(-)CG lz- P-r) _ SANGHA BUILDING Creating the Buddhist Practice Community

by Jack Lawlor

CONTENTS Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter-Six Chapter Seven Sunday Evenings with Friends Why Practice with a Sangha? Getting Started Sangha Activities Sangha Family, Sangha Values How to Be a Good Member of A Sangha Sanghas and the Practice of Engaged Buddhism

Chapter Three GETTING STARTED

A Sangha is also a community of resistance, resisting the speed, violence, and unwholesome ways of living that are prevalent in our society. Mindfulness is to protect ourselves and others. A good Sangha can lead us in the direction of harmony and awareness. The substance of the practice is most important. The forms can be adapted... Ven. Thich Nhat Hanh, Touching Peace

How does one form a Sangha? There is less mystery to this than you may think. Do you have friends? How do you organize a social event for them? You can initially create a Sangha in much the same way. Reflect on how you may have organized an intimate dinner party at your home. Not an "open house" or a "cocktail party", but, say, a mid-winter dinner party designed to provide people with an opportunity to share warmth and friendship with one another. Let's think about how we organize such an event. First, there is the question of the guest list. For this type of party, you tend to invite people with something in common. You seek people who are open, trusting, conversational, and who have a certain something else in common -something a bit ephemeral, but which might be described as sincerity, or natural inquisitiveness about life. And so you might invite people to your first Sangha meeting. Inviting people to a spiritual practice can be done in a manner as graciously

18 as offering a meal -- in fact, you might also offer a meal! One often hears about Buddhist practitioners who live in isolated areas, or who live in a region thought to be intolerant or suspicious about non-hierarchical or Eastern religious practices. Might the seeds of a small Sangha nonetheless be available, right in front of us, and we fail to see it? What of the book store owner or librarian who consistently stocks a small shelf of books on the subject of meditation? What of the local physician who has confided in us the need for a stronger spiritual base among the adults in the community? What of the parents of our children's friends, who seem as stressed out and fatigued as we are, yet have expressed an interest in finding some way to renew their strength in order to better fulfill their responsibilities? There may be friends like these all around us. They are treasures, they are a potential Sangha. In urban areas, there may be additional resources for building a Sangha. There may be recent retreats or public Dharma talks in your vicinity. By attending, you can meet people to invite to the creation of a Sangha. Don't be too shy about it; others share your aspirations, and are equally tired of practicing alone in the company of books and cassette tapes. Above all, be responsive to the needs of newcomers. Try to see the Sangha through their eyes. This insight is critical to Sangha building. People who are new to the practice will appreciate the atmosphere you have created. One member of a local Sangha, who had practiced with the group for six months, described it this way at a retreat led by Thich Nhat Hanh: I have often brought someone with me [to the local Sangha]. I felt right from the beginning that the group was so welcoming and respectful and you didn't get the sense that "these are the top dogs" and "we're the underdogs" or the newcomers.

19 It was a very welcoming, respectful environment and I think it's very attractive. I think that's what draws people. Once we've arrived at a guest list for our dinner party, additional planning is required. We seek to offer our guests something they share in common. At a dinner party, the focus is on the meal. For a Sangha, the focus is on meditation. Meditation serves as a wonderful common denominator. Contemporary lay people have a genuine appreciation for the calm, the silence of meditation, once they have been introduced to it an an accessible, non-threatening manner. Regardless of your friends' religious, economic, or ethnic backgrounds, they will enjoy meditation as the main course. Anyone can appreciate it, even with only a modest degree of instruction. Just don't make the meditation rounds either too long or too short. Twenty minutes will do nicely. Create an atmosphere of compassion and mutual support by inviting people to change meditation postures, quietly, during the conduct of the sitting should the need arise because their knees or ankles have "gone to sleep". Allow people who are uncomfortable with sitting in the lotus positions to sit upright in simple, straight-backed chairs. Invest your friends in the creation of the Sangha by sharing responsibilities and tasks. Share the role of being the bell master. Share the task of initiating the meditation by lighting a candle, or if no one is allergic, a stick of incense. Above all, don't create a sense of hierarchy between those who have meditated before, or been fortunate enough to attend retreat, and those who haven't. You are friends enjoying the same path, with varied degrees of knowledge and experience about different aspects of the way which' you wish to share with one another. A participant at a retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh, who later

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helped found a local Sangha, described the motivation of Sangha members this way: ... the people who made the retreat simply wanted the support of other people who had the same dream and vision, the same desire to practice. After the hour of formal sitting meditation is completed, feel free to relax. Share refreshments: everyone certainly enjoys food, and its lends to the sense of community. Carefully baked or selected c000kies or cakes, accompanied by herbal teas, are always welcomed. The food should not only be carefully prepared, but also carefully presented, reflecting respect for both the food and for your friends. Carefully arrange the cookies and napkins on a simple offering tray. Carefully prepare the tea in simple, aesthetically pleasing cups. After five or ten minutes of informal conversation, invite your friends to reassemble, sitting in a more closely knit circle, facing one another. Begin enjoying the refreshments by passing the trays to one another, perhaps bowing gratitude as you give and receive. Then, taste the food. Truly taste and come into contact with it! The tea may offer you an aroma that you have overlooked. The cookie may contain a deep, sweet flavor that you haven't tasted for years. Your meditation has left your senses free to come into full contact with the cookie, with the tea, with the world. The second half of your evening can be devoted to coming into contact with your friends through Dharma discussion. At your first meeting, you might discuss things which are very simple and direct. Perhaps you could invite each person to more fully introduce themselves. In doing so, they can be asked to describe how they became interested in meditation, and how they think it fits, or might fit into their daily lives. In addition, people

21 can be encouraged to ask questions about meditation. People usually have questions about posture, exercises for following the breath, etc. Your friends can draw on their experiences in helping one another. Questions like these are also useful in exploring the subject of forming a Sangha to make group practice of meditation and discussion consistently available. Before everyone is too tired, you may wish to bring the meeting to a close. Don't be afraid, however, to ask your friends if they would like to meet again. In response, some people will express their desire to do so immediately; others will be afraid to make a firm commitment, and one or two may be already out the door! At this point, you may have-doubts about the future propects of your Sangha. Please allow me to provide a few personal insights into Sangha building at this tender juncture in a Sangha's development. First, young Sanghas have a much better chance of success if two or three people have a quiet, unintimidating, yet totally absolute and unshakable resolve to make group practice available on a weekly or bi-monthly basis. Sangha-building is a lot like the thesis of the movie, Field atDreams,, which in turn was based on W.P. Kinsella's novel, Shoeless Joe: "If you build it, they willl come." But remember this: even in Field ol Dreams, "they" did not come running as soon as the field was built. The ballplayers came in ones, twos and threes; the neighboring Iowans were skeptical and took a long time to see the baseball field for
what it was; and who's in this for big numbers, anyway? Second, Sangha development will tend, rather ironically, to occur in inverse proportion to its leadership's overt zeal to build it. By "overt zeal", I mean a "wear on your sleeve", missionary type ai-nbition to change

