Sangha Building—“2010, the Year of the Sangha”

Initially, Sangha referred to Buddha’s immediate community of monks and nuns known then as bhikkhus and bhikkhunis. This monastic order lived closely together in the forest (sometimes in huts, sometimes not) sharing meals and “practicing” (meditating and studying) together. Today the term “Sangha” is used more loosely and refers to all those seeking spiritual community in the Buddhist tradition. So Sangha refers to–you and me–as we practice together at Taos Mountain Sangha.

Buddha admonished us to “take refuge in the Sangha”—which literally means gaining spiritual strength from each other. This year (2010) the Board of Directors and I will focus on “Sangha Building”–the building of our TMS community. (None of us are sure exactly what that means, but we will work hard at it anyway.) So far we’ve planned to have a “greeter” at the door to make newcomers more comfortable, to schedule occasional “tea and treat” nights (such as March 4th), to have more all-day retreats on a wide variety of topics, to have Board members describe their work for the Sangha, and to invite the very best teachers we can to present a “series” of talks on challenging topics.

While we (the Board) work hard for you—Sangha member have responsibilities too. We often need help with events, with publicity, with straightening up the Meditation Center after an evening or all-day sit, with cleaning the Center. And we’d love to hear your ideas about “sangha building”. Dana (donations) is essential too—for paying our rent and utilities and keeping the Center stocked with tea, cleaning materials, candles, etc. So, in an adapted version of a famous President’s call to service, “ask not only what your Sangha can do for you, but what you can do for your Sangha.”

Christine (Chris) Wells, President, Board of Directors, Taos Mountain Sangha

What’s New

* Taos Mountain Sangha will be hosting several special retreats in the near future: Stephen Batchelor will offer a nonresidential workshop on “Deconstructing Buddhism” on March 13 (waiting list only); Eric Kolvig will offer a one day hiking retreat: ”Rapture and Awareness in the Natural World,” at Wild Rivers on April 18; and Susie Harrington will offer a four day wilderness retreat: “Opening to Life: The Earth as our Teacher,” at Chaco Canyon on May 20 to 23. Sign-up sheets are available at Taos Mountain Sangha.  Please submit payment by the due date, or your place will be given to the first eligible person on the waiting list.

*Julie Tato will offer a four-part series on “Mindfulness of the Body,” Using the body as the object and anchor to cultivate our mindfulness meditation. The series will be on Thursday evenings on March 11, 18, and 25 and April 1 at the meditation center following the 6:30 sit.
*The next Sangha planning meeting will be on March 10.

Ongoing Schedule

* Mondays, 4pm The Book/study group at the Center. All are welcome.
* Tuesdays, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm: Drop-in meditation.
* Wednesdays, 8am to 10am: Zen Style Meditation with 3 sitting and two walking periods (you can attend all or enter during one of the walking periods.) Sits are 35 minutes followed by 10 minute walks or Chi gong.
* 2nd Wednesday of each month (usually), 3:30 pm: Sangha Planning Meeting, open to all Sangha members. The next meeting will be held on March 10.
* Thursdays, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm: Drop-in meditation.
* Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 pm., Meditation, talk, discussion (see schedule below).

March 2010 Highlights
March 4, Thursday: 6:30 pm: meditation, tea, treats (you are invited to bring some kind of finger food) and discussion. No talk this evening. March 11, Thursday: 6:30 pm: meditation, talk on “Mindfulness of the Body: Part 1: Breath Meditation,” and discussion led by Julie Tato. Donation.
March 18, Thursday: 6:30 pm: meditation, talk on “Mindfulness of the Body:
Part 2: Walking Meditation,” and discussion led by Julie Tato. Donation.
March 25, Thursday: 6:30 pm: meditation, talk on “Mindfulness of the Body: Part 3: Sense Door Meditation,” and discussion led by Julie Tato. Donation.
Upcoming Regional Events of Interest

*Ongoing. Zen meditation at Hoko-ji in Arroyo Seco. Monthly one-day sits and several sesshins each year. For information, please go to www.hokojitaos.org

