

Walking Meditation





Pictures from the Art Room






Tea Celebration













The Closing Bell….

These are all taken by ConiSean guarding the cookies before the celebration begins
The Tea Celebration Team prepares the Meditation Hall
The greeters welcome us to the Tea Celebration
Rob Wall’s Guitar brings us light
Peter Monro’s recitation enlightens
Lynn and Cyrus bring us joy!
The creek near the arts building taken by Coni
The 3 Jewels Birch Tree taken by Shanti
Robby Hertz’ two pictures of the Alter
Maureen Finnegan’s meditative pictures of flowers and a leaf
Rainy Morning by Marty Soule
Sparkling Lake by Marty Soule
Bridge from Art Building to Main House by Marty Soule
A panorama shot taken at the closing circle by Bruce Nichols
The group shot Gail took at the end of the Q and A session
At work in the Art Room, taken by Coni
The first mindfulness walk in the woods, taken by ShantiA mindful walk to the lake, taken by Wayne
The circle before the mindful walk to the lake, taken through the dining room screen by Wayne
The Three Dharma teachers during the Q and A by Marty Soule
Fern’s Dharma talk by Janey Gilman
Fern’s Dharma Talk by Janey Gilman
BRINGING THE PRACTICE OF MINDFULNESS INTO OUR DAILY LIVES
Four sessions with Michael Ciborski and Fern Dorresty,
Dharma teachers in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh
At the Bugbee Senior Center, White River Junction
262 N. Main St., White River Junction, VT 05001
5:30 to 7:30 PM
Bring your evening meal and together we will eat mindfully.
January 13th – Transforming and Healing Our Suffering
We transform and heal our suffering through learning to embrace our suffering, taking time to look deeply and listen to our suffering in order to understand it, then strengthening a new way of thinking and acting which no longer causes us to suffer. This evening we will explore this process as well as learn about how our mind works through Buddhist psychology.
January 27th – Connection and Healing in Our Relationships with Loved Ones
Exploring how the practice of mindfulness can support our relationships with others, including transforming habit energy and reactivity, the cultivation of loving speech, deep listening, and a practice of reconciliation called Beginning Anew.
February 10th – Practicing with Love, Loss and Letting Go
This session we will look at applying the teachings on impermanence and liberation to major life changes. Deep insight into the no-beginning/no-end nature of things can bring about great freedom and help us to let go of the suffering we feel in difficult transitions. This is a skill that can be learned and which allows us to become light and new.
February 24th – Practicing with our Children and Grandchildren, from tot to teen and beyond
Exploring how we can share the practice with children through both practical activities as well as how we can practice when we are with them, in order that they can directly experience the fruits of our practice, namely our true presence and capacity to listen to them, our peace, ease and joy in being alive.
We are now meeting weekly on Zoom.
If you would like to receive an email reminder with a link to the Zoom session, please email joyceandpat@gmail.com and ask to be put on the “reminder list.”
Mindfulness is the energy of being aware and awake to the present moment. It is the practice of touching life deeply in every moment. To be mindful is to be truly alive, present, and at one with all that is within and around us. With the support of the practice community, we can cultivate peace and joy, as a gift for ourselves, for all beings, and for the Earth.
Our MPC was established in 1997, at a time when westerners were seeking an understanding of mindfulness and a non-religious setting in which to practice. When we practice together, our mindfulness becomes more joyful, relaxed and steady.
We practice in the Plum Village tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. Our MPC is non-hierarchical and consensus-based in its planning and decision-making. We believe that each of us has insights to offer to others, and at our weekly sessions we have the opportunity to share from our hearts.
ALL ARE WELCOME!
Directions to Heart of the Valley Mindfulness Practice Center, located in St. Francis of Assisi Church, 75 Beaver Meadow Road, Norwich, VT. – From I-91, take exit 13. Head west toward Norwich ½ mile onto Main St. – Beaver Meadow Rd. is the first left past Dan and Whit’s Store and the Norwich Inn. After turning left onto Beaver Meadow Rd., go approx. ¼ mile. Church is on the right.
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For updates on Thich Nhat Hanh’s health condition and practices to support his recovery, please go to the Plum Village website, http://plumvillage.org and to the Heart of the Valley Mindfulness Practice Center Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/heartofthevalleympc
5. Nourishment and Healing Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I will practice looking deeply into how I consume the Four Kinds of Nutriments, namely edible foods, sense impressions, volition, and consciousness. I am determined not to gamble, or to use alcohol, drugs, or any other products which contain toxins, such as certain websites, electronic games, TV programs, films, magazines, books, and conversations. I will practice coming back to the present moment to be in touch with the refreshing, healing and nourishing elements in me and around me, not letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past nor letting anxieties, fear, or craving pull me out of the present moment. I am determined not to try to cover up loneliness, anxiety, or other suffering by losing myself in consumption. I will contemplate interbeing and consume in a way that preserves peace, joy, and well-being in my body and consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family, my society and the Earth.
Click here to visit Heart of the Valley Mindfulness Practice Center facebook page.