Saturday, June 29, 2013

Dear Sangha Friends,
Beste Sangha Vrienden,
(english below)
Thich Nhat Hanh heeft een tijd terug geschreven "Be at home where ever you are"
over de kunst om bij jezelf te zijn en geluk aan te raken;
Onafhankelijk van waar je bent en wat de omstandigheden zijn.
Ik zie om me heen mensen die elkaar opzoeken en steunen,
bedrijfjes die starten door met elkaar te ruilen ipv met geld te betalen.
Mensen die opgewekt hun leven leiden ondanks ziekte, werkeloosheid, koude zomers..
Het lukt mij af en toe als ik de vogels hoor, en het ruisen van de wind in de bladeren
het tikken van de druppels op het dak om in te ademen en te voelen dat ik leef en hoe bijzonder dat is.
Maandag zullen in we onze meditatie onze aandacht richten op thuis komen bij ons zelf.
Some time ago Thich Nhat Hanh wrote : "Be at home where ever you are"
about the art of being with yourself and touching happiness.
Independent of where you are or of the external circumstances.
I see people around me that are living their life joyfully in spite of sickness, unemployment, cold summers ..
Now and then, when I hear the birds and the wind through the leaves and the ticking of the raindrops on the roof,
I manage to feel that I am alive and how special that is.
Monday we will focus our attention on coming home to yourself
Doors will be open at 19h30
at eight we will start with guided meditation
then silent walking
Silent sitting
we will close with Dharma sharing
Have a wonderous weekend !

Hans

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Dear Friends,
Yesterday was the longest day of the year, nature is still growing to the ripeness and fullness of summer.
The weather is turbulent. Extreme hot and extreme wet are changing places all the time.
It shows me that we cannot take anything for granted and should live and enjoy life as it comes.
Do the things that are needed without hesitation and make the most of every moment that is given to us.
This monday we will have our meditation evening in the kapel.
Marianne has prepared and will lead the meditation.
Both Guido and I cannot be there.
So we have question:
Who can help Marianne prepare in setting up the room and make tea?
If you want to help please be present at 19h15 at the kapel
as from 19h30 there will be tea
and guided meditation will start at 20h
Attached a mail from Clare who moved to Southhampton some time ago and has found a Sangha there.
I'm impressed by her perfect Dutch letter and by her experience with her Sangha where they have done a walking meditation outdoors for the first time.
She sends her warm greetings.
Have a wonderful weekend

Hans

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Dear Friends,
I hope you had a good weekend!
Tomorrow our mindfulness evening will be held at a different location.
The Kapel is used for a concert and recordings.
So we will gather at the home of Leo and Ingrid.
The theme of the evening is right speech right action.
We will watch a part of a talk by Thich Nhat Hanh on video.
The past few weeks we have been studying the 8th fold path.
Learning how mindfulness and concentration lead to insight.
From insight right thinking is born. bringing thoughts of  Inclusiveness, compassion .
Thich Nhat Hanh will tell how he sees how this leeads to right speech and right action.
And knowing that thoughts , speech and action can cause suffering of happyness.
Great care should go to this.
These three are calle together karma, your impact , your continuation in the world.
Doors open at 19h30 for tea and calming down
Video will start after a short silent sitting meditation (at about eight o clock)
The vieo will take about 20 minutes.
After that we can have our practise of Dharma sharing on our experiences and thoughts.
Have a good sleep and a wonderfull day!
Hans