2010

*March 13, 2010, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm: A one-day nonresidential retreat at TMS with Stephen Batchelor. (This retreat is full)

*April 18, 2010, 8:00 am to 4:00pm:”Rapture and Awareness in the Natural World.” One day hiking retreat with Eric Kolvig. Registration will begin March 4th at TMS. We ask that you plan to pay the $25 fee at the time you register. Details: www.TaosMountainSangha.org
*May 20 – 23, 2010: Wilderness retreat with Susie Harrington: “Opening to Life: The Earth as our Teacher,” at Chaco Canyon. Advanced registration is required with $100 fee by May 1. Limited to 18. Details www.TaosMountainSangha

*June 5-13, 2010: “Beyond Self: Love and Wisdom.” A silent meditation retreat at Vallecitos Mountain Refuge with Eric Kolvig and Brian Lesage. This retreat is cosponsored by Taos Mountain Sangha and Open Heart Sangha. More info: www.vallecitos.org

Taos Mountain Sangha Caring Committee has been organized and is ready to respond if you or someone you know in the sangha is in need of help. Please contact Holly Defani at 776-2906. If she is unable to assist, then she will contact another committee member to ensure that help comes promptly. Please note that we have volunteers in various regional areas: Taos, Ranchos, Blueberry Hill, El Prado, Lower Las Colonias, Upper Las Colonias, and Arroyo Seco.

What’s New

* Taos Mountain Sangha will be hosting several special retreats in the near future Stephen Batchelor will offer a nonresidential workshop on “Deconstructing Buddhism” on March 13 (waiting list only); Eric Kolvig will offer a one day hiking retreat: ”Rapture and Awareness in the Natural World,” at Wild Rivers on April 18; and Susie Harrington will offer a four day wilderness retreat: “Opening to Life: The Earth as our Teacher,” at Chaco Canyon on May 20 to 23. Please go to our website, www.TaosMountainSangha.org, for details.

*Julie Tato will offer a four-part series on “Mindfulness of the Body,” Using the body as the object and anchor to cultivate our mindfulness meditation. The series will be on Thursday evenings on March 11, 18, and 25 and April 1 at the meditation center following the 6:30 sit.
*The next Sangha planning meeting will be on March 10.

Ongoing Schedule

* Mondays, 4pm The Book/study group at the Center. All are welcome.
* Tuesdays, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm: Drop-in meditation.
* Wednesdays, 8am to 10am: Zen Style Meditation with 3 sitting and two walking periods (you can attend all or enter during one of the walking periods.) Sits are 35 minutes followed by 10 minute walks or Chi gong.
* 2nd Wednesday of each month (usually), 3:30 pm: Sangha Planning Meeting, open to all Sangha members. The next meeting will be held on March 10.
* Thursdays, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm: Drop-in meditation.
* Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 pm., Meditation, talk, discussion (see schedule below).

March 2010 Highlights
March 4, Thursday: 6:30 pm: meditation, tea, treats (you are invited to bring some kind of finger food) and discussion. No talk this evening. March 11, Thursday: 6:30 pm: meditation, talk on “Mindfulness of the Body: Part 1: Breath Meditation,” and discussion led by Julie Tato. Donation.
March 18, Thursday: 6:30 pm: meditation, talk on “Mindfulness of the Body:
Part 2: Walking Meditation,” and discussion led by Julie Tato. Donation.
March 25, Thursday: 6:30 pm: meditation, talk on “Mindfulness of the Body: Part 3: Sense Door Meditation,” and discussion led by Julie Tato. Donation.
Upcoming Regional Events of Interest

*Ongoing. Zen meditation at Hoko-ji in Arroyo Seco. Monthly one-day sits and several sesshins each year. For information, please go to www.hokojitaos.org

2010

*March 13, 2010, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm: A one-day nonresidential retreat at TMS with Stephen Batchelor. (This retreat is full)