22 the world, to convert, and to extract obligations from others. This approach is inappropriate in the contemporary West. We must nuture the organic growth of "guilt free" Sanghas which people want to attend apart from any sense of institutional indebtedness. There will undoubtedly be times when the logistical tasks of organizing sittings, doing mailings, preparing refreshments, etc., tend to fall on the same field builders, described above. Nonetheless, Sangha leaders need not become discouraged or embittered, which may tend to occur if Sangha attendance is poor. True field builders do not become discouraged. They just practice. They organize sitting meditation and Dharma discussion, and they enjoy it. They don't worry excessively about where other Sangha members are, or fret how they are not contributing. They simply practice mindfulness and appreciate the company of those who are present. If this is the atmosphere, people will indeed come . Sangha leaders must be quietly committed to the practice, and cherish the presence of others as a gift, not as a duty. This type of quiet commitment and dedication is in such short supply in contemporary life that people are positively attracted to being near it, it is so rare. With time, without much advertising, more and more people will learn about the existence of your Sangha. It will be known as a place where people do such revolutionary, radical things as enjoy sitting meditation, walking meditation, and Dharma discussion a regular basis. You'll know the Sangha is succeeding when participants begin bringing their friends, spouses, children, grandparents, aunts, and uncles to your Sangha, and when it consists of people from all walks of life and parts of the world. People will indeed come, and organizational tasks like arranging meeting space, preparing refreshments, etc., will begin to take care of themselves as Sangha members not only come, but volunteer to help.

23. As implied above, my third personal observation is that a Sangha must always maintain a warm and supportive "family" atmosphere. This item could be mentioned first because it is so essential. The atmosphere in a healthy one of understanding, care and trust. The needs of people come first. Idealogy should be checked at the door, along with the boots, coats, and hats. Early in its development, the Sangha might benefit from discussion of the following Precepts of the Order of lnterbeing, a practice community founded in the early 1960s by monks, nuns and lay people in Vietnam attempting to create an Engaged Buddhism which could transform the suspicion, hatred and suffering engulfing a society torn apart by civil war: _-_e Tt i First Precept; Do not be idolatrous about, or bound to, any doctrine, theory or ideology, even Buddhist ones. All systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth. The Second Precept: Do not think the knowledge you possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow-minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice non-attachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints. Truth is found in life and not merely in conceptual knowledge. Be ready to learn throughout your entire life and to observe reality in yourself and the world at all times. The Third Precept: Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrowness.

The Tenth Precept: Do not use

the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community, however, should take a clear stand against oppression and injustice and should strive to change the situation without engaging

24 in partisan conflicts.

Let's conclude this chapter with an exploration of commonly asked questions about the formation of new Sanghas:

How, often should All meet?

In a non-residential lay community, you'll need to assess the needs and capacity of Sangha members. It is best to find a "Middle Way". If people gather too infrequently, the group may never really coalesce and become part of the fabric of member's lives. On the other hand, if the group strives to meet so often that it becomes just another burden in people's lives, they may stop coming, particularly if tension arises within the group because it is failing to achieve some pre-conceived standard or ideal. If people live reasonably close to one another, meeting monthly may be too infrequent, meeting twice a week may prove to be too burdensome, while meeting once a week or every two weeks may be just right. Experiment!

Where can we meet?

All you'll need is a relatively empty room which is large enough to accomodate your friends. While this sounds simple, it is sometimes challenging to find empty rooms in the West -- they have a way of filling up with furniture! Most young Sanghas start out by rotating among members' homes. Living room furniture is moved aside, or dining room tables are removed to make room

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for sitting mats and cushions which members bring from home. Other Sanghas have luck finding comfortable spaces which are available to rent in local churches, colleges and universities, or community centers. Churches often have spacious "founders rooms" which are carpeted, pleasantly decorated and modestly equipped with furniture. They may even contain closet space where Sangha members might collect and store extra sets of meditation mats and cushions, so that they don't have to be transported to each meeting. An obvious advantage to such non-residential locations is that the host's family, especially young children, need not be inconvenienced. It's important, nonetheless, to use a warm and inviting space.

Abemshould ite Sangha meet?

Once again, the answer to this question lies with your members. Many Sanghas meet on Sunday evenings. There may be several explanations for this phenomenon. First, Sunday tends to be free on many peoples' calendars. Few organizations schedule anything for Sunday night, and during most of the year Sunday night is a "school night" for children, with the result they'll be at home. Another reason why Sunday evening may be popular is that it does not interfere with Sunday morning worship in other religious traditions, which tends to occur on Saturday or Sunday mornings. Buddhists don't tend to insist that practitioners abandon other religious affiliations. In

many Sanghas, members will attend Quaker meetings or the celebration

of the Mass on Sunday mornings and attend Sangha meditation and Dharma

discussion on Sunday evenings.

Sang ha Profile: Lotus Buds Sangha, Sydney, Australia

Contact: Khanh and Dan Le Van 43 Osprey Drive Illawong, NSW 2234 Australia Tel: (61) 2-9543-7823 Fax: (61) 2-9541-1272 n late 1986. Thay was invited by- the Buddhist Peace I Fellowship to lead retreats in Australia. During his visit in Sydney. the Vietnamese community had a rare opportunity to enjoy mindfulness practice with him. During that five-day retreat, many of us tasted true peace and joy for the first time. The practices Thay offered were like beautiful fresh air gently blowing over our community, and he also chose the name of our Sangha. He mentioned that there was Plum Village in France and Maple Village in Canada. but that the name "Eucalyptus Village" did not sound right in Vietnamese. He Invited us to think of another name. At that time, some of us did not have any idea about building a Sangha or forming a practice centre. One day Mai and Nguyen visited Thay while he was giving a retreat south of Sydney. They were invited to have lunch with him, followed by a walking meditation. Returning from the walk, he told them. with a beautiful soft smile, that he had found a name for our Sangha: Lang Sen Bup or Lotus Buds Village. He explained that every time we joined our palms together to erect one another, a lotus would be there. Since there would be many. of us together. there would be many lotuses. Mai and Nguyen bowed deeply to show their gratitude. After Thay left Australia. a number of us who had been to the retreat decided to continue the practice. We met once a month and each family hosted events for the next year. We were touched when we received a parcel from Thay containing a onokyu and a big bell. During the initial stage of searching for a suitable place. Th5y paid a brief visit to the land. We spent eight months looking at various places and finally settled on the first piece of land we had inspected with Thay. Lotus Buds acquired three pieces of adjoining land with a total of 100 acres about 170 km northwest of Sydney. It has beautiful big rocks, old trees, birds, kangaroos, foxes, rabbits, and many other wild animals. We took walks to the top of the mountain to watch the sunsets, feeling as though we were also sitting at the Gridhrakuta Mountain in India. In early 1989. with a small budget. we started to build a meditation hall. Thay seemed to know through past experience that if one were to start with big plans and cling to a dream place. one might never have the opportunity to put the Dhanna into practice. We remembered his advice: "You can start with a shed as a temporary meditation hall." The hall was the former Phap Bao Temple. recycled with the help of many friends, children. and Tony Coote. an architect from the Sydney Zen Centre. Feelings of togetherness during the hard labour time brought us closer, and it was a period of great joy and peace. We continued regular sitting meditation early in the morning and at night throughout our construction period. We rejoiced at the simple but adequate facilities of the land, using only rain water, gas. and candles or kerosene lamps for everyday activities. For the quarterly retreats, we camped outside. Since there are no sleeping accommodations, we also hold retreats elsewhere for non-members. The place is simple and yet has witnessed several precepts transmissions ceremonies. Althou g h Thay has not been able to visit Australia since 1986. we feel blessed to have had monks and nuns from Plum Village lead retreats during the past six years. and to hear tapes from Plum Village which strengthen our practice In 1988 we had two Tie!) HiEn members. Now there are 19 of us. including two Dharma teachers. Lotus Buds continues to hold monthly Days of Mindfulness. Since 1992. more Australians have been coming. inspiring us to revise our programme for participants from both cultures. We practice sitting, walking. and eating together but split into two streams for the Dharma talks and discussions. We feel blessed and happy to have two young Australian chadren currently practicing regularly with the Sangha. As parents. we feel deep gratitude to Thy for being so interested in y oung, people's activities and for enco- raying open communication within families and teachin.! reconciliation techniques. We also have regular sutra study nights in Vietnamese and English in different suburban areas. We recite the Mindfulness Trainings monthly. rotating among members' homes in Sydney. Quarterly retreats are held on the Lotus Buds land. Dharma teacher Khanh Le Van. backed up by Dan and Lam, teaches meditation weekly at the Buddhist Library downtown. During the last two years, a few brothers and sisters of the German. English. and Italian SanghaS have joined us for meditation while visiting Sydney. Some of us feel the need to have our own centre in the city, but until conditions are more favourable, we continue to practice happily as is. We also raise funds for the rejuvenation pro g ram in Vietnam. work with destitute young people. and distribute Thay'. books and tapes throughout Australia. For the past year. we have enjoyed transcribing and editing Thay's Dharma talks. If you plan to travel Down Under, you are most welcome to contact us. Even though thousands of kilometres separate us, we are close in spirit.
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San gha Profile:

