AES Sangha
I am solid as a mountain. I am firm as the earth.About the AES Sangha
After the September 11, 2001 bombings in New York, a group of teachers and community members at the American Embassy School gathered for a peace vigil. At such an unsettling time, we were nourished by the silence and collective energy of the group. We found that we shared a common interest in creating peace in ourselves, our school, and in the world, through meditation practice. We also found that we longed for a supportive community in which to explore this. Gathering what resources we had as a group and entrusting ourselves to the unknown, we tentatively stepped out as the sangha path unfolded under our feet. All along the way the writings, practices, and sangha friends of Thich Nhat Hanh shed light on our path and gave us direction.
Fast forward to September 2008. . . The majority of our 20+ sangha members had the incredible privilege of being with Thich Nhat Hanh and his loving community of monastics for 37 days worth of retreats, teachers workshops, days of mindfulness, and Dharma talks. The shared experience of this time was transformative for us individually and as a group. Grateful to have a sangha to lean into, we looked at ways we could more fully realize the potential of our time together. Practices like mindful breathing, dharma reading, deep listening, and mindful speech – things we have practiced since the beginning – have been infused with new meaning and possibility. Our group, which now includes parents as well as teachers, has been drawn into dialogue about how we can bring mindfulness into our relationships with the children that form our common bond. Thich Nhat Hanh’s visit also put us in touch with other sanghas and practicioners in India, deepening our bond and commitment to the greater sangha beyond our own.
This website is a manifestation of our desire to open out to this greater sangha.
May you be well
May you dwell in the open heart
May you be awake in this moment, just as it is
May your awakened heart be extended to all beings
