Heart of London Sangha facilitators' guidelines

Arrive in good time - at 9.30am at latest Allow yourself time to become calm and centered before leading anything Prepare in advance: CD/Tape of Thays teaching or text to read Guided meditation (usually from Blooming of the Lotus) Idea for centrepiece - there are several "stand by" cloths and objects in the boxes but feel free too bring flowers and beautiful/interesting objects Find in the storage room: mats, cushions, Thay's calligraphies, 2 big boards asking for silence to put in the hallway, and the boxes with our belongings including: 2 small and 1 big plastic boxes, box or bag with teas In one small box - selection of fabrics for the centrepiece In another small box - big bell, small bell, Book of guided meditations The Blooming of the Lotus, 2 CDs Plum Village chanting, and Plum Village songs and Facilitators Pack a plastic box file containing the most useful bits: Check lists for people setting up the room and opening the door/greeting Photo of the usual layout of the mats Gatha on Entering the Meditation Hall to hang on the outside of the room's door Sangha Address book for newcomers (display on the table, mention in announcements) Dana notice Facilitators Guidelines 5 and 14 Mindfulness Trainings 5 Contemplations to read before lunch Paying-in book In a big plastic box: Candles, candleholders, incense Small stones & shells, and other decorative bits Photocopied text and music of some songs and chants Framed Thays and Buddha's pictures , In the cupboard (left door, the key is with the main keys) are Library books, iPod dock/speaker, CD player, tapes, CDs, journals etc. & folder with library records, 2 Buddhas, various dana containers, things to display: Printed info various, including Sangha leaflets for newcomers, subscription forms for Here & Now etc, books and things to sell

To begin - Wake up and invite the bell once Waking the bell (see Practice Manual 1.2) To wake up the bell, we gently but firmly strike the edge of the bell with the inviter and hold it there, creating a short, muffled sound. This allows the Sangha to prepare for the full sound of the bell. Big bell- before and between inviting it, keep inviter vertical, bottom end on the floor, hands resting on the end . Before inviting the bell, it is best be really solid. To help us accomplish this it is useful to first concentrate on our breath and recite internally (or aloud)the gatha: Body, speech and mind in perfect harmony I send my heart with the sound of the bell May the hearers awaken from forgetfulness And overcome all sorrow and anxiety The sound of the bell gives us an opportunity to come back to our breath and dwell in the present moment. On hearing the bell, we can stop what we are doing. You can lift the bell. If you do it, hold it at eye level. Awake on outbreath Invite on the next outbreath Allow for 3 full breaths between 3 sounds When using smaller bells, we may take less than 3 breaths, depending on the sound of the bell. If it is obvious we are about to invite the bell, (such as when we are inviting a series of bells ) we do not wake it up. Greetings Names Where from Whether new to meditation in general or to practice in this tradition Weather report (thoughts,feelings,perceptions) It is good to keep it light and friendly. We need to encourage people to give some short background as to why they are here. If they are completely new to meditation, we will need to give more instruction. Even with all experienced people, it is good to try to find words to keep the practice fresh. The weather report is an important part of the introduction. If everyone is reporting sunshine, we might want to use a more stretching guided meditation. If they are all reporting black clouds, we might want to change our choice of guided meditation and go for one of the simpler ones. It is the first part of the morning that encourages people to look internally and also to start to open up. Information Introduce day:- sitting, walking, sitting, dharma, sharing and end at 1.00 It is important to make people feel safe. It will help if they have an idea of what is coming and confirmation of the ending time. Location and when best to use toilets should be mentioned at this time. Before we invite the 3 bells for meditation, we are in a mid point between the outside world and the sacred place of mediation. We can adopt a friendly, every day style of talking.

