Dear Thay, dear Sangha,

Please join us this Sunday from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. at the Albuquerque Zen Center, 2300 Garfield Ave. SE. 
Please note that when Daylight Savings Time begins on the following Sunday, March 10, and we set our clocks forward, on that same day we will start meeting from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.

Bee will be leading us in talking about The Second Arrow. The Buddha asked, “If you are struck by an arrow, do you then shoot another arrow into yourself?” Thay often teaches, “Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.” This is the essence of the Buddha’s teaching of the “Second Arrow.” The first arrow is the pain we invariably experience in the course of our daily lives. It is often external and happens “to”us. The second arrow is our reaction to the first. It is usually an internal process: anger, resentment, a sense of indignation or injustice. The second arrow heightens our pain.The teaching is not about denying our painful experience; it is about our choice in how we react or proceed. Another way Thay expresses it is “we need to learn to suffer well.”

To maintain an atmosphere of reverence and tranquility in the Zendo we’ll be observing 10 minutes of Noble Silence before each meeting.

Please save the date of April 28 when we’ll be having a Day of Mindfulness from about 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Kiwanis area in Elena Gallegos Open Space. More details will follow.

Please note that the Plum Blossom Sangha in Austin is holding a retreat from April 18-21. More information and registration is available at https://plumblossomsangha.org/retreat/2024-retreat/

Dana (generosity) is one of the virtues cultivated in Buddhism. It is customary to offer Dana in appreciation for the benefits received and to support the Sangha. Dana can be financial and it can also be in other forms such as helping with setup or breakdown of meetings and days of mindfulness. 

With metta,
🙏🏼