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Closing Ceremony
Breathing in, I calm my body and mind… Breathing in, I establish myself fully in the present moment… Breathing in, I recognize my Sangha…
– Walking meditation guidance to begin the retreat, laying the foundation for learning the Dharma.
In this spring retreat, after having learned the basic teachings of the Dharma during the winter, we have delved deeply into the Abhidharma literature to clearly see our own mind, with:
- the five universal mental formations
- the five particular mental formations
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the eleven wholesome mental formations
– a total of 21 “mental formations.”
When we understand how the mind operates, the path of practice becomes clearer, just as a Vietnamese Zen master in the 12th century affirmed.
The central teaching is Dwelling happily in the present moment (Dhitthadhamma Sukhavihari) – living happily right here and right now.
• Peace is tranquility, the absence of anxiety, craving, and anger.
• Joy is the happiness that arises on the foundation of peace.
The practice includes:
- Maintaining absolute silence from after the evening sitting meditation until after breakfast, not speaking, not reading, not listening to tapes.
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Practicing shamatha (calming the inner storms) and then vipashyana (to transform afflictions).
The story of Thúy Kiều – suffering because of an unpeaceful mind, only finding freedom and peace when she encounters awakening conditions (teacher, friends, Sangha, Dharma door) – clearly illustrates the taming of “demons leading the way.”
After the closing ceremony, we enter ten days of “lazy time”: no schedule, no bell, but continuing to maintain mindfulness, respecting silence, with volunteer guides. There is a proposal to organize a gentle Dharma gathering to share the “best Dharma talk” or “Dharma talk for the plum tree.” Some simple practices:
- Mindful movements combining breathing and smiling, reciting the present moment on the in-breath, dwelling happily on the out-breath.
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Prostrating and reciting “the ancient ones” (spiritual and blood ancestors) on the in-breath, “the future generations” (children, students) on the out-breath to open the two streams.
A reminder about the song “Then I will take you home” as a “nostalgic sleeping pill” that can make us forget the happiness right in front of us. The closing ceremony ends with the sound of the bell and music, reciting:
Namo Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva
Namo Shakyamuni Buddha