​During My's recent long-term stay at Deer Park Monastery, she facilitated InterPlay activities and sound healing/deep relaxation during the two rain retreats for the lay sangha. This evolved into a wonderful friendship with another long-termer, Linds, who is also being trained in InterPlay. Linds (pronouns: they/them/theirs), has a natural talent to connect to others deeply from a heart full of gratitude. Linds builds on their background in education, through storytelling and group facilitation and has facilitated dharma sharing regularly and offered Days of Mindfulness for Rainbow sanghas. Linds practices with Brilliant Moon sangha in Colorado and the Chrysanthemum LGBTQ+ sangha online and is currently an Order of Interbeing Aspirant studying with Vivianne Ephraimson-Abt. Both My and Linds were inspired by dharma teacher kaira Jewel lingo’s leadership and have been growing ways to weave together Interplay movement and Plum Village practices together.

We are so happy that the Deer Park Wake Up retreat organizers and the sangha supported our collaboration on two Interplay sessions at Wake Up 2023 and for the Musician’s retreat. We have offered similar workshops to friends during the past two Rains retreats and for online Days of Mindfulness. We have received a lot of positive feedback about how well these movement practices help people access Plum Village teachings in an embodied way and are happy to be expanding these projects in new ways! 

​Most importantly, we see the potential of how playfulness can water so many good seeds, bring people together to be comfortable in the same physical space and can be a way to reduce polarization of views. This inspires us to do a cross country road trip this summer to visit different sangha friends and offer our blended version of InterPlay, Plum Village practice, embodiment of paramita and sound healing, which can range from one hour to a full Day of Mindfulness, especially in collaboration with the local sangha.

Our active retreat support is Jonathan Borella, a long time OI member who has been deeply involved with the Oregon Cedar Sangha, Deer Park Monastery, Wake Up LA, and currently a regular facilitator and retreat organizer with the SugarPlum Sangha. Both Jonathan and My have been involved in the Wake Up movement since 2009 and enjoy studying sutras and explore how they shape our daily life together with our beloved SugarPlum Sangha.