Maple Village, Brossard, Canada

Contact: Chan Huy 9089 Richmond Montreal, PQ J4X 2S I. Canada Tel: (514) 591-8726 Fax: (514)466-8958 chanhuy@prisco.net

In 1984. Toan and Quyen Do enjoyed their experience at Plum Village so much that they invited about ten of us to organize a retreat in Montreal with Thay. At the time, what happens in a retreat was a mystery to almost all of us, but we enthusiastically organized it under Thay's guidance. In September 1985, we had our first retreat with Thay at Camp Les Sommets. a simple weekend resort. That was all it took for the Maple Village Saneha to take form and begin its marvelous journey. Our small g roup spent many weekends searching for a good location. We gathered to make cushions for sitting meditation, prepare meal menus, and enjoy being together. We looked after almost everything; but none of us knew that we also needed a bell in a retreat! We ended up using a cassette tape and a speaker for the mindfulness bell. Thay called it our "electronic bell master.In 1986, we organized our second retreat with Thay at the Entrelac Scout Camp This time we were better equipped, with big and small hells. The highlight of this retreat was the ordination of our first six Tiep Hien brothers and sisters As Thay was sittin g in his room searching for a Dharma name for our eldest brother, an oriental cactus plant which we brought along began to bloom. That night. instead of sitting meditation. we enjoyed two hours with Thay in a tea ceremony celebrating the Quynh flower, which blooms and withers within three hours Thay gave our brother the Dharma names Tam Khai (Opening of the Heart)Chan Hot (True Understanding). For five years, Thay came to teach us. Maple Village was not only blessed by his and Sister Chan Khong's loving care. but also by contributions and support from friends in Canada. the U.S.. and other countries. Five years after our first meeting. Maple Village made a home on a hilly wild land of 100 acres with a lake. A road was built and a simple building was constructed with electricity and water. The building, large enough to host 100 people, has a meditation, dining, and activity hall, and a dormitory. In 1996, II years after our first retreat, we are still together on our mindful and joyful journey. Hundreds of people have joined us, and we cannot count the numbers of people who have taken the Five Mindfulness Trainings at Maple Village. Forty brothers and sisters belong to the Order of Interbeing, ten are Dharrna teachers, and one sister has become a nun and now practices at Plum Village. Many have brought the practice back to their homes and built strong Sanghas in Boston, Toronto, Ottawa, Edmonton, and Quebec City. Every year, many come back to participate in our spring and fall retreats with Sister Annabel and other 36

Dharma teachers, or in a summer Day of Mindfulness In Montreal. the present Sangha consists of 15 families. Meditations are held Sunday morning and night. and Wednesday and Friday nights. At Maple Village. we are all volunteers and work part-time for the Maple Village Society. We often speak three languages (French. English. and Vietnamese) at our retreats. We keep participation fees for activities as low as possible. Our core community includes many non-Order members, who are sometimes even more dedicated than the ordained ones. For many of us, Maple Village has become a second family. Slowly, we have disco n ered that we have more sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, and friends than we previously perceived. A phone call from a caring elder sister, a small gift from a younger brother, advice from a concerned uncle, and a helping hand from a considerate friend are some of the most precious gifts we receive. Suddenly, for some of us who live alone. we are not truly alone anymore. This family link between us has de n eloped through doing things with mindfulness. lo % ingkindness. and compassion. Together we practice sittin g meditation, and together we clear bushes for a walkin g meditation path. Together we repair damages of a spring flood in the Village building, and together we sing "Breathin g. In. Breathing Out - for people in a prison. Together we celebrate the birth of a new baby, and together we mourn the death of a beloved brother. We also have problems and impro%ernents to make in this second family. We know that tri g together is an art to learn with the practice of mindfulness. but we know that we are trying our best. Come visit us and he part of our family. On this continuing mindful journey, many have joined us and discovered a familiar and comfortin g link. a Famille

Sans Frontie;res.

Sangha Profile: Open Way Sangha, Missoula, Montana

Contact: Michel Colville 1440 Harrison Street Missoula. -MT 59802 USA Tel: (406) 543-6443

volle y ball, plastic baseball, and outdoor Walking meditation.

