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A practice inspired by the teachings of Buddhism
Sangha Arana practices in the tradition of the Vietnamese Zen monk, Thich Nhat Hanh (called Thấy by his students). Because in Thấy’s tradition there is much space for ways to practice loving-kindness and compassion, our membership is comprised of Buddhist and secular practitioners. We are guided by the teachers of Upaya Zen Center; Roshi Joan Halifax represents the White Plum lineage of Taizan Mazeumi and is a Dharma Teacher ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh.
Our sessons include practices such as bowing, chanting, recitation of sutras, etc. and all practitioners are invited to share in the joy of the liturgy.
We welcome practitioners of all paths and ask only that you open to our practice with the intention of deepening your own.
What is a Sangha ?
Sangha is a practice of being together as a community "in harmony and awareness". It is a place where we work on transforming the concepts and actions which limit us.
Society has so much momentum in the direction of forgetfulness that we need the support of friends to help us keep in touch with our deepest desire to love and help all beings. With a sangha it is much easier to practice because the collective energy of mindfulness is strong and the opportunity to cultivate skillful ways of living is always present.
The essence of a sangha is the cultivation of awareness. A sangha supports our aspiration to live with wisdom and in mindfulness and concentration. In sangha, we are nourished, given the space to heal our woundedness, and transform our suffering. When we look deeper into sangha, we realize that the real intention of being in sangha is the process - at times, quite demanding and challenging - of transforming our whole being. True sangha offers an environment for spiritual growth, relaxed and gentle, but deep and thorough.
Practising with Sangha Arana
To participate in sangha, simply contact us by email prior to your first visit.
Please read the documents in the Practices page for more information about the sangha.
To keep up-to-date on sangha activities, join our Yahoo listserve or
