Today we were again honored to welcome our friends Kate, Natalie and Sujan to host a meditation retreat at ABMT. During the 8-hour retreat, participants practiced a variety of mindfulness-based activities, such as sitting and walking meditation, a sound healing, learning about Ayurvedic healing, and offering alms to the monks. Many community members joined the retreat participants for the alms offering.
The alms offering component of the program goes back to the time of the Buddha. Even today, in countries like Thailand, Buddhist monks go on daily alms round to receive food offerings from the community. It is important to recognize that the giving of alms is above all an act of generosity. Participants were encouraged to bring a small dish (or perhaps some fruit or other ready-to-eat food items) to ceremonially offer into the alms bowls of the two monks as they came by to receive it. This gesture, when carried out mindfully and with a heart of giving, allows one to begin to let go of greed.
Thank you, Kate, Natalie and Sujan, for another beautiful, heartfelt offering.
The next few retreats will be held on:
-Thursday, September 26 (morning; half-day)
-Thursday, October 24 (morning; half-day)
-Saturday, October 26 (full-day).
If you’re interested in attending these (and other) upcoming events, please check the ‘Events’ page on our website (www.abuddhisttemple.org) for an up-to-date schedule.
Please consider joining our MeetUp group as well.
