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 !

This is out or date now – we are back to meeting as normal at St Marks.

We are very happy to be returning to meeting in person at St Marks Unitarian on Thursday evenings from Thursday 23rd September 2021.

In order to comply with government Covid guidelines we are running these meetings through Eventbrite. You need to book a ticket to attend. To register please click on the button below.

To help us all keep safe and well, and to adhere to the requirements that St. Marks place on guests, we would like everyone to be mindful of the following:

• Please book a place before you come using the Eventbrite button above. We have had to limit the numbers to 20 to ensure safe social distancing. By booking we will know who attends each session and St. Marks may need this for ‘track and trace’.

• Do not attend the sangha meeting if you are unwell, have tested positive for Covid or are meant to be self-isolating.

• Please wear a face covering except when you are sitting on your meditation mat or chair (unless you are exempt). We will not ask people to wear face coverings during periods of sitting meditation (although you can if you wish) but please wear them during walking meditation.

• Please use the hand sanitiser on arrival. This will ensure that the mats, cushions and blankets remain safe to handle.

• There is an opportunity to make a donation whilst booking your ticket or you can make a one off or repeated donation by bank transfer, details are available at the meeting. For Covid safety we are not collecting cash donations at the moment.

Virtual Meetings Continue on Wednesday

If you would like to continue meeting over Zoom please see details of our Scotland-wide Sangha, The Scots Pines, here.

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.

Action from the Heart

Last year we were able to share some of our funds with the monastic community to help support them through the covid crisis. Many of us also made contributions through Plum Village UK. For New Year the monastics have made a video saying thank you.

The monastics are still in need of support. If you would like to support them you can still do it via Plum Village UK. Thank you.

Sally facilitated this week and she shared her joy at walking in these winter days whilst enjoying the light and dark in a way she hadn’t done before. Here are some of her photos.

We’ve not updated the website much in the last year. So much of what we normally put here is based on the events we have held or hope to hold and all that has been on hold. To start 2021 on a different foot here is a lovely poem from one of the Sangha.

Christmas Poem for all in my heart

As 2020 leaked away through the sieve holes of day to day life,
I reflected on recent retirement and
wondered if torpor like this was usual….
As the days dripped by, then shone by, all the while eating cake,
my life passed before me…. several times

Friends, family, ancestors, colleagues, neighbours, all, would pop into my head
and I would revisit events and fond memories, smiling wistfully … sometimes a tear.
How are they doing in all of this?
Wouldn’t a chat or a letter be such a great idea ….
If only they were near (or alive) we could walk and talk…
I miss them all.
Aaah the busy thoughts of the idle mind, from where do they come and where do they go?

… After the bustle of the brief summer respite where we all came up gasping for air,
The leaves turned red and gold, and the geese departed,
and, like the bear my energy and initiative hibernates.
I miss them still.

By this time though it was clear, I was not alone…
There is little consolation that all humanity is catatonic together,
except perhaps as proof positive that we are all indeed one
and our illusions of separateness are finally in shreds at our rooted feet,
revealing the ache for our team mates in the team we didn’t even know we were in…

So… here we are, rushing expectantly towards Christmas trying to rekindle that optimism
and sparkle of childhood and sensing that, if we all sparkle together stoically,
we may just light up the world and feel some joy…
and then ,
well then,
we can go on to pour hope into 2021 … like there was no tomorrow..

Only kidding… of course there’ll be a tomorrow…
The catatonia will pass ….
But, we need to link arms, claim the path and stride into the sunshine.
It’s only possible together, all together …
Meanwhile,
Let’s link hearts ….

Ann Samuel Till, December 17, 2020