Email: darwin@selway.umt.edu

In November 1989, a small group of Missoula residents began sitting together on Sunday evenings inspired by retreats led by Thich Nhat Hanh earlier in the year. Open Way wasn't Open Way then. Nobody had thought up a name. Through that first winter, people thought and sat until the name emerged in the Spring of 1990. The name "Open Way" has become an inspiration for our practice. The heart of our practice together over the last six years has been Sunday evening meetings. We use three standard formats on an alternating basis. Once a month, we have a single sitting meditation period followed by recitation of the precepts and a discussion. On other Sundays, we have a single sitting period followed by tea meditation and discussion, or we sit for two periods and then have a Plum Village-style service. Approximately IS to 20 people attend these meetings. We have met in several different locations over the years. Open Way currently meets at the Quaker Meeting House in Missoula. and we are searching for our own zendo for Sunday evening and other events. We also meet on Thursday evenings On the first Thursday evening each month, we have a community. meeting to discuss Sangha business. We have Dharma discussions on the other Thursday evenings We usually schedule one special event each month that may be a Day of Mindfulness or an "intersangha event" with local Sanghas from other traditions. The last few years we have held an "Interdependence Day" picnic on the 4th of July featuring

For the last four years, Open Way has celebrated Winter Solstice together. This celebration, initiated by Roily Meinholtz, observes thebeginning of the sun's return in the midst of the snow, short days, and long nights of a Montana winter. This practice was described in the Winter 1995-96 edition of The Mindfulness Bell. Open Way took a big step forward when it sponsored its first residential retreat in October 1991. Some dozen meditators attended that retreat led by Dharmacharya Eileen Kiera (True Lamp); Eileen has led many retreats since then and has become our primary Dharma teacher. In April 1992, Sisters Annabel Laity and Jina van Hengel from Plum Village led fifty people in a powerful retreat that firmly established Open Way. Since then. Open Way has brought in Dharmacharyas each spring and fall to lead a residential retreat, including Jack Lawlor. Arnie Kotler. and Therese Fitzgerald. Sister Jina returned to Montana last fall to lead our first retreat that included a children's program. Our residential retreats have been attended regularly by severa! Saneha members who live outside of Missoula. Our "retreat Sangha" includes members from throughout western Montana and northern Idaho who join our Missoula members twice each year. The wide open spaces of Montana have given new meaning to our name of Open Way Sangha. Groups of Open Way members sit regularly in Kalispell, Helena, and Grass Range. Our quarterly newsletter. News and Views, has evolved over the years. Bill Clarke firmly established the newsletter as a quality. publication in his more than three years as editor. In the Spring of 1996. Bill passed editorial duties to Suzanne Aboulfadl. News and Views contains Dharma articles, and a schedule of Sangha and local events. Rowan Conrad, True Dharma Stren g th, was ordained as a member of the Order of Interbeing in 1992. Ro n 1/4 an has been a mainstay of the Sangha and has inspired many others to become Sangha members through his Eightfold Path class that he has taught many times over the years. In 1995. Open Way Sangha became a reli g ious nonprofit corporation registered in Montana as a local Sangha of the Order of Interbeing,. There are currently over 40 registered members and dozens of unregistered/informal members who join us for retreats, sittings, discussions, and other events. Five members are ordained in the Order of Interbeing. Today, Open Way Sangha is firmly established in each of its communities: Missoula, Western Montana, the Order of Interbeing, and the community of all beings. May the merits of this practice benefit all beings and bring peace.

Young Sangha members singing the "Buddha Rap" 32

Sangha Profile:
Haus Tao/Foundation of Mindful Living
Marcel and Beatrice (kisser 9427 Wolthalden. Switzerland Tel 41 171t44 35 39. Fax 41 (71)44.35 35 Email 101676 14660,compuserve corn In Au g ust 1996. Haus Tao will celebrate its tenth anniversary as a Buddhist meditation center. As the house was built more than 2(10 years ago. ten years might seem like a short time. hut considering the history of Buddhism in Switzerland. it is a great example of the growing interest in Switzerteaching. and of the common effort of land in the Buddha's the local Sangha to create and maintain a practice center In the mid-1980s. there were iink a small Tibetan and a small Thai Buddhist monaster y in Switzerland Marcel (kisser and many of his friends felt the need to have a center that addressed the issues of la y Buddhists In 1986. Marcel purchased the property that was to become Haus Tao. which is in the northeast part of Switzerland, 11/2 hours from Zurich His intention was for the house to he ,..onununally owned with practice rooted in the Buddhist tradition Atter tour years of effort, in 1990 Haus Tao was tounded as a communally run meditation center based on the Fourteen Precepts of the Order of Interbeing. MarcI was the main person to begin restoring the house Ii nancing tins work by givin g seminars in psychotherapy and meditation. as well as b y rentin g the house to other Buddhist tea .,:hers and therapists. Although the need for the support 1 the nationwide Sangha was ob% ious. it was difficult to rally e n eryone ' s energy to create this center It was (ink when Marcel was about to sell the property for financial reasons that people began to raise funds to keep it In the early 1990s. Thich Nhat Hanh and Sister Chin KhOng visited the center several umes seems like a miracle that since then. the Sangha has been investing in Haus Tao. both financially. and s rh their personal skills, by helping restore the huil n ling. sew curtains. and maintain the g arden As there is teachin g s throu g ha g rowing interest in Thieh Nhat Hanh's out Europe. the center is now able to support itself Haus Tao is near the German-Austrian border, and attracts people from all over German-speaking Europe The ,:enter i pen year-round and offers a schedule of morning and e n enin g meditation. The quiet and serene valley surniundin g the center supports our practice When sitting in the meditation hall. we can hear the nearby river and birds singin g Lonana. our guest manager, is the only permanent resident Howeer. g uests come throughout the year to join her in the practice Haus Tao can accommodate up to 25 people Nlarcel the resident Dhanna teacher and his wife Beaince inii n einem therapist. lie nearby and support the tian g lia with weekly Dharnia discussion, and Da n,s (IC NlIfkl:LIIIIL: n Flies lead several retreats a year. including a retrea1 which will begin Noi.embei I Retreats thi ee and .:21111f1,1r, Ith.:11aJC a dail y work period and a session in iffindful filo\ einent. guided hy Beatrice Haus Tao is now in the middle kit our first three-year ongoin g seminar III .111,1 practice. which gi cs lie15pariin pants the opportunity to integrate the knowledge derived front Buddhist texts with personal growth practices Since hICh i a sear published bsterSeto 19,11 HMI s Bell nn AIHORIltie. I, the (icrinan ;speakin g sister of The iiii the eike,:utive committee of the International Network it Nneaeed Buddhists (INEB i. and the Sangha networks with INEB members all over the world In Europe manv people consider Buddhism to he a practiee of meditation and theory only As the idea of engaged Buddhism is still %cry new. Haus Tao is currently invesueating what the social needs in our area are and what are realistic possibilities for developing socially engaged Buddhism in Switzerland The Sanglia may adopt a model similar to the Buddhist Alliance for Social Engagement (BASE) program organized by the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. The Sangha actively networks with Christian groups, who have a long history of social engagement in Europe, and are grateful for all the inspiration and help from open-minded Christians. In the future. Haus Tao wants to put more energy in building a strong neighborhood Sangha.
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Sr. Chan Khong and They by the stupa at Haus Tao

