No practice at the library this week (6/10)!

We are not able to practice at the Library this Friday. We invite you to join us as we take our practice off of the cushion and into the wider world for a bearing witness practice in Newtown. Practice returns to the Buddhist Library next week.

Inspired by the Zen Peacemakers, our practice this week will take us out into the wilds of Newtown to explore the boundaries of self/other/place/space/time (as we do every week!).

During this event we will practice:

This practice will be a chance to put into practice the three tenets of the Zen Peacemakers. (You can read more about the three tenets here).

1. Not-knowing: Letting go of fixed ideas about ourselves and the world.
2. Bearing witness: being present for the joy and suffering of the world (learning to leave nothing out).
3. Taking action: Allowing our actions to flow from not-knowing and bearing witness.

This is a practice, and an open experiment.
These three practices are an invitation to meet space and place as equals and with our senses wide open.
This is a chance to be in, and with, the world and each other in ways that fully acknowledge the messyness, the troubles, and the delights that shape our lives.
Walking/moving together we also have the experience of intimacy with other humans, sharing these spaces with us. These three practices open up a vast field for exploration – one that you will find compatible with many other traditions and worldviews.

What will we do?

• We gather at Newtown Station.
• We sit/hover together in silence – as we attune to ourselves and the place (20mins).
• We walk together through Newtown – walking as a group we allow our curiosity to spontaneously lead us along an unplanned path (30mins).
• Eventually we find a place to pause – we find silence again and sit (25mins).
• Then there is time for discussion/food/etc

A note about weather: This event will bear witness to almost all weather! If it rains we take shelter, if it is cold we take jumpers. Bring an umbrella if you need. But there is lots of shelter in Newtown.

Who should come?
Everyone is welcome. Curiosity, willingness, and a tender heart are all excellent starting points. Feel free to invite anyone you think might be curious.

Is this event accessible and inclusive?
Bearing witness practices are practices of inclusion. The entire event will be shaped according to those who arrive. We will only move in ways that the group can move. We will only go where the group can go. We move as one body during these practices. This is a place where we welcome your full wonderous self – your histories, identities, messiness, and mystery. If you have any particular concerns regarding inclusion or access during this event, please feel welcome to send me a msg in advance and we can explore the possibilities together.

Feel free to message me!