Coming Out, Returning Home
Published in April 1998
Dharma teacher Caitriona Reed shares her experience coming out as transgender to Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village community in 1998.
Dharma Talk: The Path of Awakening
By Thich Nhat Hanh in April 1998
Often we have the feeling that there is nothing good, beautiful, or true inside us. We feel incomplete, so we wear cosmetics and other adornments, or even undergo cosmetic surgery in order to compensate. When we do these things, we…
From the Editor
Published in April 1998
We apologize for the delay in publishing this issue of The Mindfulness Bell. We hope you find the extra eight pages worth the wait. So many wonderful and exciting things have happened in the past several months. Thich Nhat Hanh's visit to North America…
Other articles in this issue
Mindfulness Practice Centers
By Thich Nhat Hanh
In Plum Village we have meditated for more than a year on how to offer mindfulness as a nonsectarian practice that can be applied in schools, hospitals, prisons, and society at large. According…
Green Mountain Dharma Center
By Sister Chan Khong
Dear friends, I am writing on behalf of Thay Nhat Hanh and the entire Sangha to ask for your help. In November 1997, Thay visited South Meadow Farm in Hartland, Vermont, and was…
Order Aspirant Training
The following two proposals are offered by Minh Tran and Rowan Conrad on behalf of the Order of Interbeing Education and Training Committee. When approached by an aspirant to the Order of Interbeing,…
Strengthening Relationships
By Therese Fitzgerald At the international gathering of the Order of Interbeing in October 1996 at Plum Village, there was much discussion about mentoring. Thfty proposed that a person not only "wait" a…
Manzanita Village Practice
By Caitriona Reed Last December 7, three members of the Ordinary Dharma Sangha received the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings of the Order of Interbeing: Jeff King, Joe Lewis, and Tony Pitchley. Despite torrential rain,…
Aspirant Mentoring in Seattle
By Eileen Kiera Mentoring in Seattle is very informal. It has developed naturally from the needs of the Sangha. Once a person declares interest in becoming an Order member, they are asked to…
Inviting Reflection
The following opening statement and questions were developed by the Community of Mindfulness, New York Metro. Congratulations on your decision to make a statement of aspiration to receive the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings in…
Ready When Ripe
By Mitchell Ratner
In the spring of 1997, the Washington Mindfulness Community Order of Interbeing aspirants initiated mentoring by writing a letter of aspiration to our local Dharmacharyas, Anh-Huong and Thu Nguyen, and to the other four…
Learning Together
By Candace Cassin Last fall, the Hopping Tree Sangha completed a year-long Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings Study Group. Our group was not limited to Order aspirants. We asked that participants be members in the…
A Happy Guinea Pig
By Beverly Alexander I have had the pleasure both of owning a guinea pig and of being one. Greg Ascue, Jim Needles, and I were among the first to participate in a…
The Wisdom of Waiting
By Rick Kuntz In September 1996, I attended The Heart of the Buddha retreat at Plum Village. I had received the Five Mindfulness Trainings the year before at Omega and arrived in France…
Supporting the Aspirant
By Mike Bell A couple of summers ago in Plum Village, I asked Sister Annabel about the process of joining the Order of Interbeing. Over several meetings, she dictated guidelines to me. My…
Dharma Siblings
By Paul Williams In late February, John Balaam, Caleb Cushing, Terry Helbick, and I met with our mentor Therese Fitzgerald for a few days of Order of Interbeing aspirant training and a retreat…
Aspiring to Deeper Practice
By Cliff Heegel I cannot find a better way to spend my life than practicing the path of understanding and love. I have practiced forgetfulness for much of my life, and experienced,…
Dharma Teachers’ Retreat
By Jack Lawlor Shortly after dawn on January 25,1998, seven of Thay's Dharma children serving as lay Dharmacharya in North America concluded their first Dharma teachers' weekend retreat by enjoying outdoor walking meditation…
Astrid Myreng, Source of Courageous Engagement
Jan. 5, 1926 - Oct. 27, 1997 by Svein Myreng The greatest loss of my life has happened: Mother died. She taught me so much about lIfe and death, helped me through…
My Latest Bell of Mindfulness
By Bethany Freshnock As I drove home one day, the Missouri River Valley was particularly beautiful. A perfect day for a bike ride! I looked forward to taking one, but first, I…
Honor
By John Philip Baca In June 1971, in a White House ceremony, President Richard Nixon presented me with the Congressional Medal of Honor. In September 1997, during the Santa Barbara retreat, I offered…
New Growth
By Judith Toy
Here at Old Path Zendo, the winter wheat is sprouting, reminding us of spring! Just home from the wonderful gathering of over a thousand at Thay's Omega retreat, I feel fresh as the…
Taking Refuge
By Mike DeMaio At the age of 17, I enlisted in the marines. In 1967, at 18, I was in Vietnam. I went willingly, eager to prove myself. During my time incountry,…
Diversity and Unity
By Rosa Alegria During the Santa Barbara retreat, we had two meetings for People of Color and friends. Many shared the need for a Sangha open to all, focused on the connection…
Pain and Reconciliation
Anonymous Last month I had a big gift. I realized that as a child under massively abusive and insane circumstances, I often "mistook the assignment." Did you ever get the homework wrong, do…
In Memoriam: Mary Lenker
By Bob Schaibly We gather on the occasion of death to honor the spirit of life. We gather to honor the work Mary Lenker did and the love she showed us. We…
Counting the Ways
By Therese Fitzgerald How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. -"Sonnets from the Portuguese" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning For the past 12 years, it has been the joy…