ot3

Beginning Anew
by Penelope Thompson & Lee Lipp
T t has been more than six months since our Sangha "cot a
idivorce," and it has been a time of suffering and brokenheartedness for everyone. It has also been a time of looking inward, learning to take responsibility for ways we have caused each other pain. For seven years, we met weekly for meditation and Dhanna discussion and monthly for a Day of Mindfulness. There was much joy among us and a shared love of the Dharrna. As 14 individuals from different backgrounds and experiences, it is not surprising or unusual that there were also many issues and causes for conflict in the Sangha. Our failing as a group is that we did not openly confront these shadows. We did not speak about problems that we did not wish to acknowledge. Furthermore, we did not practice Thay's recommendations for conflict resolution and peacemaking. Looking backward, it is easy to talk about how we failed, to create peaceful means and safe structures in which v,..e could speak truthfully to one another. There were unaddressed issues of power and control, leadership, direction of the group, and strong differences of opinion about rituals. perceptions of boundaries, and privacy concerns. We may have felt afraid of what would happen if we addressed these issues directly. But by failing to shine a bright light on the shadows, they grew larger and festered in the dark. until they exploded. In the wake of this catastrophic community breakdown. the remaining members of the Santa Monica Sangha has e worked over the past months to establish processes of peacemaking, conflict resolution, and Beginning Anew. based on Thay's teachings. We are still fine-tuning and modifying the forms as we try them out. Each month we have a new moon ceremony. We begin oh "waterin g, each other's flowers." Slowly and joyfully. we express our appreciation of one or more Sangha members for something they have done or an aspect of their way of being. In the second phase of the ceremony. each of us takes responsibility for our behavior that may have caused suffering to a member of the group or to the Sangha. This is received in silence, as other Sangha members practice deep listening. In the third phase, we each invite feedback from the others. Perhaps we have been unaware of a behavior in ourselves that has caused problems for someone. After some silence, other members of the Sangha may give feedback. which is received in silence, unless further clarification is needed. This new moon ceremony is based on two prior steps of conflict resolution. Whenever there is some difficulty between members of the Sangha, the first step is for them to meet alone together, to speak and.listen deeply to each other. If they are not able to complete the reconciliation

process, the second step is for them to request a fair witness from the Sangha to meet with them. The role of the witness is to hold loving energy for them and, where necessary, to intervene to assist them in listening to each other with open hearts. If the conflict is still not resolved, it is brought to the new moon ceremony and addressed by the whole group. At this time. both persons describe. without blaming the other, their perceptions of the problem. We meditate on the issue as a group, and then we make suggestions for reconciliation that the two conflicting members can agree upon. If the conflict begins to pervade the Sangha at large, a friend of the Sangha. a fair witness from another Sangha, might be invited to facilitate open dialogue, but we havphot had to try this yet. All of these procedures depend on the goodwill of everyone in the group. The forms alone are not enough to ensure stability and reconciliation. They are only a skeleton that must be fleshed out with loving compassion, right intention, and skillful speech. The new moon ceremony has helped us feel safer and more trusting. We have begun anew as a Sang.ha to heal ourselves from the wounds of separation and loss, so that we may grow and be strengthened as a community of practice. Penelope Thompson, True Dharma Source, and Lee Lipp. True Opening of the Dhanna, are psychologists practicmi; in Santa Monica and members of the Santa Monica San ha

Room to Breathe

Breathing in, honor the beauty of being. Breathing out, [let go of constantly doing. Breathing in, feelings surface. No need to hide. Breathing out releases the pain deep inside. Breathing in, stop to listen and smile. Breathing out, make room to breathe in for awhile. Jennifer Biehn
18

Sangha Solstice Celebration The Sangha Our Heart by Michel Colville & Fred Allendorf by Alberto Annicchiarico
pen Way Sangha in Montana has celebrated the Winter Solstice together for the last four years. Winter Solstice is the first day of winter and the longest night of the year. It has been an important ceremonial time for humans since the dawn four species. Our celebration was initiated by Roily Meinholtz to celebrate the beginning of the return of the sun in the midst of the snowshort days and long nights of a Montana winter. Solstice gives us a wonderful opportunity to give gifts of the spirit: retelling a seasonal memory, a song or instrumental music, a poem, a painting, a dance or mime, or sharing a special story: all to help celebrate the advent of winter and the return of light. Our celebration begins Saturday ni g ht closest to the solstice with a sitting period and precept recitation. Last year our celebration fell upon the full moon. Sunday morning begins with a welcome to newcomers who did not spend the night at the lodge and a sitting period while waiting for the winter sun to rise. Our walking meditation that follows this early morning meditation is perhaps the most moving part of our solstice festival. We walk through the woods to an evergreen tree that has been selected by Roily. The snow is deep and we often have to struggle to get to the tree. Once at the site, one of us talks of the hardships that wild animals face in the winter: the cold, the lack of food. and the many accidents that can befall them. We sing in celebration of these animals and each other. Each person then places a gift to the animals on the tree to help them survive until spring, and says a few words about what this giving means for them. Then we return to the lodge to share in a potluck that mirrors the giving of food to the animals. In the afternoon, we come together for a formal tea ceremony and a sharin g of gifts of the heart. The ceremony that Roily has developed for this is beautiful and moving. The room is dark except for the candles on the altar. As each person comes forward to give their intan g ible gift. they light a candle to symbolize the return of the light that heralds the coining of spring. They then share a song. a poem, or whatever they wish that has special meaning to them. As each person comes forward the light in the room becomes stronger, just as each day adds a small amount of light to bring us to the Spring Equinox. By the end of the ceremony, the room is quite bright as the altar blazes with many candles. We end with songs of jubilation for the wonderful season and the beautiful friends we are able to share it with. Michel Colville and Fred Allendorf, members of the Order of Interbeing, live in Missoula, Montana. ast summer, Thich Nhat Hanh reminded us that the prac tice is wherever we are. "Practicing is always possible," he explained, "but one of the most important steps is to get in touch with an existing Sangha or build a small one around us. The teacher is a treasure, but without a Sangha the practice can become very difficult." In Milan, we have experienced how Sangha building can be both essential and exacting at the same time. Our group was born in September 1993 and has gone through positive times as well as negative ones. Since then new people have joined us, while others have decided to leave because they did not feel at ease. What is the secret to succeed? Relying on the practice. In his book For A Future To Be Possible, Thay writes,"If you feel unhappy in a Sangha, it is better for you to make an effort and continue. We do not need a perfect Sangha. An imperfect one is already enough. We can try our best to become the positive elements in the Sangha ourselves and encourage the rest of the group to support our efforts." Sometimes we feel frustrated that not even the Sangha is the ideal refuge from the feverish and aggressive reality. We realize that a place of kindness, perfection, or bliss does not exist. Meditation does not make us fly or make miracles. It simply shows what is there. When we become aware that the same things happen inside and outside the Sangha, we can see that the problem depends on us, no one else. Maybe we catch ourselves judging others or pretending to be what we are not. Suddenly our companions along the path become mirrors of what we think and do. We have a chance to learn and listen more deeply. Hidden aspects of our character reveal themselves. Therefore, it is only from relying on the practice, our one and only teacher, that we can learn how to experience the Sangha in its true dimensiona matchless arena where it is possible to understand ourselves and others, to make positive changes in our lives in our family, at work, and in our society. In the Milan Sangha, we have really touched what is the meaning of accepting the differencesin ideas, characters, aspirations. That is the reason why we continue trying hard to understand not only with our brain, but with all our heart. Thanks to the practice, during our weekly meetings, our Days of Mindfulness, and retreats, we have experienced a fruitful phase of common growth. Some of those who had left "to think it over" have come back and shared their happiness to have felt that the Sangha was always there, available and ready to welcome them. In Plum Village, Dharma teachers suggest that we feel the Sangha as a family full of love and understanding, a community rooted in its traditions and original culture, where we can live guided by the Five Wonderful Precepts. This is what we try and put into practice in our Sangha. Having taken refuge in the Sangha has transformed our lives. Alberto Annicchiarico is a member of the Milan Sangha.
22

