Plymouth Sangha has been meeting over the last 13 or so years, for meditation in all its forms and sharing practice in the manner of Plum Village under the guidance of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
Clearbrook Village Hall- Photo
Thursday Evenings ( Zoom )
On Thursday evenings between 7.30-9pm weekly using Zoom often with a focus on a particular aspect of Practice . A key message from Thich Nhat Hanh is that we should Enjoy our practice
Typical evening sessions would include a guided meditation of about 20 mins followed by a silent meditation of a similar time .
Following ( or between) Meditations there is often a short reading , video or teaching.
To finish the session, we invariably have a formal or informal sharing, where issues related to how the Dharma ( teachings ) play out in our lives, can be discussed.
Sunday Morning (monthly in person )
In addition to the Thursday evening session, we also have a slightly longer session generally on the third Sunday of the month . The venue tends to alternate between Clearbrook Village Hall and Wembury Village Hall ( Knighton Room ) . These sessions start at 9.30 am and last until 12.30 pm. During the summer months we sometimes take a break .
Please contact us to book and ensure the dates are current
The format is often an introduction followed by a guided meditation for around 20 mins . Slow walking meditation for 10 minutes precedes a reading and silent meditation .
Following a half hour break we may perform QI Gong style exercises ( moving meditation ) and then a formal period of Dharma Sharing to conclude the formal part of the morning
Following the formal part of the morning , people may stay for a shared lunch with the first 15 minutes in silence before we enjoy interaction once again . Some people also enjoy a walk in the early afternoon . There are therefore various times at 12.30 , 1.45 ( after lunch) and 3.15 ( after the walk ) that people can conveniently leave if they have other commitments .
A strong part of this tradition is its emphasis on Engaged Buddhism – how we act in our daily lives relating to the teachings. This makes it a very practical form of Spirituality.
You don’t have to be a Buddhist to join us, and several members of our group identify strongly with other Forms of Spirituality including the Quakers, Baha’i and other Christian denominations. Occasionally we have joint sessions with these groups.
For your First time
It is recommended that you have a chat with one of us , before attending for the first time, in order to explain the sessions in more detail and also to enable us to assess how we can best help you with the meditation sessions if you are unfamiliar with some or all of the forms of meditation.
Please contact Lucie using plymouthsangha@gmail.com for further details.
Plymouth Sangha 