What to Expect at Our Sangha Meeting

We invite everyone to arrive 10-15 minutes early at our meeting space or by logging to the Zoom so that we can greet each other, answer questions, and approach our time with mindfulness and without hurry. This way, we all participate in the creation of our Sacred Practice Space.

Find a place in our room or your home where you will not be disturbed and turn your phone off or place it in silent mode. Sit comfortably on a mat, cushion, bench or chair. We encourage you to take your shoes off to enhance your points of connection to use in your meditation practice.

• If on Zoom, mute your microphone so as not to disturb others
• Identify 3 points of contact, ie. your feet on the floor, your bottom on your cushion, your hands together
• Take a few deep breaths following your breath from the beginning of the inhale through the finish of the exhale.

A sangha gathering is not a time to suffer, so comfort is important. We are all encouraged to take responsibility for our own well-being and adjust your posture to suit your comfort level. Some may choose to sit or stand or lay down (but don’t fall asleep).

During the mindfulness teaching and sharing, we practice loving speech and deep listening. It is a special time for us to share our experiences, our joys, our difficulties and our questions relating to the practice of mindfulness. By learning to speak out about our happiness and our difficulties, we contribute to the collective insight and understanding of the sangha.

We do not engage in theoretical or abstract conversations about theories or texts but rather, we will only speak directly from our own experiences. We will refrain from characterizing the experiences of others, giving unsolicited advice, or inserting ourselves into their stories. By avoiding such “cross-talk,” we honor and safeguard each individual’s sharing. We will remember not to spread news that we do not know to be certain and not to criticize or condemn things of which we are not sure. We will refrain from uttering words that can cause division or discord.

By practicing deep listening while others are speaking, we help create a calm and receptive environment. Mindful of our own inner dialog, if we refrain from agreeing, disagreeing or wanting to respond, we can choose to come back to being present with the person speaking. By being witness to sangha members, we support healing, joy, and spiritual growth of the individual and ourselves.

Whatever is shared during sharing time is confidential. If a friend shares about a difficulty he or she is facing, we will respect that he or she may or may not wish to talk about this individually outside of the sangha discussion time.

The meeting will end with a calling of the mindfulness bell inviting us to take three deep breaths together. Afterwards another bell we will bow to the group and end the meeting

All are welcome to stay in the room or on Zoom for questions, casual conversation and community.

Hi, I’m Chris and have lived in Birmingham since 1985. I have been meditating off and on since I was a teenager and committed to a daily practice in 2016. After visiting the Magnolia Grove Meditation and Practice Center in Batesville, MS, (part of the Plum Village Community), I decided to start a meditation group in Birmingham. I desire to practice mindfulness meditation with a diverse group of people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, faiths, sexual orientations, and backgrounds. It would be an honor to have you join us in our group practice.

If you have any questions, you can reach me HERE.