A friend of Deer Park said that her hope for the family retreat was that the experience would water and nourish our seeds of mindfulness, and that her family would learn to trust in their inner refuge of having “Arrived at Home” through the practice of mindfulness and community.
将你的收件箱变成法门
订阅我们的Coyote Tracks Substack通讯，接收鹿苑僧侣的活动公告、写作、艺术、音乐和冥想内容。
My first visit to Deer Park was last fall. I had the good fortune to be there for “The Buddha, The Scientist” retreat with over 100 monastics from around the United States. I am so grateful to have been surrounded by that level of mindfulness, along with being a part of Br. Phap Dung’s Dharma sharing family and to have Sr. True Adaptable Action guide us through work practice each day.
To be honest, the retreat was extremely challenging for me. Shortly before I came, I had some very painful experiences, and felt I could have used a more “silent” retreat, but knew I needed to engage in the practice of mindfulness within the community. During Dharma sharing, Thay Phap Dung also reminded us to practice within the community. Although it was a challenging experience, it was where I needed to be. Each time I think back, I am reminded of the gift of being surrounded by so much care and love. Deer Park was truly a refuge for me.
After coming home, my family asked what it was like, and I told them about hiking, eating, talking, singing, skits, the volleyball net, and the ping pong table. My oldest said it sounded like science camp. This observation created an opening to bring my family to Deer Park. Earlier last year, I had mentioned a family retreat and my family was not interested. November/December rolled around, and my husband asked what I would like for the holidays. I asked if we could go on a family retreat at Deer Park. My family are not practitioners and we do not live nearby, so this was a negotiation. After careful efforts, my husband secured the time off, and I waited for registration to open. Although the kids were not as excited as I was, I thought it would be just like getting them to go for a hike where there’s often resistance and complaining, but they usually come home refreshed and happy.
My hope was that the experience would water and nourish our seeds of mindfulness, and that my family would learn to trust in their inner refuge of having “Arrived at Home” through the practice of mindfulness and community.
Although I am relatively new to the Deer Park community, I have felt Thay’s presence in his teachings, practice and continuation and am grateful for the path Thay has paved.
Thank you, again, dear Respected Community, dear respected Thay, and dear Monastics for continuing Thay’s teachings and for supporting the global Sangha through a lived practice.
With much Love and Respect.
Warmest regards,
Liberating Source of Kindness
In harmony with Thay’s practice of writing love letters to share gratitude, love, and peace with those around him, we asked practitioners to submit love letters to Deer Park describing what it means to them.
If you would like to submit your own Love Letter to Deer Park, please email us at loveletters@deerparkmonastery.org. We love receiving your writings, poetry, and photos. Please include your name and Dharma name if you have one.
无论您身在何处，都可以随身携带鹿苑寺和梅村社区。梅村应用程序旨在通过引导冥想、深度放松、修行诗歌、正念钟声和其他修行方式，通过移动设备培养正念、慈悲和喜悦。