*April 18, 2010, 8:00 am to 4:00pm:”Rapture and Awareness in the Natural World.” One day hiking retreat with Eric Kolvig. Registration will begin March 4th at TMS. We ask that you plan to pay the $25 fee at the time you register. Details: www.TaosMountainSangha.org
*May 20 – 23, 2010: Wilderness retreat with Susie Harrington: “Opening to Life: The Earth as our Teacher,” at Chaco Canyon. Advanced registration is required with $100 fee by May 1. Limited to 18. Details www.TaosMountainSangha

*June 5-13, 2010: “Beyond Self: Love and Wisdom.” A silent meditation retreat at Vallecitos Mountain Refuge with Eric Kolvig and Brian Lesage. This retreat is cosponsored by Taos Mountain Sangha and Open Heart Sangha. More info: www.vallecitos.org

Taos Mountain Sangha Caring Committee has been organized and is ready to respond if you or someone you know in the sangha is in need of help. Please contact Holly Defani at 776-2906. If she is unable to assist, then she will contact another committee member to ensure that help comes promptly. Please note that we have volunteers in various regional areas: Taos, Ranchos, Blueberry Hill, El Prado, Lower Las Colonias, Upper Las Colonias, and Arroyo Seco.

What’s New

• Popular visiting teacher DaeJa Napier will give a Dhamma talk at Taos Mountain Sangha on February 18, following the 6:30 sit.
• Selah Chamberlain will offer a three-part introduction to the Heart Sutra on Thursday evenings of January 28 and February 4 and 11, following the 6:30 sit.
• Beginner-Intermediate Mediation classes at Taos Mountain Sangha will be led and taught by Donna Dufresne on Tuesdays from 6:30pm to 8pm in February. (2, 9,16, 23). All are welcome to attend one or all of the classes. Donation appreciated.
• We invite you to visit our exciting and informative new website:www.TaosMountainSangha.org

Upcoming Events of Regional Interest

will now be part of the web site where you will find links to regional sites.

• The next Sangha planning meeting will be on February 10, 3:30 PM at TMS.

Ongoing Schedule

• Mondays, 4pm The Book/study group at the Center.  Now reading ”What the Buddha Taught” by Walpola Ruhula.  All are welcome.
• Tuesdays, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm: Drop-in meditation.
• 2nd Wednesday of each month (usually), 3:30 pm: Sangha Planning Meeting, open to all Sangha   members. The next meeting will be held on February 10.
• Thursdays, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm: Drop-in meditation.
• Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 pm., Meditation, talk, discussion (see schedule below).

FEBRUARY 2010 Highlights

• February 4, Thursday: 6:30 pm: meditation, talk on “Heart Sutra: Part 2,” and discussion led by Selah  Chamberlain. Donation.
• February 11, Thursday: 6:30 pm: meditation, talk on “Heart Sutra: Part 3,” and discussion led by  Selah Chamberlain. Donation.
• February 18, Thursday: 6:30 pm: meditation, talk, and discussion led by visiting teacher DaeJa Napier. Donation.
• February 25, Thursday: 6:30 pm: meditation, talk on “Jataka Tales,” and discussion led by Jean Smith. Donation.

Upcoming Regional Events of Interest

Taos Mountain Sangha Scholarship Fund has been established to help support sangha members’ practice through attendance at retreats. For each year, $1000 will be available for scholarships of $25 - $300, depending upon need, to help pay costs for registration or transportation for retreats. Anyone interested in receiving a scholarship should apply in writing to Board chair Chris Wells (cwells@newmex.com) with the following information: name, address, phone; how long you have practiced; the name, date, and teacher of the retreat; the amount of financial support requested.

• Ongoing. Zen meditation at Hoko-ji in Arroyo Seco. Monthly one-day sits and several sesshins each year. For information, please go to www.hokojitaos.org

Retreats

We will meet at TMS at 8:00 AM sharp for departure by carpooling.  Participants interested in the retreat should be in good physical condition and capable of hiking steep terrain, although we will hike slowly.  Several sitting periods will be held along the trail, together with discussions, and possible sharing circle during the course of the day.  We should arrive back at TMS at about 4 PM.  Should the weather not be good for hiking, we will hold the retreat at TMS.

