MOUNTAIN
SILENCE

Issue 18;

Sangha Update

Skies Opening, Rain falling

By Rebecca

Hello everyone, a few pieces of Hebden Bridge, so you can get a feel of how we are up here. Yes lots of that wet stuff falling all around, leaving rivers seeping and banks soaking, and very very lush green valleys all around.
We are settling into the room we are renting and have sole use of. We have moved our Wednesday sitting group there and have also used it for day retreats, and some unplanned more spontaneous sitting sessions. Other groups are also starting to use the space which is exciting.
We are still using the Yoga Centre for our Sunday sitting group. Numbers have reduced here as the group constantly changes form, ebbing and flowing a bit like our rivers.
Ingen Breen joined us for a weekend retreat in June. The theme was Deepening Practice. We are feeling very grateful for the gift of Ingen and how his gentle landing in our valley continues to enrich and contain our practice.
We now have other dates with Ingen booked for summer weekend retreats:
July 21st and 22nd
August 25th and 26th
September 15th and 16th
They are non-residential, but as mentioned before, they will be running from our room which sits right next to Hebden Hostel where myself and Ingen will be staying. It offers reasonable rates and comfortable accommodation. We hoped this arrangement may encourage families or friends to come together to stay and have a break alongside having a space to practice in. We are experimenting with costing and at the moment are seeing if we can cover costs by asking for Dana for Ingen and the room, with no set price for courses. This will be reviewed over time.
For those who have sat with us you will know that we have a strong commitment to sitting, but little practice in form and ceremony. Ingen has been softly introducing this to some of us, and there is a feeling of this supporting and deepening our practice. We even now have a mokugyo if i get my camera sorted I will share of photo of it, our room and some of our sweet sitters in the next newsletter.
Please do call me if you have questions about when Ingen will be with us in Hebden and how we can share with all to benefit others.

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