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Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh
Visit
Magnolia Village October 10 - 13, 2005
The announcement was made
that Thich Nhat Hanh was coming to Magnolia Village. There had been much
anticipation among some, but to the majority this was BIG news. There are
many thanks to the community of people that not only help make this
wonderful opportunity come to be, but they are also the people behind the
origins, and realizations of Magnolia Village itself.
This group has its origin
in the same village in Vietnam, and they have had strong ties with Thich
Nhat Hanh for many years. All of us who were able to be a part of this
event, and the many that will, in the future, benefit from the existence,
growth and continuation of Magnolia Village wish to pay a special thank you
to all of the members of that very special community of spirits. A lotus to
each and every one of you!
Many people have worked very hard to provide a strong foundation for us to
build on and for sangha growth. It is the hope of everyone connected with
Magnolia Village that the Sangha will grow and eventually the monsatics will
be able to come to Magnolia Village permanently. It will be wonderful to
have a monastery and Dharma center in the mid-south. We can build our own
practice by coming to sittings and to Sunday activities.
To build our practice we have to become participants rather than consumers.
"Becoming a participant" means knowing that this is our sangha and
taking ownership of it. It's putting our ideas out there, making
suggestions, taking charge. It means not thinking we don't have the skills,
knowledge or whatever and standing on the sidelines. We have to plunge in
wholeheartedly.
For a schedule of Sunday activities and other events at Magnolia Village,
please visit the Magnolia Village web
pages on Dharma Memphis.
Many thanks to those who contributed their reflections on their experiences
at the October retreat and to those who shared the pictures that can be
viewed here.
REFLECTIONS
Russell Smith - Waynesville, NC
Imagine being around thousands of years ago, and
having the chance to spend a few days with the Buddha or Jesus Christ. Or
going back to the 1800’s, and hanging out with Ramakrishna. That is how it
felt to be with Thich Nhat Hanh during his 80th birthday this week.
(
read full article )
(Russell maintains a blog at :
http://russell.blogs.com/mysore_musings/)
David Beasley -
Greenwood, SC
News of the October 2005 Thich Nhat Hanh
retreat at Magnolia Village in North Mississippi came to me, a Quaker
residing in Greenwood S.C., in a round about way. A Birmingham, Alabama
friend from the 1960's sent me an e-mail that connected me to another friend
who sent another’s announcement of the retreat which gave the readers about
7 days to decided if they could and would attend. Checking time and
financial resources, the distance and the means of travel I looked at this
proposal with less interest than at first. What did I know about Thich Nhat
Hanh that made me interested?
(
read full article )
Wendy - Arkansas
Its nearing our time of Thanksgiving
celebration and for me I feel so blessed and thankful for the days and
nights spent in retreat with Thay and his monastics and for all the new
friends I met and made during that week.
There are so many things I could write about. Every moment was something
special. Riding to the airport with Tony, Allen, Nathan and the long caravan
of others made my heart so happy. Standing along side everyone holding the
red and yellow roses in anticipation of Thay's appearance.. Well if you were
there you know the feeling I find right now impossible to put in words. :)
Waking early each morning trying to get dressed and shoes on my feet to
walk in the dark through the camp filled with waking friends doing the same.
Feeling the fog around us and seeing the light from the mediation hall
showing the way to a day filled with mindfulness and time spent together as
a community working, meditating and hearing the dharma. Wow.. what a
wonderful time.. :)
Other reflections were on the children playing and hearing their happy
little voices laughing among the many different activities going on. The
mindfulness bell being invited to sound. The walking meditations with Thay..
Hearing and feeling the quietness as we all walked together behind Thay. The
sounds of our feet as they moved through the grass and stepping on sticks
and leaves was almost like music to my ears. Oh, and the beautiful songs
that Thay taught us as well as the voices of the nuns singing us to sleep
during a full body relaxation in the meditation hall. :)
The washing of dishes together after our meals were finished. The
quietness of everyone eating being mindful and thankful for the food that
was prepared for us by the wonderful Vietnamese ladies and men. They made
each meal with love and caring and by taking the food into our bodies we
shared in love for one another. A sort of bonding went on that week.
We all came together as strangers from different states but left as
family.
Well there are hundreds more things I could write about but it would fill
a book. so I will stop here with saying thank you to all I met. It was a
dream come true for me to have met Thay in person and taking vows with a lot
of you will always be imprinted into my heart as the best moments of my
life. :)
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"The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence.
When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers."
..... Thich Nhat Hanh
KEEP UP TO DATE:
If you are interested in some of the many books
available by Thich Nhat Hanh you can read about them and order them through
Dharma Memphis by
clicking here.
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