The retreat is limited to 18 people and registration is on a first come, first served basis. Registration will begin about mid-March at the Center.  All participants will be expected to sign a release form prior to the retreat.  Scholarships are available and no one is turned away for lack of funds.  For further information, please contact Bob Parker at: 575-751-1963 or email: rpa@newmex.com

Concentrating the Mind

Walking meditation can be a very powerful practice and is a wonderful way to help concentrate the mind.  It has been used in monastic traditions for centuries and is especially helpful when the mind is restless.  It is often done in conjunction with a rotation of sitting and walking meditations on retreats.

Select a level place, indoors or outdoors, where you can walk in a straight direction for about 100 feet or so.  In conjunction with each footstep, you silently note the count.

For example; the first step is one, the second step is one-two, the third step is one-two-three, the fourth step is one-two-three-four, and so on until you reach the count of ten.  Then, pause for a moment and reverse your direction and the counting. For example; ten, ten-nine, ten-nine-eight, ten-nine-eight-seven, descending back to one.

The practice can be repeated in a walking session for as long as you want. It is a good technique to free the mind from other thoughts and it can be done at a slow or moderate pace.

Bob Parker - 15 January 2010

May 20 - 23 2010  Retreat at Chaco Canyon

We will do day hikes through the sandstone canyons and on mesa tops of Chaco with visits to some of the Ancient Peoples sites and ruins.

All food and group supplies will be provided; participants will need to bring their own tent, pad, sleeping bag, daypack, boots, etc. You will receive a detailed list upon registration. Each person will be asked to help with camp tasks with a yogi responsibility.

Teacher

Susie Harrington, a long time wilderness guide and teacher will lead this retreat offering a variety of sitting and walking meditation practices, Qigong sessions, and additional guidance through group interviews and individual meetings with the teacher. This is a Buddhist Insight Meditation retreat. It will be held in silence and will require a commitment by participants to this practice. See http://www.desertdharma.org for further information on Susie Harrington.

The cost of the Retreat is $100 including food.  In addition, Dana on an individual basis will be offered to the teacher and cook. Pre-registration is required by 1 May 2010 with the full cost of the Retreat due upon registration. Refunds due to cancellation will be only for illness or other circumstances as may be determined.  If there is a waiting list for participants, the cost of the Retreat may be refunded due to cancellation.  Limited Scholarships are available upon application.  All participants will be required to sign a waiver form releasing TMS from any incurred travel liability to and from Chaco Canyon and participation during the Retreat.

To register, you may forward a check in the amount of $100 to Bob Parker at PO Box 893, Taos, NM, 87571. Please provide your name, address, telephone number and email address.  You may also register at TMS on the form provided.

Registration Limits

The Retreat is limited to 18 people and participants will be accepted on a first come basis with full payment submitted for the cost of the Retreat.  It is expected the Retreat will fill up quickly. Early registration is recommended.

Retreat Participation

Participants should be in good physical condition with capability for ‘car camping’ and hiking in a variety of terrain ranging from easy to moderate in the back country of Chaco.  Persons with major physical or other health concerns should provide details to Bob Parker prior to registering for the retreat.  Hikes will vary from short to longer hikes of 5-7 miles. There will be opportunity for individual meditation and practice time, in or near the campground, especially during the mid-day when temperatures can be in the high 80’s to low 90’s.  Participants should have their own camping gear and couples are strongly encouraged to have separate tents.  All food and group supplies will be provided.

Further Information

If you are interested, please contact Bob Parker at 575-751-1963 or by email at: rpa@newmex.com. Additional information and details for participants will be forthcoming.  Check the Web Site for updates.