Explanations of our practice The Mindfulness bell (see Practice manual 1.2) The bell is a central feature of our mindfulness practice. It acts like a bodhisattva, gently calling us back to awareness of the present moment. It invites us to practise together in harmony and mindfulness. The sound of the bell marks the beginning and end of each part of the mornings practice. We sit together mindfully still and silent, until the sound dies away. At other times, it calls us to silence. On hearing the sound of the bell, we can stop what we are doing The following gathas can help us in our practice: Listen, listen, this wonderful sound Brings me back to my true self The sound of the bell is the voice of the Buddha calling me back to my true home Mindfulness practice (see manual 2 p 12)

or

Samatha- stopping Vipassana- insight, looking deeply The primary purpose of mindfulness practice is to stop the chatter of the mind. Once stopping has been achieved , peacefulness and joy arise spontaneously. Our busy mind is rather like the cloudiness of apple juice when it is first poured into the glass. After a few minutes the cloudiness settles and the apple juice becomes clear. The term looking deeply is used by Thay to mean bringing our whole attention to whatever we are observing to see what lies behind it. For instance, looking deeply into a flower we will see the elements of earth, sunshine air and water. Looking deeply into our own pain we may gain insight into its source, or into our wrong perceptions. Sitting meditation (see Practice Manual 1.3 ) We sit in such a way that our bodies can rest. We sit erect with our back straight but with all our muscles relaxed. Its good to find a posture that allows us to sit for 20 minutes in stillness and comfort without feeling tired and stiff. Our hands rest lightly on our lap or our knees. Our eyes can be lightly open or closed. Our mouth ideally will be in a gentle smile- the most relaxing expression for the facial muscles. Silent meditation As soon as we sit down we begin mindful breathing by paying attention to our breath. We gently follow each in-breath and each out -breath with our awareness. When we are distracted with unrelated thoughts, feelings or physical sensations during sitting meditation, we try not to dwell on these but simply acknowledge their presence and return to our breathing. Such thoughts, feelings and sensations become like clouds, which we allow to pass without clinging to them. If our minds are busy with thoughts, it is best to concentrate on the abdomen. If we are sluggish, it helps to concentrate on the air entering and leaving the nose. We might want to liken our thoughts to guests turning up at our house. We can acknowledge them, but we do not need to invite them to come in and sit down.

Guided meditation (See Practice Manual 1.4 and introduction to Blooming of the Lotus) As we listen to the sound of the guides voice, we follow our breathing. We do not need to think about or analyse the words of the meditation, rather let them fall into our consciousness, like a stone falling into a deep pond. People new to guided meditation might find the words intrusive. Thay sees guided meditation as an important part of our practice. We need the vigour and strength to come out of the meditation hall into life, because that is the only way we can hope to change our world .In the practice of guided meditation, we have the opportunity to look deeply into the mind, to sow wholesome seeds there, to strengthen and cultivate those seeds so that they may become the means for transforming the suffering in us. The exercises (in Blooming of the Lotus) employ the vehicle of conscious breathing. The breathing carries the image and the image throws open the doors closed by our wrong perceptions. Kinh hanh (Practice Manual 1.5) We use the term to distinguish it from outdoors walking meditation. When we hear the bell to start, we take an in-breath and make one step with the left foot. On the out-breath, we take another step with the right foot. It can help to recite a gatha. (Breathing in) present moment (Out breath) wonderful moment or I have arrived I am home or In the ultimate I dwell If we find we need to slow down or speed up, we alter the length of our steps. We do not aim to change our breathing, which should stay relaxed and light. We are aware especially of the contact of our feet with the ground, and the wondrous nature of the present moment. Kinh Hanh is best practised in a spirit of joy. Dharma Talk When we listen to a Dharma talk we should try not to puzzle over the concepts presented or try and work it out. However, we should let the words drop like drops of rain on the earth. Sharing This is not a question and answer session neither is it an opportunity for debate. The topics should be from our life or relating to our practice Our aspiration is to learn a way of listening to help relieve suffering. We listen with compassion and non-attachment. It is good to take 3 breaths before sharing. The person who wishes to speak, bows and takes an object. The sangha bows back. We should be careful not to give advice. What is said is confidential. It does not leave the room. We might want to approach someone after, but we should check it is okay to broach the subject.

