Friends who gather to meditate, to share their successes and their challenges, and to encourage each other on the path of transformation, is traditionally called a sangha.
We encourage you to join a sangha near you if you can. We can each benefit enormously from the collective energy of mindfulness, peace and joy that friends generate by doing these practices together.
Through readings, led practice and others’ sharings we find inspiration to explore further. For many of us, practising within our spiritual community is a deep source of support as well as friendship.
For those who share specific social identities, backgrounds, or lived experiences, various affinity groups are available too.
“Without a sangha you will lose your practice very soon”
— Thich Nhat Hanh
All our local groups are run by volunteers, with sessions typically led by experienced practitioners rather than teachers.
They offer a space for friends to practise together and although not a class, group members can give help and advice to those new to Zen. Our Art of Zen courses offer a systematic introduction alongside this and supported places are offered.
Meditation in essence is enjoyable. When you’re new and the group sits for longer than you are used to, it might feel a little uncomfortable, just as learning to ride a bike can feel awkward when we begin. If it continues to be a struggle you can seek advice about how to introduce more ease into your meditation.
Groups have their own formats, however these will often apply:
There are some terms you might hear at a Plum Village group that may be new:
Mindfulness is to be fully present in each moment. This is possible without adherence to any particular form of practice, although elements from the cultures within which Zen originate may be helpful to you.
For example, we often bow to each other. This is a way to signify the body (one hand) and the mind (the other) coming together, a reminder to be present. It is an expression of gratitude. If bowing – or any similar form – feels odd to you, that is fine. These are all optional.
The Five Mindfulness Trainings lie at the heart of our Plum Village tradition. They are a version of the core ethical precepts that found across most forms of Buddhism, and represent a concrete way to bring mindful awareness into every aspect of our lives.
Many groups will recite the trainings and some of us have “received” the trainings, meaning we have committed to practising as best we are able.
Rather than being formal rules, they are offered as a basis for reflection on our actions and their consequences so that we can create more happiness and reduce suffering for ourselves and for others.
Mindful Moment
Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.
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