Day-long workshop, March 13 2010, 9-4

Based on an examination of early discourses found in the Buddhist Pali Canon, we will explore the question: “What did the Buddha teach that was distinctively and originally his own?” By differentiating the Buddha’s Dhamma from the ideas of Indian religion and metaphysics that prevailed at his time we will seek to uncover a clearer sense of the Buddha’s message and then consider what relevance it still has for people living in the modern world. The day will be divided between talks, sitting meditation and discussion.

Stephen Batchelor was a Buddhist monk in the Tibetan and Korean Zen traditions. Known for his secular and agnostic approach, he teaches Buddhist meditation and philosophy worldwide. Author of the bestselling Buddhism without Beliefs, his most recent publication is Confession of a Buddhist Atheist. www.stephenbatchelor.org

Cost will be $25 plus dana. Please sign up in advance, as participation is limited to 20 people.  Registration forms will be available later this week.

NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2010

What’s New

• On a trial basis, in January, meditation instructions for beginners will be given on Thursday evenings at 6 pm, before the regular program. Please enter quietly for the 6:30 sit.
• The regular series of classes for Beginner/Intermediate Meditation will be given four Tuesdays in February by Donna Dufresne.
• The next Sangha planning meeting will be on January 13 at 3:30PM at the Sangha - all are welcome.

Ongoing Schedule

• Mondays, 4pm The Book/study group at the Center.  Now reading  ”What the Buddha Taught” by Walpola Ruhula.  All are welcome.
• Tuesdays, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm: Drop-in meditation.
• Thursdays, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm: Drop-in meditation.
• Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 pm., Meditation, talk, discussion (see schedule below).

JANUARY 2010 Highlights

• January 7, Thursday: 6 pm beginning meditation instructions; 6:30 pm: meditation, talk on  “Intentions: Paving the Road to Hell,” and discussion led by Jean Smith. Donation.
• January 14, Thursday: 6 pm beginning meditation instructions; 6:30 pm: meditation, talk, and discussion led by Julie Tato. Donation.
• January 21, Thursday: 6 pm beginning meditation instructions; 6:30 pm: meditation, talk, and discussion led by Selah Chamberlain. Donation.
• January 28, Thursday: 6 pm beginning meditation instructions; 6:30 pm: meditation, talk, and discussion led by Sean Murphy. Donation.
• Ongoing. Zen meditation at Hoko-ji in Arroyo Seco. Monthly one-day sits and several sesshins each year. For information, please go to www.hokojitaos.org

2010 Retreats offered by the Mountain Hermitage:

• April 6 - May 4: One-month or two-week Hermitage Retreat on Concentration and/or Insight, with Marcia Rose.
• November 5 - 7: Wise Concentration retreat with Marcia Rose.
• November 8-22: Self/No Self and the Creative Process retreat with Marcia Rose, assisted by a visiting dance artist and writer Sean Murphy. All retreats will be held at the historic San Geronimo Lodge in Taos, New Mexico. For Introduction, Guidelines, Registration information, and Scholarship forms, please go to www.mountainhermitage.org

Other Retreats

• January 8 – 17: Winter Retreat with Marcia Rose, sponsored by the Santa Fe Vipassana Sangha. For information, please call Sarah Grant at 505-992-1963.
• March 13: A one-day nonresidential retreat at TMS with Stephen Batchelor. Details will be forthcoming.
• April 7-16: Utah Backpacking Retreat on the Rainbow Trail, with Susie Harrington as teacher. Come join us on a 9-day wilderness retreat crossing the wild and stunning beauty of canyon country.  This retreat will offer a variety of sitting and walking meditation practices, Qigong movement, and some solo practice.  Offered by Sky Mind Retreats, with Bowe Ellis as field guide.  More info at the Sangha, or go on the web at www.skymindretreats.org/schedule
• May 20th - 23 2010:  Opening To Life: The Earth as our Teacher A residential (car camping) retreat in or near Taos, New Mexico  COST: TBD TEACHER: Susie Harrington MORE INFO: Bob Parker 575-751-1963; rpa@newmex.com Further details will be forthcoming.