The Wild Geese Sangha is part of the UK Community of Interbeing: our practice follows the teachings of Vietnamese Zen Buddhist Master, Thich Nhat Hanh.

For a short biography on Thich Nhat Hanh click here.

Where we meet

St Mark's Unitarian Church, 7 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh

The Edinburgh Interbeing Sangha meets at St. Mark's every Thursday - 7.15 pm. For a prompt 7.30 start. The evening normally finishes before 9.30 and usually includes a guided sitting meditation, a walking meditation, readings and sharings.
Everyone is welcome to attend.

For additional information, contact Jon on (0131) 339 8401.

Mindfulness@Lunchtime

Open to all each Tuesday from 12.15-pm to 2.00-pm for a lunchtime of peace, silence and relaxation. The lunchtimes are open to anyone who may enjoy a period of peace for reflection during the often busy working day.

This practice of mindfulness includes:

guided and sitting meditation
walking meditation
enjoying our lunch together in silence

You may arrive and leave at any time, all we ask is that you respect the silence.
Please bring your own packed lunch. We provide fruit and drinks to share.
Mindfulness@Lunchtime is not a religious service - it is a simple period of peace, mindfulness and meditation.

~

"Mindfulness is our inherent capacity of healing and renewal. It is the basis for transforming ourselves and creating a more harmonious family and society. To be mindful is to be aware of what is going on in our body, in our feelings, in our mind and in the world, as we avoid doing harm to ourselves and others. With the help of conscious breathing - breathing and knowing we are breathing, we are able to touch and be nourished by the peace and joy that are available within and around us, in the here and now.

Our true home is in the present moment. To live in the present moment is a miracle. The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green Earth in the present moment, to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now. Peace is all around us - in the world - and in nature - and within us - in our bodies and our spirits. Once we learn to touch this peace, we will be healed and transformed. It is not a matter of faith; it is a matter of practice."

Touching Peace, Thich Nhat Hanh

Calligraphy by Thich Nhat Hanh

Early Morning Meditations , Monday to Friday, 7:15 to 8:15am. Please 'phone (see contact details on the left) or e-mail to confirm it is on. Otherwise, details are given at the end of the Thursday evening gatherings. These are held at The Mews, 13 Inverleith Place Lane (along the northern boundary of the Royal Botanic Gardens, off Inverleith Row). Click here for Map. There is very little parking on the Lane, so please only do so if you have a physical need to do so. Buses 8, 23 and 27 (17 does not run Sundays). Enter through blue garden gate, next to pink building.)

DVD viewing (talks by Thây) with discussion and shared meal starting at 4:30pm, take place most Sundays. As above, please 'phone (see contact details on the left) or e-mail to confirm it is on. Otherwise, details are given at the end of the Thursday evening gatherings. Address and other details as immediately above.

Days of Mindfulness at The Mews (see Early Morning Meditations for details of location). From 10:30am, bring vegetarian food or shared lunch. Held on Sundays, includes meditation, shared lunch, walking meditation in the Botanic Gardens (Scottish weather permitting) and discussion. Next dates: 28th September, 26th October and 30th November.

Scottish Sangha AGM Weekend. 7th - 9th November at Nunraw Abbey, East Lothian (east of Haddington, near village of Garvald). The weekend will, in essence, be informal, with a chance for you to meet other practitioners from around Scotland, but there will be morning and evening practice sessions and mindful meals.
Cost: dana (by donation) and working sessions, probably in the kitchen and gardens. This is a great opportunity for Sangha Building. Please email or telephone to express an interest as soon as possible, then more information will be sent to you once details are finalised. Please let us know if you have children or young people with you so that we might prepare some part of the programme for them.

Inter-Sangha retreats These are gatherings for Buddhist practitioners of different traditions in Edinburgh - a chance to share each other's practices. The main one takes place at Wiston Lodge (near Biggar) in the Spring, usually towards the end of April - details will appear here nearer the time.
Following the success of the winter Inter-Sangha retreat last year at Samye Ling Tibetan Monastery, there will be a chance to gather together at Ratanagiri, the Forest Sangha Monastery (Theravadin) near Harnham in Northumberland, 28th - 30th November. Numbers are limited so, if you are interested, please book soon. Follow the 'Network of Buddhist Sanghas in Edinburgh' link on this page (below) and click on the Groups and Events button for more details, then book via the contacts button on that website.