July FREE Monthly Mindful Walk 'in the footsteps of Thay'

Our monthly mindful walk to practice as Thay (The Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh) taught us will happen on the last sunday of every month in 2022. Mostly lead by Bridgeen Rea-Kaya from Immeasurable Minds though sometimes by other members of the 'Tall Trees Sangha'

• Meet 11am at the top of Glenavana Manor, where the 'big white stones' lead to the glen. Not at the bottom where Glenavna Manor turns into the village near the Whiteabbey Presbyterian Church.
• We will form a circle and sing some Plum Village songs (this is how every mindful walk starts in Plum Village).
• Do a silent mindful walk through the Glen.
• Stop for tea at end of practice (bring your own cup/flask).
• Sharing is optional but encouraged at tea break.
• Walk back freely not silent. 🥰
• A short instruction in mindful walking will be given for newcomers. Everyone who would like to practice is welcome.
• These mindful walks have been inspired by the memorial walk held for Thay on 30 January 2022

• Dog and children are most welcome but you must take responsibility for them, Immeasurable Minds and the Tall Trees Sangha cannot accept responsibility. Please note that everyone will be practising walking in silence so if your children or dogs won't like this then they are not suitable. Although if they can adapt both children and animals will profit from the peace generated by the practice, please consider the group when bringing children and animals.

Dates for the FREE monthly mindful walks throughout 2022 are Sunday:

1. 27 March
2. 24 April
3. 29 May
4. 26 June
5. 31 July
6. 28 August
7. 25 September
8. 30 October
9. 27 November
10. 18 December (instead of the last sunday which is Christmas day).

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I’m SO HUGELY grateful to Thich Nhat Hanh (Thay) I wanted to do something to mark his passing as his only request ever was always just just for us to practice for him, to breathe for him and to walk for him. For example for his 80th birthday he asked people to have a mindful cup of tea every day as a gift for him. So we can do that too. 🫖🍵

Please click here to read the blog I wrote about the impact Thay had on my life, it's hard to express the magnitude of his influence on me but I'm not the only one. In every county of the world people's lives and hearts have been enormously affected and changed by Thay, his teachings and his Plum Village community.

This Sunday's event is in conjunction with my Sangha 'the tall trees' (none of us are very tall but the trees Whiteabby Glen are!) a meditation group I started in May 2007 after returning home from a tour of Vietnam with Thay and the international sangha. A sangha is a community that practices together in harmony and awareness. One of Thay's continually emphasized teachings is on the importance of sangha building. He said 'the next buddha will be a community' and 'happiness is not an individual matter'.

Every time I run a class (even by zoom) we form a temporary sangha, a little community of support for 6-8 weeks. Sometimes those groups continue to meet or meet again at other events. After a while little sangha's form. You can start your own sangha with like-minded friends anytime as a tribute to Thay. Check out the Community of interbeings website to find out more about sangha and how to start one.