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Duy Bieu Hoc 1 - Winter Opening
Working in small groups allows for familiarity to grow, transforming feelings of loneliness into a sense of home where the community functions like a vast, extended Irish family. Living in close quarters requires learning to live with differences and sharing abilities. Happiness in the Sangha is illustrated through the metaphor of a Greek circle dance, where dancers stand in a circle with hands on each other’s shoulders, acting as pillars that hold up the roof of a temple.
Balance in the dance is maintained through connection; when one person feels shaky, the stability of their neighbors provides support, preventing a fall. This dynamic is a constant exchange of giving and receiving. To ensure the community does not collapse like a “One Pillar Temple” in the absence of a teacher, every practitioner must practice being a stable pillar. The circle remains open for new members to bring fresh energy, ensuring the dance continues even as individuals step back. Harmony requires the willingness to receive teaching and correct missteps, recognizing that mistakes are merely part of the learning process.
Just as the collective rhythm of farmers threshing grain helps an individual find their pace, the steady rhythm of the Sangha calms the mind and restores stability. Developing the capacity to perform—likened to learning Mendelssohn’s violin concerto—requires embracing the initial “squeaks” and unskillful sounds as an integral part of the eventual masterpiece. By choosing stable partners when off-balance and offering space for errors, the community learns to dance together with joy, transforming daily activities and meetings into a harmonious movement.