Meeting information

Bay Sangha Meeting Information

Bowing to my capacity to awaken, I aspire to practice for my benefit and the benefit of all.

The Bay Area Community of Mindful Living meets weekly on Wednesday evenings at Unity of Bay City - 3736 State Street Road, Bay City, Michigan. 

The primary purpose of the meeting is the practice of mindfulness (seated and walking meditation, noble silence and other Plum Village Tradition mindfulness practices). We also utilize short Dharma readings to support mindfulness practices. The group is not considered to be a "class" for in depth study. The Sangha may, as a whole decide to pursue certain topics in depth which are directly related to the PVT. Practice remains as the central focus.

We meet at 6:30 in the kitchen for tea. At 7:00 p.m. we begin our mindfulness practice in the meditation room.

All are welcome. No previous knowledge or experience is necessary.

We sit in chairs. Please bring your own cushion if you prefer to sit on the floor.

Experienced members volunteer to facilitate our meetings.

The sound of the mindfulness bell is used to assist marking transitions in the meeting and to strengthen meditative experience.

A typical Wednesday evening consists of: 

• Tea - Mindful Socialization (6:30 p.m. in the kitchen At 6:55 p.m. go mindfully to the meditation hall

• Opening bell

• Noble Silence (5 minutes)

• Greeting / Announcements

• Sitting meditation (20 -25 minutes)

• Walking meditation or reading / recording (10-15 minutes)

• Dharma sharing (20-25 minutes)

• Loving kindness meditation (5 minutes)

Entering the Meditation Hall

If you attend a Wednesday night meeting of the Bay Sangha, we ask that you please:

Do not bring cell phones, i-tablets, or food and drink for use during the meeting.

Do your best to arrive on time.  If you enter late, please take a seat as quietly as possible.  Chairs are available for seating. Please bring your own meditation cushions if you wish to sit on the floor.

Remove your shoes near the door way before entering the meditation room and align them mindfully.

Observe noble silence while entering the room, while you are settling into your seat and during the initial "returning to the present moment period". The purpose of this initial period is to settle, calm, and to arrive in the present moment.

Noble Silence is a very important mindfulness practice. In addition to supporting a meditative and devotional environment, the sound of silence reduces dispersion of the mind, prepares us for mindfulness practice and shows honors our practice of meditation. 

We practice noble silence at the beginning of the evening, so we will not greet first time visitors or guests until announcements.

A good general guideline is to behave mindfully throughout the meeting.

Bowing

Bowing is a traditional and optional practice for greeting, showing respect and recognition of the enlightened nature present in each person.

We may bow when entering or leaving the meditation hall. We may bow to greet other Sangha members during noble silence.  We bow during dharma discussion to indicate when we would like to speak or when we have finished speaking.  We bow to each other and the "shrine table" to conclude the evening.

Bowing to the shrine table and the image of the Buddha is not viewed as "worshiping a deity". Rather it is seen as recognition and thankfulness for the buddhadharma (teachings of the Buddha), the Buddha's life example and all enlightened beings and spiritual teachers.

To bow, we place our hands in front of our hearts, join the palms of our hands together to form a lotus bud, and bend from the waist.  During some rituals, we may choose to bow or do full prostrations, which are referred to as "touching the earth."

As with all practices, feel free to participate as you feel comfortable. There are no requirements, other than being comfortably present.

Inviting the Bell of Mindfulness

The sound of the bell is used to call us back to the present moment and indicates transitions between activities. The bell starts and ends the evening, sitting meditation, walking meditation, and dharma discussion.  The bell may also be invited during a guided meditation.  The bell is invited during recitations.  And sometimes, after a comment during dharma discussion or simply randomly, the bell master may invite the bell to remind us to pause for mindful breathing or deep listening.  

The Five Mindfulness Trainings

The Sangha uses the Five Mindfulness Trainings, a concrete expression of Buddhist teachings, to bring an ethical and spiritual dimension to decision making. 

The Sangha reads the 5 mindfulness trainings together every 6 weeks.

Dharma Sharing    

During dharma sharing, we practice mindful speaking and deep listening.  We discuss our experiences with and questions about mindfulness practice and how to apply the benefits of mindfulness to everyday life.  This is not a time for theoretical or speculative discussions. During silences, we practice noble silence and enjoy our breathing. We are tolerant of silence while people gather their thoughts to speak. 

Everyone is welcome to join in dharma discussion, even if it is your first visit. When you wish to speak bow and the group will acknowledge you by bowing. When you are done speaking bow once again. Because the emphasis is on deep listening, skillful speech and loving acceptance, it is asked that you do not respond directly to what a person has said, but rather speak from your own heart about your own experience. 

Please be respectful of what people say by not talking about it outside of the group (unless requested to by the person who spoke.

Loving Kindness Meditation

We end the practice part of our meetings with a 5 minute guided or silent loving kindness meditation. This gives the Sangha the opportunity to share prayer and loving thoughts and intensions with others. The leader will ask for the first names of people who are in particular need of loving kindness. At the sound of the bell we enter meditation. The leader will recite:

May I be peaceful, happy, and light in body     and spirit.

May I be safe and free from injury.

May I be free from anger, afflictions, fear, and    anxiety.

May those remembered be peaceful, happy, and light in body and spirit.

May they be safe and free from injury.

May they be free from anger, afflictions, fear, and anxiety.

Closing

 We conclude our practice for the evening by inviting the bell three times and bowing:

1st bell = all rise

2nd bell = bow to the Sangha in thankfulness and recognition

3rd bell = bow to the shrine table in thankfulness for the Buddhadharma, Buddha, Sangha and all enlightened beings and teachers.

First-Time Visitors 

 Please leave your name, phone number and email address with the leader if you wish to be on our email meeting reminders and information list. While some people may need to leave promptly, you are welcome to stay and socialize until we lock up. 

Dana  

Dana is the Buddhist term for generosity, the practice of giving without expectation of receiving anything in return.  We may practice dana with our money, our time, or our efforts.

You may notice a basket and food bag near the entry of the meditation hall labeled "Dana."

The basket is for donations to support our Sangha. Part of the money goes to Unity of Bay City to support our using the space. The rest goes to the Sangha to provide retreat scholarships, bring teachers to our meetings to deepen our local practice, donate books and magazines to the public library, periodically donate to a designated local charity, or other worthy purposes.

We also encourage people to bring a can of food to place in our food bag. All food items are donated to the Good Samaritan Rescue Mission in Bay City.

Bay Sangha Dharma Library

Our Sangha maintains a Dharma Lending Library. The library contains donated books related to mindfulness practice and the Dharma. All Sangha members (“membership” simply means regular attendees) are encouraged to check items out. We recommend that books are not kept out longer than 3 weeks. Please return the books to the library for others to enjoy.

Thank you for your participation and support of the Sangha.