We should allow what is said to come from emptiness and return to emptiness

First sitting meditation approx 20 minutes (For the guided meditation, if we are using the Blooming of the Lotus, it is useful to sometimes read the commentary Thay has included. We might not need to read the whole lot out, but there may be a paragraph that will help give us an insight.) Start: wake up and invite the bell 3 times End: wake up and invite bell once Kinh Hanh Invite small bell 3 times. 1 stand and clear away cushions, etc 2 bow to the sangha and turn left 3 begin walking Near the end, invite the bell then continue walking to your place and stop there. Invite the bell once, bow to the sangha and sit down Second sitting meditation Start: wake up and invite bell once End:- Wake up and invite bell 3 times Teaching This should be about 15 to 20 minutes. You can choose a passage from a book (5 to 6 pages in an average sized book), or Mindfulness Bell. If passing a book around, make it clear that people should speak clearly. They should not feel they must read- it is perfectly acceptable for them to pass it on without reading. There is a CD and MP3 player available. Start: wake up and invite the bell once End: wake up and invite the bell once Sharing Start: wake up and invite the bell once 5 minutes to the end invite the bell to signal that there are just a few minutes left End: wake up and invite the bell once Reciting the 5 (or 14) Mindfulness trainings Start: wake up and invite the bell once When the first person is ready to read, wake up the bell. After the reading of the training, invite the bell and let the sound die away. At this point the sheet should be passed to the next person. Then wake up the bell again. And so on until the end. End: invite the bell once Announcements: Include info on contributions, library, other London Sanghas, any other Sangha events, subscriptions to Here & Now & Bell of Mindfulness. Ask the new participants to leave their details if they are willing to be on our database. Check how many are staying for lunch. Encourage newcomers to talk to you or another more experienced member if they have any questions To close: Invite the small bell 3 times: 1: stand up, 2: bow to the Sangha, 3: bow to the Buddha.

Remind participants to put their names and phone numbers in the library book when they borrow books/tapes/CDs and to put the date when they return items. If possible invite someone familiar with the procedures to overlook the library Arrange a 3 min silent working meditation for putting away some cushions/mats (depending how many stay for the lunch/afternoon activities) and for volunteers to co-ordinate lunch preparations During lunch - read the 5 Contemplations and awake and invite the bell once, after which15-20 min eating in silence follows. After that awake and invite the bell twice (with only short interval in between). Alternatively, invite someone else to do it. If newcomers present, briefly explain the ritual. If you are not staying for lunch delegate someone familiar with our arrangements to oversee final clearing and packing.

Lunch

After the very end: Make sure all mats, cushions, chairs, tables (folded) are back where they were Make sure that all Sangha belongings are back in storage, and that storage door is closed (shut), and library cupboard locked That kitchen is left immaculate, including putting back crockery and cutlery Pay in the collected money in the Post Office (Open till 5pm) at the corner of St Martin Lane using the Pay-in book. Bring the book back, or take it home if youre sure of coming the next week. In case this impossible leave the money with a dated note in a small plastic bag in the fabric bag. Give the key to the next week facilitators/ helpers or whoever could pass it to them, alternatively to someone who is sure of coming next week and can arrive at 9.30. Spare keys for library and storage room are bluetacked to the wall inside right part of the cupboard. in case the person with the key cannot stay till the end, we have a spare set of keys to the storage room and library. Its in a small plastic bag blue-tacked inside the right side of the cupboard, on the right inner wall. Write a short report about what was the topic, which CD/tape you played, (including which track) or which text was read, and which guided meditation was practised. This helps to avoid repetitions and to keep some continuity of teachings if we chose so, and allows people who couldnt come to feel more connected. You may also mention the number of participants, amount of money collected for

Back at home:

different purposes and whether its been paid in, or if not where have you left it; and anything interesting/unusual that happened. Place this text on our google group page. Go to PAGES and find the one named :Saturday Morning Write Up Space, and paste it on the top of this page, above the previous write up.

EXTRAS
Bell gathas MAY THE SOUND OF THE BELL PENETRATE DEEPLY INTO THE COSMOS. EVEN IN THE DARKEST PLACES, MAY LIVING BEINGS HEAR IT CLEARLY SO THAT UNDERSTANDING MAY LIGHT UP THEIR HEARTS AND, WITHOUT HARDSHIP, THEY MAY TRANSCEND THE REALMS OF BIRTH AND DEATH. HEARING THE BELL , AFFLICTIONS IN ME DISSOLVE LIKE CLOUDS IN THE MORNING SUN. MY MIND BECOMES CLEAR, MY BODY RELAXED, A HALF-SMILE APPEARS ON MY LIPS. FOLLOWING THE SOUND OF THE BELL MY BREATH GUIDES ME BACK TO THE SAFE ISLAND OF MINDFULNESS AND IN THE GARDEN OF MY HEART, A FLOWER OF PEACE BLOOMS BUITIFULLY THE UNIVERSAL DHARMA DOOR IS ALREADY OPEN. THE SOUND OF THE RISING TIDE IS CLEAR AND THE MIRACLE HAPPENS: A BEAUTIFUL CHILD IS BORN IN THE HEART OF A LOTUS FLOWER. A SINGLE DROP OF THE WATER OF COMPASSION IS ENOUGH TO BRING BACK L IFE TO MOUNTAINS AND TO RIVERS. HOMAGE TO THE BODHISATTVA, AVALOKITESHVARA.

