March 31, 2018
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Please join us on March 31, for our Saturday morning schedule, which will include a dharma talk by visiting teacher Kaira Jewel Lingo, an ordained nun in Thich Nhat Hanh’s Order of Interbeing. The talk will be at 11 a.m. and will follow a period of zazen starting at 10:20 a.m. Meditation instruction will be at 9 a.m.
Awakening the Mind of Love: Attending to our Deepest Desire
“What do you want to do with your life? That is the question. Of course, you have the right to look for material and affective comforts, but that is not your deepest desire. Do you have an ultimate concern? Do you know the meaning of your life? That can be a tremendous source of energy.”—Thich Nhat Hanh
The Mind of Love, also called bodhicitta in Sanskrit, is the desire to awaken, serve and relieve suffering. It is a tremendous source of energy for personal and collective awakening. Without it, we would not be drawn to spiritual practice or towards social transformation. How can we awaken to our true calling and deepest desire in this life? In this dharma talk, Kaira Jewel Lingo will explore the Buddha’s teachings on the Four Nutriments to understand the role of volition, or intention, in awakening the mind of love.
For those interested in deepening this exploration, please consider attending the one-day sit with Kaira Jewel Lingo on Sunday, April 1.
About Kaira Jewel Lingo
Kaira Jewel Lingo teaches meditation and mindfulness internationally, with a focus on activists, people of color, artists, educators, families, and youth. She began practicing mindfulness in 1997. An ordained nun of 15 years in Thich Nhat Hanh’s Order of Interbeing, she is now based in Washington, D.C., leading retreats in the U.S. and internationally, offering mindfulness programs for educators and youth in schools, as well as individual spiritual mentoring. She edited Thich Nhat Hanh’s, Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children and has articles and chapters published in numerous magazines and books, including Real World Mindfulness for Beginners; Together we are One; and Dharma, Color and Culture. She explores the interweaving of art, play, ecology and spiritual practice and is a certified yoga teacher and InterPlay leader. She also offers spiritual mentoring to individual clients. In addition to her roots in the Zen tradition, she practices and teaches in the Insight tradition and is an affiliate teacher with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington. Visit kairajewel.
Access Notes: There is one short flight of stairs leading to the entrance to the building. Please press 3-0 to be buzzed in. The center is located at the top of a steeper second staircase of around 20 steps. A ramp and elevator are available via an alternate entrance; please email in advance if you need access. Chairs, benches, and extra support cushions are available. We are not yet a fragrance-free space; our hand soap is scented with essential oils. If you have any additional questions about accessibility, please contact us at info@brooklynzen.org.