Sangha Profile: Lakeside Buddha Sangha

JaLk and Laurie Lawlor P.O. Box 7067 Evanston, IL 60201 USA Tel: (708) 475-0080 Hie Chicago-area Lakeside Buddha Sangha observed its fourth anniversary last June, marking over 200 Sunday evenings of sitting meditation, walking meditation, and Dharma discussions. "Magic is how Sangha member Ruth Kane often describes the three hours she spends each Sunday meeting with her Sangha in the candle-lit meditation hall that once served the community as its corner grocery store. Lakeside Buddha Sangha came upon this unusual rental space in a rather unusual . way: its landlord found Lakeside! "I w as hanging a poster from a stepladder during the 1991 Mondelein retreat ith Thdy." explains Jack Lawlor. -and a retreatant tapped me on the back and whispered, 'Would you like a zendo'?' I couldn't believe it. I thought I was in a Jimmy Stewart movie and it was Christmas.Of course it is the people. not real estate, that giY e life to Lakeside's manifestation of the Dharma. Approximately people now attend local Sangha activities at least quarterly; last summer. an average of 27 people attended each weekly sitting Lakeside meetings begin with an hour of sitting and walking meditation. After a break to socialize, we have a formal Dharma discussion led by a San gha member Sangha member Jon Fr v e observes. "Although our rounds of sitting and w alk t ng meditation are the heart of our practice. the hour afterwards is extremely important to inc It provides an opportunity to meet others in the Sangha in a more informal way." Weekly topics are announced in advance in Lakeside's monthly newsletter, and we have discussed such diverse topics as family reconciliation, mindfulness in the workplace. meditation and creativity, mindfulness and the art of counseling. and loss and bereavement. Michael and Arlene Brennan have led sessions on practicing Right Speech in the American political forum, and on the care and support of ailing family members. Demonstrations which draw upon the talents of local Sangha members have included sessions on oriental brush strokes and a spellbinding session on the art of flower arrangement led by Ilze Arajs, an instructor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Ilze and Laurie Lawlor, a children's book author, have facilitated discussions on the relationship bc35

tween mindfulness and artistic expression. and Sue Tague has led sessions on the relationship between mindfulness practice
and poetry. Former Trappist Jim Jarzembow ski has led many discus-

sions on the Buddha's life based on Thay's poetic biography of the Buddha, and Jack offers a periodic "Foundations of Mindfulness Practice Series - intended not only to introduce newcomers to the practice. but also to refresh and nourish the practice of longtime Sangha members. He has also led a series on the "Six Perfections of the Bodhisattva Way" to nourish the Sangha's study and discussion of the precepts. Lakeside enhances its weekly activities by taking turns organizing regional retreats and Days of Mindfulness in the countryside with sister-Sanghas practicing in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh in Madison, Milwaukee. and DeKalh. In 1995. seven regional Days of NI indfulnes and retreats were held within a four-hour driving radius of Chicago. typically attracting forty to II tty par4=3 ticipants. Sharing organi' ..41:07,01..irgt Omit KW." ..7.7.n p gs WM LOIN rupow.rvizor zational responsibilities re4111STS: duces the administrative ALT Nr. burden on any one Sangria, Mist ma, and the interaction helps nourish and renew the Nfidw estern extended community. Each eY ent includes abundant sitting and walking meditation, outdoor walking meditation. and silence. interspersed w oh Dharrna tal l'sN by Jack. group Dharrna discussions. honfires. and song Lakeside Sangha inemhers al Nt participate in the larger community in many w ay s . Ntan n members are proles sional caregivers in the fields of social serv ice, teaching. community organizing. medicine. psychotherapy. and home health care. Laurie Lawlor and Jon Fr n e are hospice volunra:e im .. 7 =41 7;1 1.2.1jS .71111.11 11":1 111.4

teers Lakeside members participate in ties sponsored h) theChicago-area Dharmacourk. iLornprised of 25 temples and ,:enters, and are active in interfaith programs sponsored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews and the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religion: Jack is serx ing his

second term on the national Board of Directors of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, and keeps local Chicago groups advised of BPF's efforts and programs Ed. Note: Ever since Jack and Laurie Lawlor worked closely with the Community of Mindful Living to bring Thay to Chicago in 1989. we have been impressed b y their commitment to nurturing an active. San gha practice. We encourage anyone interested in studying the development of a lovely San gha to .write Jack for copies of the Lakeside Buddhist San gha newsletters and his Sangha manual. (See page 37 for details.)

Sangha Profile: Ordinary Dharma/Manzanita Village

Christopher Reed and Michele Benzamin Ordinary Dharma 247 Horizon Avenue Venice, CA 90291 Tel: (310) 396-5054 We offer classes, retreats, and Days of Mindfulness. Manzanita Village P.O. Box 67 Warner Springs, CA 92806 Tel: (619) 782-3604 Manzanita Village. our country retreat, is now two years old. Since May 1993, we have had more than a dozen retreats; hosted visiting teachers. Asian and Western, from different traditions; and enjoyed the presence of many visitors who come for a few days up to several months. The hills and mountains you pass through en route to Manzanita Village are beautiful. There are many parts of Southern California that are wild and relatively unspoiled. The non-human world, the biosphere as it manifests here, offers continual support to practice authenticity, awareness, and kindness. It offers a breathtaking spectacle of beauty, interpenetrating forces, and a gateway to the unconditioned. Manzanita Village was the fulfillment of an ongoing dream and a search for land that began several years ago and took us through nearly every county in Central and Southern California. With very limited financial resources, we had almost given up the possibility of finding suitable land, when we found Manzanita Village in dilapidated condition after years of neglect. Practice has become the practice of work, and we have learned, little by little, to do the work of construction and restoration in a relaxed and mindful way, without getting caught in deadlines or expectations. We've learned that
we don't have to view work as a means to an end or just a way to get things done. We can use work, not only to practice mindfulness, but to celebrate our lives in the here and

Sangha-Building
These people have expressed interest in beginning San ghas in their areas. Please contact them.