ACTIVITY BELL for meals or other activities Invite the bell 10 times

l louder

ll

l 10th

4 & 5 faster

6 & 7 slower

Five Contemplations

Awaken bell

Dear Friends, the Buddha invites us to eat in mindfulness and not to let ourselves to be carried away by meaningless thinking and conversations. On hearing the sound of the bell please practice The Five Contemplations One sound of the bell This food is a gift of the earth, the sky, numerous living beings and much hard and loving work. May we eat with mindfulness and gratitude so as to be worthy to receive it. May we recognize and transform our unwholesome mental formations, especially our greed, and learn to eat with moderation. May we keep our compassion alive by eating in such a way that we reduce the suffering of living beings, preserve our planet and reverse the process of global warming. We accept this food so that we may nurture our sisterhood and brotherhood, strengthen our sangha and nourish our ideal of serving all beings. One sound of the bell l After 15 min awaken the bell and invite twice, at 1 breath interval m l l

Hugging Meditation This gives us a chance to really appreciate the presence of another person Standing opposite the other person we take 3 breaths to arrive and acknowledge them. We join our palms and bow deeply to each other. A lotus for you, a Buddha to be Then we take each other lightly in our arms and hug for 3 breaths. We become aware of the other persons breathing and synchronise with them We should hold each other like this for at least 3 breaths. As we breathe together We may like to use the following gatha (Persons name)., I am here for you. After the third outbreath we take a step back and bow again with palms together, offering a lotus We make final eye contact and smile

GENERAL RESOURCES

The Manual of Practice (a mine of useful information and teachings see the index below) the hard copy in the storage box, and on line on the CoI website

www.interbeing.org.uk Chapter 1: The Practice 1.1 The Art of Mindful Living 1.2 The Mindfulness Bell 1.3 Sitting Meditation 1.4 Guided Sitting Meditation 1.5 Kinh Hanh - indoor walking meditation 1.6 Outdoor Walking Meditation 1.7 Mindful Movements 1.8 Eating in Mindfulness 1.9 Tea Ceremony 1.10 Hugging Meditation 1.11 Total Relaxation 1.12 Beginning Anew 1.13 The Peace Treaty 1.14 Touching the Earth prostrations 1.15 Gathas - mindfulness verses 1.16 A Day of Mindfulness 1.17 Tree Planting Ceremony 1.18 Mindfulness Retreats 2.5 Ethics and their practice 2.6 Putting it all into practice Personal Social Action 2.7 Glossary Chapter 3: Ceremonies & Practices 3.1 Daily Practice 3.2 Recitation Ceremonies 3.3 Touchings of the Earth prostrations Chapter 4: Recitations & Discourses 4.1 Recitations & Chants 4.2 The Mindfulness Trainings 4.3 Discourses (Sutras)

Chapter 5: Information 5.1 The UK Community of Interbeing 5.2 Plum Village 5.3 Visiting Plum Village 5.4 The Order of Interbeing - The Tiep Hien Order Chapter 2: Teachings 5.5 Our Dharma Name and Lineage 2.1 Introduction RESOURCES FOR DHARMA CONTENT 5.6 The Mindfulness Bell newsletter 2.2 Interbeing

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Thays books (several in the library) CDs and cassettes with Thays talks (several in the library), including complete sets of CDs from 3 retreats in Plum Village Plum Village website lots of videos, talks and transcripts: http://www.plumvillage.org/dharma-talks.html Thays talks and videos on Deer Park Monastery website: http://www.deerparkmonastery.org/teachings

Website with many transcripts of old Thays talks, mainly from 1996-98 http://www.abuddhistlibrary.com/Buddhism/G%20-%20TNH/