Cedar Cabin Sangha

01/23/2025

Sad news, from Plum Village France. Let's help, as best we can.

02/02/2024

Practice phrases for 2024, from our Plum Village sisters and brothers.

Thich Nhat Hanh established a tradition to offer the Sangha a simple poetic couplet in calligraphy on the eve of the Lunar New Year that can inspire and nurture our mindfulness practices throughout the year. The International Plum Village Community is very happy to continue this beautiful tradition, and offers these parallel verses for Tet (the Lunar New Year on February 10), to usher in the Year of the Dragon in 2024.

In Plum Village practice centers all around the world, we print out these calligraphies (keeping the diamond form), paste them onto colored cards, and pin them up around the dining halls, meditation halls, and living quarters in preparation to celebrate the Lunar New Year. We hang them from early-blossoming Japonica and plum branches that we bring in to brighten our rooms.

While reciting these phrases, we can combine each line with our breathing. For example, we can contemplate “Spacious Mind” as we breathe in, and contemplate “Inclusive Heart” as we breathe out. These words are not a declaration, but a living aspiration we wish to nurture.

Calligraphy by Brother Phap Huu; layout by Brother Thien Khai

Download the verses in English, Vietnamese, or French, and read Sister Chan Duc's commentary here: https://plumvillage.org/articles/parallel-words-for-the-year-of-the-dragon

01/30/2024

This will be available in person and via internet. It sounds like a wonderful program.

TOPIC: Dialoguing Our Differences

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama:“Peace does not mean the absence of conflicts; differences will always be there. Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education knowledge and through human ways.”

DATE: Monday, February 19, 2024,

TIME: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

The Dalai Lama Library and Learning Center will offer a one-day conference on working through our differences by sharpening our listening and speaking skills and engaging in activities that open our hearts.

Participants include several speakers who have extensive experience in training around listening, dialogue and conflict resolution as well as local leaders and practitioners from a number of religious and secular traditions.

Our goal is to provide an introduction to shared language and skills that we can develop together over time as we continue on this journey of interfaith dialogue events at the Dalai Lama Library and Learning Center.

The event is free and open to the public.

Livestream will be available on Dalai Lama Library and Learning Center page.

For those planning to attend on-site, please register this link, so that we know how many people to expect for lunch: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6235742

Schedule:
8:30am - Doors Open
9:00-915am - Welcome and Introduction
9:15 – 10:30 Active Listening: Presenter: Susan Cosentini
10:45– 12:00 Skillful Speaking Presenter: Gladys Brangman
12:00 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 2:45 Breakout Sessions (TBA)
3:00 – 4:30 Panel Discussion

01/23/2024

Dear Friends, a gift for you.

01/09/2024

This will be a wonderful retreat... if there are enough people to make it happen. If you are considering this, please contact the Blooming Lilac Sangha. Info is below.

RETREAT SAVE THE DATE: APRIL 4-8, 2024

If you are planning to come, please send an email bloominglilacsangha@gmail.com now so that we know we have enough people to proceed.

Retreat with Michael Ciborski at Chapin Mills in Batavia

Who is Michael Ciborski?

Michael is a lineage holding Dharma teacher in the Buddhist tradition of Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh. He lived as a monk for seven years in Plum Village, France, and worked intimately with Thich Nhat Hanh and the monastic community to organize, support and offer meditation retreats around the world. A skilled musician, he informally studied voice training and chanting of several European and Asian traditions and served for several years as an English language chant master in the monastery.

Michael left the monastery in 2003. Michael returned to the US and along with his wife Fern Dorresteyn, has helped to establish an intentional spiritual community and mindfulness center in Southern New Hampshire known as MorningSun.

Have questions about the retreat? Interested in coming?
Write to bloominglilacsangha@gmail.com

12/30/2023

Here is a wonderful practice opportunity - on line, streaming dharma talks from Plum Village.

Join us for a live New Year’s Eve session!

In the spirit of welcoming the New Year, we invite you to join our Plum Village Live Sessions.

Participate in our New Year’s Eve Dharma talks (from Plum Village France and Deer Park Monastery), which will be streamed live. We are also live-streaming the Ceremony to welcome the new year from Plum Village France.

🌟Dharma Talk from Sister Chan Duc, Plum Village Monastery
Sunday, December 31
6:00am PST / 9:00am EST / 3:00pm CET

🌟Dharma Talk from Sister Kinh Nghiem, Deer Park Monastery
Sunday, December 31
7:30pm PST / 10:30pm EST / 4:30am(1st) CET

🌟Ceremony to welcome the new year
Sunday, December 31
2:30 pm (PST) / 5:30 pm (EST) / 11:30 pm (CET)

Come together with your family, friends, and community to share the energy of mindfulness and dedicate a precious moment to reflect on practices for the upcoming year.

Links: plumvillage.org/live

Wishing you Peace, Love, and Joy for 2024! 🙏