Dharma sharing during our Wednesday evening meditation or Day of Mindfulness is an opportunity to benefit from each other’s insights and experience of the practice. As is with all of our practices during our time together, Dharma sharing is optional. You already contribute to this time by just being present for the person speaking. It is a time for us to share our experiences, our joys, our difficulties and our questions relating to the practice of mindfulness. By practicing deep listening while others are speaking, we help create a calm and receptive environment. By learning to speak out about our happiness and our difficulties in the practice, we contribute to the collective insight and understanding of the Sangha.
We share into the circle as opposed to a particular individual. Please base our sharing on our own experience rather than about abstract ideas and theoretical topics. We may realize that many of us share similar difficulties and aspirations. Sitting, listening and sharing together, we recognize our true connections to one another.
We refrain from responding to a person who is sharing, even if they ask a question. If we wish to answer a question, it may be best to wait until our time together is finished.
Please remember that whatever is shared during the Dharma sharing time is confidential. If you wish to talk with someone about what they have shared, please ask their permission after the evening is finished, and please respect their decision if they decline.
If you wish to share, we invite you to say your name, followed by “bowing in”. Also, you can use a gesture of forming a lotus bud with your hands, or your hand on your heart to give others a visual cue that you would like to speak. To be sure we give you the space to share fully, please use the same gesture, saying your name followed by “bowing out” when your are finished sharing.
Allow 3 breaths before another share
Be aware of the length of your sharing
Please only share once so that there is time for others to share if they wish.