Mark Wetz P.O. Box 292 Chiang Mai 50000. Thailand Tel: 053 245142 Ena Linares 18. J. S. Bach, (sobco) 08021 Barcelona. Spain Tel. (93) 414-7551 Barbara Babich 271 Miller Place Road Miller Place. NY 11764 Tel (516)928-6991 Peter and Linda Eno 511 Woodmere Road Asbury Park, NJ 07712 Tel: (908) 531-5518 Anne and George V ivino-Hintze RR3. Box 3215 Tel: (717) 247 - 7752 Rome, PA 18837 Michael Syein P.O. Box 69 Wheeling, WV 26003 Tel- (304) 232-4083 Amy Oedel 3828 The Prado Macon. GA 31204

Tel: (912) 471 - 9168

Terry Levy 2901 Sheridan Street Miami Beach, FL 33109 Tel (305) 538 - 9419 Lynn Lyle 5102 Pickfair Drive Toledo, OH 43615 Gary Bundy P.O. Box 804 Bay City, MI 48707

Tel (419) 534-3063

Tel: (517) 892-3422

now. It is possible to work in a relaxed way, and such work can be as concentrated and insightful as sitting in the meditation hall. Practicing mindfulness in a community is much easier than practicing alone. The challenge of community living seasons and softens us, demanding honesty and patience with ourselves and each other. Although it seems to be a challenge, as it gathers momentum, it starts to take care of itself. Starting a community is not easy. If you can help in any of the following ways, we would be most grateful: Come and visit. Share your time, joy, and energy with us. Our model is Plum Villag and we feel it is deeply important to develop a sanctuary where Thay's teachings can be practiced on an ongoing basis. Full-time residents. There is room for three full-time residents. Gardening and construction skills are especially needed. Grant writing. Can anyone help with grant writing to further our work with innercity children and community-service work? Donations. We need financial help. There are still many things we need to do to make Manzanita Village fully livable. Roofs still leak, plumbing needs fixing, rewiring needs to be done. We are incorporated as a nonprofit religious organization recognizing Thich Nhat Hanh as our spiritual head. Your contributions are fully tax-deductible and are very much needed and deeply appreciated.
19

David Williams 18776 Hilltop Drive Riverview, MI 48129 Tel t 313) 283 - 9415 Sharon Brown 5910 Winamac Lake Drive, #1 B Mishawaka, IN 46545 Tel: (219) 273-2553 Jerry Braza 6810 Corvalis Road Independence, OR 97351 Tel. (800) 473-4325 Bob and Mary Burns 609 Quaking Aspen Bear Valley, CA 95223 Tel: (209)753-2511 Bob Golfing 917 Marilyn Drive Campbell, CA 95008-6019 (408) 866-8841 Judy Dalton 4330 Kauai Beach Drive F-12 Lihue, HI 96766 Tel: (808) 246-9067

The Mindfulness Be[[

Journal of the Order of Interbeing
The Mindfulness Bell, the journal of the International Order of Interbeing, is published three times a year by the Community of Mindful Living, students of Thich Nhat Hanh who want to help one another be more mindful in daily life. Please let us know if you've enjoyed this issue or have any ideas for future themes. Send essays, anecdotes, poems, photographs, or artwork, on a computer disk or by email (parapress@aol.com ) if possible, and include a brief autobiographical description with your submission. We receive many v aluable offerings. If we are not able to include your work in the next issue, we would like your permission to hold on to it for possible future use Portions of >our writing may be edited for space and clarity. Let us know if you would like to see the edited version before it appears.

Please Subscribe
would like to subscribe to The Mindfulness Bell O O S18 for three issues, outside the U S 525 (Is this a renewal 530 tor six issues outside the U S: 540 (Is this a renewal ) Simple Living/Student/Elder: $12 for three issues; outside the U.S S15 In addition. I would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the Community or Mindful Living toward the work of culti y atin g the practice of mindfulnessincluding meditation retreats. classes. v.orkshops for veterans, social work in Vietnam. and establishing a land-based residential practice center. I am enclosin g S For donations of $30 or more. you will automatically receive a one-year (three-issue) subst.ription to The Mindfulness Bell

Please send check or money order payable in U.S. dollars to the "Community of Mindful Li. mg Thank you very much Name Address City State Postal C))de Country Your new subscription will be g in with Issue Number 19. Back issues are as ailahle fur 56 (X) each Issue I (Community ). 2 !Precepts). 3 Relationhips). 4 (Nonviolence). 5 (Health & Healing), 6 (Practicing the Precepts). 7 (Environment). s (lookin g Deeply ). 9 Returning to Our Roots). 10 (Returning Home). II t Mindfulness in the Workplace), 12 (Suffering and Transformation), 13 (Eightfold Path), 14 (Right Action), 15 (Communication and Love). 16 (Love and Understanding). 17 (Prayer). 18 (Cultivatin g Joy). Community of Mindful Living P.O. Box 7355 Berkeley, CA 94707 LS.ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED NONPROFIT ORG LS_ POSTAGE PAID OAKLAND. CALIFORNIA PERMIT NO 4353

11i;

'IRNAGGP.Weve vcreAliTAtikfts.ft

Lakeside Buddha Sangha

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7067, Evanston, Illinois 60201 Telephone: 84 7-4 75-0080 . Practice Center: -1445 Hinman Avenue, Evaniton (south, side doors) Weekly Meditation: Sunday evenings at 7:00 PM
11. of gio a 11'0

SANGHA BUILDING: CREATING THE BUDDHIST PRACTICE COMMUNITY ORDER FORM Sangha Building is an effort to describe how to create and maintain a sense of warmth and tolerance within a meditation group, regardless of its size. Practitioners in major metropolitan areas as well as in rural areas have found it to be helpful in creating healthy practice communities marked by a light touch, rather than a heavy or tense atmosphere. The 85 page text was written by Jack Lawlor, who has practiced in organized Zen groups for over 20 years, and who was ordained a Dharma teacher by yen. Thich Nhat Hanh in 1992. To obtain a copy, please send a check for $15.00 ( U.S. ) payable to Lakeside Buddha Sangha, together with the following completed order form, to Lakeside Buddha Sangha, P.O. Box 7067, Evanston, Illinois 60201. We wish you well on your Sangha building efforts. Remember, if you build it ( mindfully ), they will come!

NAME: ADDRESS:

BAY AREA SANGHAS

A Sangha is a group that practices meditation together. Practicing with a Sangha can be a helpful way to encourage mindfulness in our daily lives. Please call ahead to confirm current times and locations. The following are a few of the many practice communities in the Bay Area.
Sanghas in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh ALBANY Fragrant Earth Sangha Meeting Location: St. Alban's Episcopal Church, 1501 Washington Street cat Curtis), Albany. Meeting Times: Tuesday evenings, 7 - 9 p.m. Contact: Phone: (510) 982-0444 (voice mail message), 2625 Alcatraz Avenue. #404, Berkeley. CA 94705. Email: Mindfulbay@aol.com BERKELEY Meeting Location: 768 Contra Costa Avenue, Berkeley, CA (One block from Solano Ave. and The Alameda) Meeting Times: Monday 7:15 8 a.m. (recitation of precepts) and Tuesday throu gh Friday 7:30 8:30 a.m. Contact: Edie Hartshorne, 768 Contra Costa Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94707. Phone: (510) 526-4476. Email: Ehartschorne@igc.org LAFAYETTE Meeting Times: Sunday evenings at 6:00 p.m. Contact: Leon Pyle / Cathy DeForest. 3559 South Silver Springs Road, Lafayette. CA 94549. Phone: (925) 283-7271. Fax: (510) 283-9026. Email: penspyle@pacbell.net MARIN Green Gulch Farm Meeting Times: Family lecture and program on the first Sunday of the month. Contact: Wendy Johnson, 1601 Shoreline Drive, Sausalito, CA 94965. Phone: (415) 383-3134.

