In the idealized sangha, everyone joyfully comes together and shares study and practice space. It is beautiful. However, what of the pain of community and the challenges we face together?” Stephanie Mikolaj asks. “Can there be a place for pain and conflict in this precious jewel, and can it in fact strengthen our bonds to one another?
When we practice listening to what others have to say,” Christian Scott writes, “when we truly hear them, there are fewer rambling thoughts coming from our own mind. When we hear what someone is saying before we put our own thoughts on it, our mind settles down into a receptive and peaceful space.
While being on solo retreat can bring profound depth and strength to my practice, there is a different type of power that comes from group retreat,” writes Robbie Rettmer. “When we practice alone, it can be easier to get up and walk away from the cushion. Meditating, chanting, and singing with our teachers and sangha friends brings a potent energy, reminding us to stay and continue the practice.
When we let go of our self-centered attitude and enable a softer, kinder, gentler engagement with the world and each other, Christian Scott points out. What if we look at the world “from a wider perspective than just our own little bubble”?
One of our beloved translators offers her insights in both English and español. “I have no issues with taking refuge in the Buddha, the teacher, the human being who showed us the path to enlightenment . . . nor with taking refuge in the dharma, the Buddha’s teachings,” writes Adela Iglesias. “But the process is not always that straightforward when I try to connect to the sangha.”
We receive the recipe of enlightenment and integrate the living starter dough into our lives,” Nick Vail writes, comparing our Buddhist lineage with a treasured family recipe. “We are nourished when we experience the true nature of mind, and then we lovingly share the dharma without compromise.
