Local Group | Nottingham

Deep Roots Sangha

We practise Zen Buddhism in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, a world-renowned Vietnamese Zen Master, with an emphasis on developing mindfulness.

The Buddha offered us the practice of mindfulness to help us come back to what is happening in the present moment. Mindfulness allows us to touch the wondrous, refreshing, and healing elements that are inside and around us, and to nourish the seeds of joy, peace, love, and understanding in ourselves. It supports us to face everyday challenges with more balance and poise.

We meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays evenings in our own homes, which are in various locations across Nottingham. Arrive at 7.30pm for a prompt 7.45pm start and the session finishes at 9.30pm.

The evenings are facilitated by different Sangha members, and each one starts with a period of sitting meditation. This is sometimes silent and sometimes guided and lasts about 20 minutes. If you have a cushion or stool that you use for meditation, please bring this with you. This is followed by a period of walking meditation; a core element of the practice in this tradition. After this we share a reading from one of Thich Nhat Hanh’s books, or other inspiring Buddhist writers. A period of ‘Dharma sharing’ follows the reading, where participants have the chance to share from the heart, and practise deep listening with our friends.

We also hold Days of Mindfulness on Saturdays or Sundays every one or two months. Arrive from 10am for a 10.30am start and the practice takes place until 4pm. We usually meet in the Community Centre in Normanton on Soar, near to Loughborough, where we are joined by other friends from across the East Midlands. The Community Centre is a beautiful new building, ideal for meditation and practice in a rural setting close to the River Soar.  Four times a year we also hold family-friendly Days of Mindfulness in Ilkeston.

The format for the days is similar to the evening, but with an opportunity to extend our practice to include outdoor walking meditation, eating meditation and other practices such as deep relaxation. The days are co-facilitated by different Sangha members and we request a small donation towards the cost of the hall hire, and we each bring vegetarian food to share. Wherever possible we co-ordinate car sharing between Sangha members and can usually offer lifts to those without transport.

The practice is open to people of all faiths and none. New participants are always welcome. We operate an email mailing list to let those interested know where we will be meeting each week. Please contact Lauren if you would like further information.