Visiting Plum Village

The last three months of 2010 were intense with travel for The Barber's
Daughters jewelry. Intense and wonderful. Before we ramped up the studio
in production, I set a light at the end of the tunnel to journey to a meditation
retreat to ring in the new year with Zen master Thich Nhat Hahn in
Plum Village, France.

The trip filled my cup, my bowl, and my heart.

This monastic community graciously welcomed an equal body of laypeople.
We lived fully present among the brightest, most joyful faces
of peace that my eyes have ever seen. We honored noble silence
and would pause everything at the sound of a bell.
A practice I'm aiming to maintain in my urban life;-)

Mindfulness is practiced in every form of living. Mindful of the beauty of
breathing. Mindful of the wonders of bountiful nature. Mindful of the
child within us. Mindful of our impermanence.
We practiced sitting meditation, working meditation and my favorite,
walking meditation.

It's amazing that when we let go of expectation, judgement, who we
think we are or what we do, have done, will do and consent to be open,
fully present, kind and accountable.. everything smiles back..
even our suffering.

Let's make the remaining 342 days of 2011 wide awake
and mindful of the dance within each moment.

I remain committed to illuminating the beauty I see within
the depths of everyone I meet.

love G

http://www.plumvillage.org/thay.html