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Leader Reading

Read slowly, clearly, and with pauses.

Welcome to the Monday night meeting of the Alki Dharma Community.

We will start this evening with Introductions.

As we go around the room, please introduce yourself by sharing your name and something about yourself.

(Leader starts introductions and says "WELCOME _______" after each person introduces themselves.)

Thank you all for coming this evening.

Our group gathers together in the spirit of awareness and reflection, to celebrate the Dharma and build local community. We practice meditation, hear selected readings, and invite sharing on how this practice is meaningful in each of our lives.

We will begin the main part of our meeting by reciting the refuge prayer.

Taking refuge is a Buddhist practice that grounds our meditation in the dharma. It is not a requirement of this group so I invite you to join me in reciting the Refuge Prayer as you feel moved to do so.

(Read slowly and clearly with hands together at your heart center)

IN THE BUDDHA, THE DHARMA, AND THE SANGHA I TAKE REFUGE UNTIL ENLIGHTENMENT BY THE MERITS OF PRACTICING GENEROSITY AND SO FORTH MAY I ATTAIN BUDDHAHOOD FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL SENTIENT BEINGS.

Now, to prepare for practice, I will read the meditation instructions. Afterward, I will ring the bell once to begin the meditation, and three times to end it. If you are new to meditation, have questions, or would like further instruction please see the leader after our group tonight.

Let's begin with the seven pointed meditation posture:

  • Please find a comfortable seated position. If you are sitting in a chair, sit with your feet flat on the ground. If you are seated on a cushion, please fold your legs in a comfortable position.
  • Next, fold your hands in your lap, or rest your hands gently on your thighs.
  • Keep your back straight, strong, but not tight. It should feel as if your vertebrae are stacked one on top of the next like a stack of coins.
  • Next, relax your jaw, keeping the tip of your tongue gently touching the part of your palate just behind your top front teeth.
  • Allow your head to tilt slightly forward.
  • You may have your eyes open or close them gently.
  • And finally, keep your shoulders level and relaxed, breathing normally through your nose.

I will now read the instructions for mindfulness meditation. (PAUSE)

Begin by bringing your attention to the sensations in your body, noticing what it feels like to sit here in this body, in this moment. (PAUSE)

You might rest on the sensation of the breath moving in and out through your nostrils, or the gentle rising and falling of your chest with each breath. (PAUSE)

Perhaps you notice the contact of your body against the chair or the cushion where you sit, or the weight of your hands resting in your lap. (PAUSE)

With curiosity and kindness allow your awareness to find its support without judgement.

During the meditation, whenever a thought arises, simply label it "thinking", and gently return your attention back to the breath or anywhere you find awareness in your body, in the present moment. (PAUSE)

For the next 20 minutes we will continue in this way until the end of the meditation which we will begin now.

- RING BELL ONCE -

(20 MINUTES MEDITATION)

- RING BELL THREE TIMES - (SLOWLY, TAKE TIME BETWEEN EACH RING...)

(LEADER READS)

Please open your eyes and open your awareness to include this room and all of those here in it. Continue to ground your awareness in your body as we move on through the rest of our meeting.

This portion of our meeting is an opportunity to hear a selected reading, reflect on and share about how it may relate to what is meaningful in our lives and relative to our practice. Everyone here should feel safe to share in the spirit of anonymity. We ask that whatever is said in this room, stay in this room.

In a moment, we will hear a reading by this week's volunteer. After they read, they will have an opportunity to add their thoughts on the reading and make any commentary they wish to add, after which, the leader will open the meeting to sharing by all.

If you would like to contribute to this evening's discussion, please raise your hand to be recognized by the leader. Before you share, please remind us of your name.

In order to give everyone the opportunity to participate we ask that you keep your sharing close to five minutes.

Now we will ask (name of reader) to read their selected reading:

(READER READS AND SHARES)

We will now open the meeting to sharing.

(CALL ON THOSE RAISING THEIR HANDS, WHEN THEY FINISH SHARING, THANK THEM FOR SHARING)

(8:10 LAST CALL FOR SHARING)

We have time for one more person to share.

Thank you all for participating this evening. For all those who wanted to share and were unable to, please let the leader know after our meeting and they will make note to ensure you have the opportunity at the next meeting.

(8:15)

Are there any announcements?

Who would like to bring a reading for next week?

It's at this time that we will ask you to consider leaving a donation in the basket at the door on your way out this evening. All donations go directly to supporting our group's activities and to helping pay for this space we use to gather. You may also go to ALKIUCC.ORG and click on the donate button at the top right of the screen.

(8:25)

We will now conclude our meeting with a 5 minute meditation.

Please find yourself in a comfortable seated meditation posture and close your eyes gently.

LEADER READS SLOWLY: Please return to resting your awareness in your body, with curiosity and kindness, explore any sensations or emotions present. (PAUSE) Now, open your awareness broadly, not focused on any one thing, releasing your awareness into carefree openness.

(RING BELL ONCE)

(AFTER 5 MINUTES, RING BELL THREE TIMES SLOWLY)

We will now end the meeting by reciting the dedication of merit prayer. Please join me as you feel moved to do so.

We dedicate the merits of our practice to all beings, May all beings know peace, May all beings know the causes of peace and never be separate from those causes, May all beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.

This concludes the Monday night meeting of the Alki Dharma Community. Thank you all for coming. — Namaste.