Chapter 5: Information
5.1 The UK Community of Interbeing
The Community of Interbeing is the name given to the network of people in the United Kingdom who practise Buddhism according to the teachings of Zen master, Thich Nhat Hanh (Thây as we call him, meaning teacher in Vietnamese). The UK Community of Interbeing is part of the wider international Sangha of many thousands of practitioners worldwide, all of whom follow Thây’s mindfulness practice and teachings.
The name Community of Interbeing has been used since 1994, when the organisation was granted charitable status and adopted a formal structure and constitution. In 2003, the organisation became a company limited by guarantee (registered charity number 1096680 and company limited by guarantee number 4623280). For some years before then, a small but growing group of UK practitioners had been meeting to practise together and hold days of mindfulness and short retreats, following this Buddhist tradition. Often they met informally just to enjoy each other’s company.
As Thây’s teachings have become better known in the UK, so the community of practitioners – the Sangha – has grown, with more activities taking place locally and at a national level. Many people from the UK have visited Thây’s residential and monastic retreat centre, Plum Village, near Bergerac in South-west France (see this Chapter 5.2). Many mindfulness retreats have been organised here in the UK, some of which have been led by Thây and other Dharma teachers. These retreats, and other mindfulness practices around the country, have introduced Thây’s distinctive form of Buddhist practice to increasing numbers of people, many of whom have joined a local Sangha and continued to practise. In addition, Thây’s books have grown in number and circulation, encouraging many newcomers to become involved.
Several hundred people in the UK have received the Five Mindfulness Training ordination from Thây and other Dharma teachers in this tradition. A smaller number – about 40 – have also received the Fourteen Mindfulness trainings and joined the Order of Interbeing, created by Thây in 1964 (also called the Tiep Hien Order – see this Chapter 5.4). Sister Annabel Laity, an English nun, is one of the most senior Dharma teachers and scholars in the Order and regularly runs retreats in this country. Two UK Order members – Martin Pitt and Mai Nguyen – have received Dharma-teacher initiation from Thich Nhat Hanh in France, and become Dharmacharyas.
In order to support the growing numbers of practitioners in our tradition, the Community of Interbeing has established a network of local UK Sanghas, each with their own activities and contacts. At the national level, the organisation is governed by a group of trustees who meet four or more times a year. They discuss and make decisions, by consensus, on many organisational and financial aspects of the Community’s life.
A newsletter, Here & Now, is circulated several times a year and subscribing to this publication grants readers membership of the Community as a whole (see below).
The Community also runs a service for the purchase of books, CDs, tapes and videos of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teaching (see below).
Sangha contacts
Besides the trustees, there are other members of the Community who undertake key roles to support the Sangha nationally. The list of these coordinators changes over time, so although the list below is accurate as of June 2003, we recommend that you visit our website for the latest information.
www.interbeing.org.uk
National contact: for all general enquiries – Matthew Mellior-Smith 0870 041 1242
Facilitator of the trustees: Jane Coatesworth, telephone 01223 842941
Treasurer: Vari McLuskie (*updated January 2005)
Membership secretary: Sandra Kirk, 17 Southfields, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8DW (*updated January 2005)
Books, tapes and CDs sales: Teri West, telephone: 01237 451588, <TJWest@sloo.fsnet.co.uk>
Editor of newsletter, Here & Now: Kate Atchley, telephone 020 7267 5178, <newsletter.editor@interbeing.org.uk>
Editor of this Manual: Kate Atchley, telephone 020 7267 5178, <manual.editor@interbeing.org.uk>
Website coordinator: Jeremy Allam, <webmaster@interbeing.org.uk> (*updated January 2005)
Plum Village and Vietnamese contact: Mai Nguyen, telephone 020 8692 1737, <cm90@supanet.com>
Here & Now newsletter
– join the Community and keep in touch
The Community’s newsletter, Here & Now, is usually published four times a year, sometimes augmented by updates sent out between publication dates. It carries news of the Sangha in the UK and internationally, articles about practice and personal experiences, announcements, poems, photos and other contributions.
Membership of the Community of Interbeing UK, automatically entitles you to receive Here & Now. The annual fee is £12.00 or, if that is more than you can afford, between £5 and £12 to suit your budget (as of 2003). Subscriptions are offered on a calendar-year basis, January to December, so if you apply part-way through a year, please pay £1 per month for the remainder of the current year, plus £12 for the next year.
To subscribe, send your application form (see next page) to The Membership Secretary, Jan Pinfield, 22 Brantwood Close, Droitwich, Worcs WR9 7RS with your cheque made out to The Community of Interbeing.
Membership application form
Please access the membership application form directly from the website.
Books service
The UK Sangha offers a service for the purchase of books, CDs, tapes and videos of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings.
If you would like to place an order, or request a list of the titles available, please send a stamped-addressed envelope to:
Teri West
Sloo Cottage
Horns Cross
Bideford
Devon EX39 5EA
Telephone: 01237 451588.
