About our Sangha
Our Sangha was founded by our senior dharma teacher Vinh Nguyen (Chan Ngo) in 1992. Vinh was ordained as a member of the Order of Interbeing in 1987 and received the Lamp Transmission from Thich Nhat Hanh in Plum Village in 1994. There are 11 members of the Order of Interbeing in our Sangha and many more committed practitioners who have undertaken the 5 Mindfulness Trainings. In 2014 three more dharma teachers from our Sangha, Andre Vellino, Mihaela Andronic, and Laureen Osborne received the Lamp Transmission from Thich Nhat Hanh in Plum Village.
Newcomers
Newcomers are welcome to our Sangha! Before attending an activity for the first time, please read the details on this page and then contact us at pagodasangha@gmail.com so that we can give you more information. Once you begin attending activities, you can ask to be added to our Google message group to stay up to date with special announcements.
Dress code
To respect and support our collective energy of practice, we ask everyone who attends the Sangha in person to wear modest, loose-fitting clothing that cover the shoulders, midsection, and knees even when sitting in a meditative posture (no shorts, tank tops, or leggings), and to avoid wearing perfumes or other products that may affect those who are sensitive or allergic to fragrances.
Mindfulness practices
The practice of our Sangha is the practice of mindfulness. At our group meetings we practice mindfulness of breathing (in the sitting posture) and walking meditation, followed by a recitation. Once a month we recite the 5 Mindfulness Trainings (see Schedule). At other times, we may recite a Sutra from the Buddhist texts or practice Beginning Anew, Tea Meditation or Joyful Singing. This is followed by a Dharma sharing. Once a month, the Ottawa members of the Order of Interbeing recite the 14 Mindfulness Trainings (see Schedule).
When one of our extended sangha members is in a situation of sorrow or joy, we lend our support in the best way we can. We cherish all contributions in the Sangha. By one’s very presence in the Sangha, he or she contributes the energy of practicing mindfulness. If one chooses to be silent, this also is a contribution. If ever conflicts arise in our community, we refer to the Conflict Resolution Guide prepared for the members of the Order of Interbeing by the monastic community of Plum Village. For common work and Sangha decision making, we practice mindful consensus. We practice looking with Sangha eyes to enhance our views on events and on people. When appropriate, we look for guidance from those who have been appointed as mentors and advisors by Thay from within the monastic and Order of Interbeing community. For further details on the practices in this tradition, please refer to the The Manual of Practice Handbook of the UK Community of Interbeing.