About nine years ago I had the joy of sitting and walking with Buddhist teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, at Blue Cliff Monastery in Pine Bush, NY. Brother Thay, as he was known to followers, visited the states right before the stroke that limited his mobility and communication abilities until his death this past month. I am grateful for so many lessons learned through his writings, dharma talks, and very presence. Thay’s teachings invite us into the present moment through practices of everyday mindfulness- from breathing to walking to washing dishes. While one may think of these practices as life-limiting, they are actually intended to expand our circles of consciousness, recognizing that the single moment contains all time and the single object contains all life. Thich Nhat Hanh applied these practices to create social change in the larger world, in what he termed engaged Buddhism. In this way, the very particular is expanded to embrace the larger whole.

As we move into February, we consider the monthly theme of Widening the Circle. This theme invites us to expand our consciousness and our habits of mind and body to embrace a larger whole. Who are we leaving out of belonging? What ideas have we knocked down too soon? What parts of ourselves have we failed to embrace? How might we open those doors a bit wider?

In doing this work, we begin with ourselves. Thich Nhat Hanh challenged the very idea of the self, living with a deep recognition of the interdependence of all living things. We are more and less than we think we are; widening the circle reminds us that we are multitudes. There are many ways we can become limited by gender roles, cultural and societal expectations, the views of others, or by our own constrained perspectives. This month I invite us to challenge those limitations and widen our circles of understanding together through worship and Soul Matters conversations (Ask me about Soul Matters if you are new!).

One way we can do this is through spiritual practice. This Sunday, I invite you to join me after service for a spiritual practice rooted in our monthly theme- and in Buddhism. Lovingkindness, or Metta, Meditation invites us to expand our circles of consciousness and care beyond ourselves into the world- and then to return again to the self. I believe we can also take metta practice off the cushion into the world by practicing kindness- with ourselves, others, and the world. In this way, we create change a drop at a time in the world.

Looking forward in widening circles together In February ~

With lovingkindness,
Rev. Terri