Dear Sangha,
We will meet for meditation on Sunday from 6 -7:30 pm in the Walker Room or the Memorial Garden of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington Normal. Arrive a few minutes early to get settled. If the weather is nice out, the group will decide if they would prefer to meet outside in the Memorial Garden, just south of the church. A folding chair or cushion or blanket would be handy in case we meet in the garden. Generally, it is recommended that you bring your supplies to meditate in the Walker Room: (cushion or blanket) and chairs are available.
The book we are currently reading together is Mindfulness A to Z by Kuzak (link below). We will read it together over the months and there is no need to obtain the book. Someone will choose the reading for the group tonight. We also welcome other Buddhist writings or videos or dharma talks on occasion.
All welcome, participation in the discussion optional. We will follow our usual meditation practice (20 minutes sitting, 20 minutes optional walking, 20 minutes sitting followed by the reading and discussion for the last 30 minutes).
The group messages that are sent out will appear on the under the Blog section tab, you will also find a link to the Facebook page on the website. There are many other features and resources there,including suggested readings and websites on meditation and mindfulness. Please review the Group Agreements (copied below) on the website from time to time or if you are new to the group.
Questions may be answered from the website contact or from (this) email reply. Karen
Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington Normal is
located at:
1613 E. Emerson Bloomington, IL 61701
UPCOMING EVENT in Bloomington: (notice from BNM member, Melanie thank you Melanie)
Hello Friends,
I am a member of the Bloomington-Normal Zen Group and want to invite you to join me at Ovation Theater for a screening of WALK WITH ME on Tuesday, October 17 at 7:30pm. Ticket price is $13.00.
With unprecedented access, WALK WITH ME goes deep inside a Zen Buddhist community who have given up all their possessions and signed up to a life of chastity for one common purpose – to transform their suffering, and practice the art of mindfulness with the world-famous teacher Thich Nhat Hanh.
Filmed over three years, in their monastery in rural France and on the road in the USA, this visceral film is a meditation on a community grappling with existential questions and the everyday routine of monastic life.
As the seasons come and go, the monastics’ pursuit for a deeper connection to themselves and the world around them is amplified by insights from Thich Nhat Hanh’s early journals, narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch.
Here is how this works. Tickets are reserved ahead of time and only if the tipping point is hit will the film be shown. Reservations are already coming in. We have just over 20 days to tip this screening so please reserve your tickets and share with your friends. This link below will take you to the site to reserve your ticket and see a trailer. http://gathr.us/screening/20728
Feel free to send any questions to Melanie@slashmail.org.
Peace and Kindness,
Melanie Dockery