You are invited to the COP26 Vigil in George Square, Glasgow on Sunday 31st October!

The future of our planet hangs in the balance. Interfaith Scotland and Interfaith Glasgow, with the Scottish Religious Leaders Forum, invite you – at this critical moment – to join people of all religions and none in expressing your love for life on earth and the shared hope that COP26 will commit leaders to the actions necessary to save it!

This unique prayer and meditation vigil will bring together people of all backgrounds in Glasgow and – via a livestream – around the world, in a powerful, symbolic act of unity and solidarity for our planet.

Witness religious leaders and faith community members coming together in Glasgow’s main square, united in a common commitment to climate justice, to mark the beginning of COP26 and to launch Scottish Interfaith Week, which shares the COP26 theme: ‘Together for Our Planet’.

All participants – whether joining in person or online – are invited to pray or hold in their thoughts the COP26 negotiators: that they may have the courage and wisdom to work together and to make the commitments necessary to safeguard the future of humanity and all life on our planet.

If you want to be assured of an official, physical place at the vigil you can book on Eventbrite.

The event will be streamed online via YouTube at tiny.cc/COP26VigilLive

We are very lucky to have a group of monastics from Plum Village visiting Edinburgh to take part in the TED Countdown Summit. This is part of the build up to the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow next month.

The monastics are spending time bringing Thich Nhat Hanh’s perspective to a dialogue involving artists, scientists and leaders from around the world. If you are lucky enough to be attending the summit please don’t miss Sister True Dedication’s talk in the Friday morning session.

Sister True Dedication is the editor of several of Thich Nhat Hanh’s books including the most recent one, released in time for COP26, Zen and the Art of Saving he Planet.

After the summit there will be an opportunity to meet the monastics and talk about the book at Blackwells Book Shop, South Bridge, Edinburgh from 7pm.

If we have further details about the event we will post them here. If not we’ll just see you there!

You may also be interested in this podcast where Sister True Dedication talks about Thich Nhat Hanh’s history of environmental activism and editing the book.

Dear Friends

At last we can walk together:

• Venue: Saughton Park and Gardens, Balgreen Road, Edinburgh, EH11 3BQ.
• Date: Sunday 10 October 2021.Time: 12 noon. Gather in front of the Bandstand for 12 noon.
• Event Description: This silent walking meditation is an open event. It will be led by the lay members of the Wild Geese sangha in Edinburgh who practice in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Before the walk begins there will be a brief introduction to mindful walking as a meditation practice.
• Cost: Admission Free. Just come along on the day. 

Alan Spence, former Edinburgh Makar, will read Sri Chinmoy’s Dreamer of Peace poem from the plaque by the statue, and add another short piece on oneness and inclusiveness.

We will also be mindful of the upcoming 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on 31 October – 12 November 2021 in the readings and in the awareness that we bring to our time together.

This is not a protest or a campaigning event, so please do not use any banners. Children are welcome when accompanied by adults. Please remember to wrap up warmly.

Please maintain social distancing, and follow all recommended COVID-19 protocols.

See you there !

We plan to be meeting again at St Marks in the very near future. Details will be posted here as soon as we have them.

This week Sangha was facilitated by Sally from glorious East Lothian. The readings were from two books:

• Reconciliation: Healing the Inner Child Thich Nhat Han (2010)
• Silence: The Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise Thich Nhat Han (2015)

The Scottish Sangha Spring Mini-Retreat Online Sat 20th March (afternoon) & Sun 21st March (morning) 2021

The capacity of the bodhisattva’s heart is very big, the capacity to embrace and to include. We have to practice the capacity to include, to embrace. If we practice, if we train, the capacity of our hearts will grow and we will suffer much less.”

Thich Nhat Hanh

This online “mini-retreat” is an opportunity for the Scottish Sangha to come together during this time of pandemic. We would be delighted if you could join us!

Thay uses the word Inclusiveness to convey patience, tolerance, and forbearance. It is the practice of keeping our hearts open, especially during difficult times, embracing our pain and joy as one. It provides balance and stability.

Our retreat will include our much-loved practices of sitting meditation, walking meditation & dharma sharing. Murray Corke, who was up with us from Cambridge last February, will offer us a dharma talk on our theme of inclusiveness and Susanne Olbrich will offer us a deep relaxation.