MILL VALLEY Valley Sangha

Meeting Times and location: To be announced. Contact: Michael Kahn. 602 Panoramic Highway, Mill Valley, CA 94941. Phone: (415) 380-89-

OAKLAND Pot Luck Sangha

Meetin g Times: Sunday mornings, followed by potluck lunch. Contact: J. Caleb Cushing. 5995 Chabolyn Terrace. Oakland, CA 94618. Phone/Fax: (510) 654-2456. Mindfulness, Diversity, and Social Change Sangha Meetin g Location: Please call for location. Meeting Times: Monday evenings, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Contacts: Olga Grinstead, (510) 540-0141: Don Marx, (510) 530-1319, 2908 Madeline Street. Oakland. CA 94602. E-mail: drcking@ibm.net Open Door Monastery Sangha Meetin g Location: 674 28 th St., Oakland. Meeting Times: Sunday mornin g. 10:00 a.m. Vietnamese and English are spoken at this Sangha Contact: Thich Duc Vien, 674 28'1 St., Oakland, CA 94609. Phone: (510)663-7438. PALO ALTO Friends Mindfulness Sangha Meeting Location: Palo Alto Friends Meeting House, 957 Colorado Avenue. Palo Alto. Meeting Times: Thursdays, 7:15 - 8:30 a.m. Contact: Susan Murphy, 2043 El Sereno Avenue, Los Altos, CA 94024. Phone: (650) 969-3452. Email: somurphy@email.sjsu.edu or StewartLJ@aol.com

SAN FRANCISCO
Meeting Location: Hartford Street Zen Center. Meeting Times: First and third Monday evenings, at 7:30 p.m. Contact: Avi Magidoff, 3538A 17th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110. Phone: (415) 252-8476. Email: avim@ix.netcom.com

Affinity Grout) Sanghas HEALING RACISM IN OUR SANGHAS Meeting Location: Empty Gate Zen Center, 2200 Parker St., Berkeley. Meeting Times: First Friday of each month, 7:00-9:30 p.m. Gatherings for People of Color and European Americans to explore making our Sanghas more welcoming to all. Contact: Call (510) 464-3012 for information. MEDITATION AND DISCUSSION GROUP FOR WOMEN OF COLOR Meeting Location: The Harriet Tubman Building, Manzanita Center, 740 Drake Avenue. Mann City. Meeting Times: 1st and 3rd Sunday every month from 2:00 - 4:30 p.m. Led by Marlene Jones Schoonover and H. Margarita Loinaz, Contact: For more information call (415) 488-0164, extension 314. THE MINDFULNESS, DIVERSITY, AND SOCIAL CHANGE SANGHA Meeting Times: Every Monday night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in Oakland. Contact: Please call (510) 534-6302 for location. BUDDHISTS OF COLOR SANGHA Meeting Time and Location: Monthly in either San Francisco or Oakland, to practice and offer support to one another. All ,ites are wheelchair accessible. Contact: For more information call (415) 642- 7202. GAY BUDDHIST FORUM (GBF) Meeting Location: San Francisco Buddhist Center. 37 Bartlett St, between 21st & 22nd, one block west of Mission. Meeting Times: Sunday mornings. Contact: For 24-hour information or to leave a message. call (415) 974-9878: write to us at: GBF, 2336 Market Street, #9, San Francisco, CA, 94114. Website: www.gaybuddhistor2. GAY MEN'S BUDDHIST SANGHA Contact: For 24-hour information call (415) 207-8113: or write 22I5-R Market St. #162 San Francisco. CA 941 t 4 Website: www.gaybuddhist.org . GAY BUDDHIST MEN'S GROUPS (2) Meeting Times: Two different groups one meets in Santa Rosa, second meets near Sonoma every other Tueda n Affiliated with Gay Buddhist Forum (GBF) in Sonoma County. Contact: Avery Freed, (707) 544-6740 for one group and Bob Hass. (707) 938-8868 for the second group. HARTFORD STREET ZEN CENTER Meeting Location: 57 Hartford Street (between 17th & 18th Streets), San Francisco. CA 94114. Hartford Street Zen Center (HSZC) is a center in the Soto Zen tradition. offers special sitting group for people living. with FIR' Contact: Call (415) 863-2507. LESBIAN BUDDHIST SANGHA Meeting Location: Epworth United Methodist Community Church, 1953 Hopkins St. in Berkeley. Meeting Times: The 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at 7:00 p.m. Open to new and seasoned practitioners. Contact: Carol Newhouse. Guiding Teacher, at t510) 222-7787.

California

/ci

Santa Monica Sangha Penelope Thompson and Lee Lipp (310)392-1796 Ordinary Dharma Caitriona Reed and Michele Benzamin 100lb Colorado, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (310)394-6653 Orange Blossom Sangha Charlie Miles 731 Mount Whitney Circle Corona, CA 91719 (909)279-4026 moonsong@ix.netcom.com Crown City Sangha Tom Scoble 127 South Olive Avenue, #1 Alhambra, CA 91801 (626)308-7446 TLScoble@ix.netcom.com Manzanita Village Caitriona Reed and Michele Benzamin P.O. Box 67, Warner Springs, CA 92086 Tel/Fax: (760)782-9223 Chanbao@aol.com http://www.ordinarydharma.org Annie Hamrick San Diego, CA 92103 (619)465-3950 San Diego Sangha Wat Lao Monastery Dick Baldwin (619)561-8384 www.maxpage.com/sangha Compassionate Heart Sangha Ruth Kornhauser Solana Beach and Carlsbad (760)745-6506 rkorn@inetworld.net Spirit Point Sangha

Ruth Kornhauser 2220 Conway Drive Escondido, CA 92026 (760)745-6506 rkorn@inetworld.net Laguna Beach Sangha Greg Smith 639 Pearl Street, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 (714)494-4734 gmsmith@here-and-now.org http://here-andnow.org/IMSOC/awareness.html Full Blossom Sangha Susannah Knittel 1528 Laguna #2, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (805)963-4583 sachra@aol.com Open Door Sangha Thea Howard 440 Whitman Street, #46 Goleta, CA 93117 (805)685-8787 Fax: (805)893-2902 thea@cosmic.physics.ucsb.edu White Heron Sangha Rosemary Donnell P.O. Box 870 Morro Bay, CA 93443 (805)772-4580 http://www.thegrid.net/whiteheron Monterey Peninsula Sangha Nancy Melton, P.O. Box 131 Pacific Grove, CA 93950 (408)647-9155 Palo Alto Friends Mindfulness Sangha Susan Murphy 2043 El Sereno Avenue Los Altos, CA 94024 (650)969-3452 somurphy@email.sjsu.edu