“Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. Breathing in, I dwell in the present moment. Breathing out, I feel it is a wonderful moment.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
The Second Heart Sangha flowed into my life during the height of the pandemic, in 2021. While this was a time of great upheaval for all of us, I also was experiencing deep personal loss and upset. A dear friend who was already a member of this Sangha, extended to me an invitation to sit with the group for their weekly silent meditation and dharma reading. Little was I aware of the influence this meditation practice would have on my life, allowing me to understand the Buddhist tenet that suffering–mine and all suffering in the world–was intimately linked to joy, as without the experience of suffering, one cannot know true joy.
Buddhism is practiced all over the world, and although I would not call myself a Buddhist, my life has surely been enriched by the weekly Sangha practice as well as my personal practice aside from the Sangha.
What I will share is that Sangha means Community. Recently, with current events as they are, the benefit of and support from community has been elevated all across the lands. We all benefit from spending time, either in person or virtually, as is the case of my Sangha, with our community/ies. My Sangha Siblings have brought me deep comfort with their loving support — this is woven into our shared weekly practice, with and for one another.
I think of my Sangha Siblings numerous times throughout every day. I am able to conjure their images as I see them on the zoom screen, inviting them spiritually into my life to witness my existence and to lend their wisdom. I have met only one Sibling in person after all of these years, as the Sangha is based in Canada–although during our travels to Ontario this summer, we will gather for an in-person practice. I have been saving long hugs for each and every one of them. There are a few of my Siblings with whom I have shared intimate emails and phone calls, as the weekly practice is not meant to be an exchange of information or ideas outside of that weeks’ dharma reading. Truly, my life is enriched beyond words by these authentically loving, kind, compassionate, caring, accepting, and open-minded humans; as I have already written, just thinking about their collective goodness allows me to temper feelings of worry or unrest within myself–it is as though their presence in my soul provides soothing and resilience.
So, when I was on the beach yesterday morning, watching this glorious sunrise, I — as I often do when I am immersed in natural beauty — conjured the image of my Siblings. Breathing In, Breathing Out. As I stood in reverence, observing these gentle waves flowing in then flowing out, I was Breathing In, Breathing Out.
