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Interbeing Sangha of Kingston - Weekly Electronic Bulletin Issue #27 - January 18th, 2018

Interbeing Sangha
of Kingston

Weekly Meeting

Our next weekly gathering takes place this Sunday, January 21st for meditation and dharma sharing, 6:30pm at Unitarian Place (Kingston Unitarian Fellowship), 206 Concession Street. Anne Coward will be bell minding.

Happiness

"Our notions about happiness entrap us. We forget that they are just ideas. Our idea of happiness can prevent us from actually being happy. We fail to see the opportunity for joy that is right in front of us when we are caught in a belief that happiness should take a particular form."

-- Thich Nhat Hanh, Teachings on Love

Editor's note: No newsletter last week due to technical difficulties involving a beloved pet and a ruined laptop! Using my work computer temporarily for everything. In addition, the website is moving to another host, so updates there are temporarily on hold. -- Keith

Member Blog

Mindful Haiku

Gratitude to sangha member, Stana Luxford Oddie, for another beautiful Haiku (coming soon on our Members' Blog). The verses were inspired by Thay’s Pebble Meditation and came alive for Stana at sangha member and bell minder Susan Young’s solstice celebration held at Janati Yoga:

The flowers are there
Water reflecting mountains
We are made of stardust

In Mindfulness, All is Sacred

"Feelings, whether of compassion or irritation, should be welcomed, recognized, and treated on an absolutely equal basis; because both are ourselves. The tangerine I am eating is me. The mustard greens I am planting are me. I plant with all my heart and mind. I clean this teapot with the kind of attention I would have were I giving the baby Buddha or Jesus a bath. Nothing should be treated more carefully than anything else. In mindfulness, compassion, irritation, mustard green plant, and teapot are all sacred.”

-- Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle of Mindfulness

Friends of the North

Community Update

Sangha member and bell minder Linda Tucker has shared a report from the Friends of the North Misiway. Thank you to all who donated feast bags this past Fall 2017, a total of 132 food bags (an unbelievable 3,300 pounds!) were shipped to the people in northern communities. Friends of the North Misiway is now officially incorporated as a non-profit organization, including Linda as one of the current Directors. The full report will be available soon on our website.

Sunday at KUF

Beginning Again

This Sunday, January 21st, Rev Beckett Coppola calls us to skillfully be in community, and create an intention for "Beginning Again" when a promise is broken, in the spirit of the Unitarian 3rd Principle: We covenant to affirm and promote the acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth.

Views Limit Learning

"Usually when we hear or read something new, we just compare it to our own ideas. If it is the same, we accept it and say that it is correct. If it is not, we say it is incorrect. In either case, we learn nothing."

-- Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching

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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