Community Events That May Be Of Interest

 

Sangha as Intentional Community

9/5/14

Dear Sangha Sisters and Brothers,

My name is John Lansdale and I’m a member of the Slowly Ripening Sangha in Chico, CA. I am an aspirant to the Order of Interbeing, and am happy to be solidifying my intention to apply my mindfulness practice to the 14 Mindfulness Trainings so that I can experience more happiness in my life and in doing so help all beings do the same.

I’m writing about my aspiration to live in an intentional lay community grounded in the practice tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh and the 14 Mindfulness Trainings.   I know of a community like this called Morning Sun in New Hampshire http://morningsuncommunity.org, and I would like to help bring a community such as this to the West Coast.

My initial steps in this aspiration are:

  •  to discover if there is an existing effort on the West Coast among Core O.I. or Sangha members to create a lay mindfulness community like Morning Sun.  If so I would like to join that effort.
  •  If there is not an existing effort then I would like to discover if there is interest among O.I. or Sangha members in creating this type of intentional mindfulness community.  If there is energy for this then the first step would be to join together to bring our efforts into focus.

I like what I know about the Morning Sun model…..multigenerational / different types of living options – plans for single housing / group housing and guest quarters.  And, I like that the land is held in a common trust (501 c?) but that there are options for individual ownership of housing….to allow for individuals to have personal equity investments in the community. And, I believe the most important aspect of ‘intentional community’ is that it has a rock solid spiritual foundation & practice that all members would share in common.  As with Morning Sun the basis for a West Coast Mindfulness Community would be the 14 MTs in the Tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh.  Adding to that basis would be the openness of community members to be able to honor their root faith practices.

If you know of an existing effort in the O.I. or Sangha community to create an intentional lay community like Morning Sun please let me know. And or if you have an interest in helping to create a movement toward this please let me know.

I believe the time is ripe for this aspiration. Thay says, “I believe that the next Buddha will no longer be an individual; it will be a sangha, because one Buddha is no longer enough. We have to be a sangha.” I believe that Sangha as intentional community is the next step in Sangha building…..community as teacher.

Mindful Moments for you,

John Lansdale

530-762-0078