell. Our Sangha Care Team facilitates sangha care meetings, plans retreats, minds our library and resources, and coordinates outreach. If you are interested in helping with either or both, contact interbeingkingston@gmail.com for more information.

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