Venue: Lauriston Castle, 2 Cramond Road South, Edinburgh. EH4 6AD. Date: Sunday 25 June 2023. Time: 12 noon. Gather in front of Lauriston Castle for 12 noon. Event Description: This silent walking meditation is an open event. It will be led by the lay members of the Edinburgh Sangha of the Community of Interbeing, who follow the practice and teachings of Zen Buddhist Master, Thich Nhat Hanh. Before the walk begins there will be a brief introduction to mindful walking as a meditation practice. 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.
‘We walk just for walking. We walk with freedom and solidity, no longer in a hurry. Let us enjoy every step we make.’
On 22nd January 2022 our much loved and respected teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay), passed away. He was 95 years old, and was with his monastic brothers and sisters at his root temple near Hue, in central Vietnam, where he has lived for the past three years.
Ordained as a monk aged 16 in Vietnam, Thich Nhat Hanh soon envisioned a kind of engaged Buddhism that could respond directly to the needs of society.
He was a prominent teacher and social activist in his home country before finding himself exiled for calling for peace.
In the West he played a key role in introducing mindfulness and created mindful communities (Sanghas) around the world. His teachings have impacted politicians, business leaders, activists, teachers and countless others.
In January of this year the Plum Village Community in Scotland planted a plum tree in the community garden in the meadows in Edinburgh. This ceremony was on the day of Thays passing. In May we have visiting monastics from Plum Village France, who will conduct a ceremony and lay a stone plaque with the carved inscription “Peace is every step” – “Thich Nhat Hanh”. This is to commemorate and celebrate his visit in 2003, the first in the UK. The location also marks the start of a peace walk which went from the Meadows to Princes Street Gardens. The plum tree is the true tribute to Thays visit but we would like to mark in some small way what the tree represents and the inscription “Peace is every step” in Thays words and own calligraphy seemed very appropriate. The plaque will be carved on a piece of riven Westmoreland slate 18″ by 12″ wide. Ian, our stone mason, was on the original peace walk with his children in 2003. Many of those who attended the tree planting ceremony were on the peace with Thay walk twenty years ago .
Any contribution however small, will enable us to make this small tribute to our much loved and respected teacher, in the heart of Scotland’s capital city in the beautiful Meadows Community Garden.
Please join us at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, John Hope Gateway, Arboretum Place, Edinburgh, EH3 5NZ on Sunday 26 March 2023 at 10am for 10.00am-11.15am. Remember the clocks change that day!
This silent walking meditation is an open event. Before the walk begins there will be a brief introduction to mindful walking as a meditation practice.
This is not a protest or a campaigning event, so please do not use any banners. Our silence and togetherness in nature says it all at this time.
Children are welcome when accompanied by adults.
Please remember to wrap up warmly and note that no animals except Registered Assistance Dogs are permitted within the Garden.
We have an exciting time coming up in May with a visit by eight monastics from Plum Village in France. There will be three main events during the day. We are still finalising the details but they will be posted here as soon as we have them.
Tree dedication and Mindful Walk from 12:30pm on the Meadows
The dedication ceremony will include unveiling a plaque. There is still an opportunity to donate to the cost of the plaque through a crowd funding campaign.
WakeUp event for younger sangha members at Edinburgh University
To be hosted by the chaplaincy. Details to be confirmed.
Mindful Communities: Building a Future Together
The Power of Compassion and Mindful Communication
Experience the deep roots of Mindfulness through interacting with a group from Thich Nhat Hanh’s monastic community. Learn how to act and communicate from a place of more compassion, peace and freedom, in our daily lives. Cultivating and sustaining nourishing relationships, we build resilience for ourselves and for the Earth.
This will be a ticketed public talk from 7-9pm at St Marks Unitarian church on Castle Terrace.
More details for the tree planting on 22nd of January at 1:30pm are on the Eventbrite site here. There is not need to book though. You can just turn up. The Community Garden is between the tennis courts and Middle Meadow Walk on the Meadows in Edinburgh. See you there!
We won’t be having a live meeting at St Marks on 29 December but will have a little Zoom Be-in instead at 7pm. This is a chance to have a cup of tea together from the comfort of our own homes and share any poems, readings, anecdotes, songs, tunes, stories or pretty much anything that has touched you this year or that you think might be uplifting/inspiring or encouraging for others. We’ll play it completely by ear and just see what crops up, or doesn’t, and just relax together for a while with whoever comes.
If you aren’t already on our mailing list but would like to take part please fill in the contact form and Pete will add you to the list.
The next in person meeting will be as usual at St Marks on Thursday 5th January at 7:15pm.
Save the date 1: There will be a tree planting ceremony on 22nd January 2023 1:30pm at the Meadows Community Garden. This is to commemorate Thich Nhat Hanh’s first visit to the UK. He lead a walk from the Meadows in 2003.
Save the date 2: A group of monastics from Plum Village will visit Edinburgh on 24th May 2023. There will be a number of events on that day including a dedication of the tree.
More details of both events will be posted here and on our mailing list.
“Most of us experience a life full of wonderful moments and difficult moments. But for many of us, even when we are most joyful, there is fear behind our joy…. Fearlessness is not only possible, it is the ultimate joy. When you touch nonfear, you are free.”
Thich Nhat Hanh, Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm
We live in troubled times. Who knows what the future holds? The narrative of despair, fear, lack, antagonism, impending catastrophe grows with every newscast. Yet deep down we know that another future is possible. And the future begins in the present moment. Only by living in trust, faith, beauty, and joy can we create the future we want.
True joy is possible only when we acknowledge and accept the pain of living—grief, fear, rage, sorrow. Sometimes it is easier to do this in the company of compassionate friends. We will spend a day together exploring what gets in the way of joy, and experiencing joy through meditation, walking in nature, singing, and sharing from the heart.
“When you stay fully present with your feelings, your sensations, and the world around you, even when it seems dark and cold, joy will arise. Joy and suffering are two sides of the same coin.”
Edinburgh Wild Geese Sangha 