Late Summer, Early Fall 2007 Events at Meetingbrook

All Events at MEETINGBROOK are free, open, & informal

 Meetingbrook is a Place of Collation and Recollection
at Camden Harbour and at Ragged Mountain
Consult “Today at Meetingbrook”on www.meetingbrok.org  for any changes in schedule.

C O N V E R S A T I O N S  AT BOOKSHOP/BAKERY HERMITAGE ON THE HARBOUR

 Note: All conversations are 1 hour in length. Anyone invited to drop in We practice loving speech, deep listening, and honest inquiry
Format: circle reading; brief silence; conversing; final circle comments.

TUESDAY EVENING CONVERSATION AT BOOKSHOP   5:30pm-6:30pm
 Theme - Maybe Zen, Maybe Not.  A Practice/Study focusing on Buddhism and its meditative tradition. A brief silent sitting, brief reading, and conversation. Currently: No Time To Lose, by Pema Chodron.

 WEDNESDAY EVENING CONVERSATION AT BOOKSHOP  5:30pm. -6:30pm
 Theme - Laura Soul-Friend Conversation. A conversation focusing on personal practice, experience, and belief. (A “Laura” is the Greek word for “trails” or “ various paths.”)  Primary focus is the invitation to reflect and speak aloud where our practice is, what delights and/or difficulties we experience.  Each Wednesday some person, or some aspect of practice, will begin the conversation.

THURSDAY EVENING CONVERSATION AT BOOKSHOP  5:30pm-6:30pm. 
 Theme - Stepping into the Mirror, A Practice/Study focusing on Christianity -- whether traditional, radical, alternative, contemplative, or contemporary. Brief silence, followed by relevant reading, conversation.  Currently: A Course in Miracles.

FRIDAY EVENING CONVERSATION AT BOOKSHOP  5:30pm-6:30pm
Theme -- Paths to Peace -- Community Conversation on Interdependence, Eco-spirituality, and  Interreligious Dialogue. A look at how contemporary topics affect the many and various everyday concerns --whether religious/spiritual traditions, earth, or the world. Reading, presentation, or film/audio considering topics on themes from all traditions. Currently Eternal Echoes by John O'Donohue.  Films and videos interspersed.

 SATURDAY AFTERNOON CONVERSATION AT BOOKSHOP --   4:30pm-5:30pm
 Theme - Tea, Poetry, and Literature.  For one hour we’ll read poems,  prose pieces, essays, or short stories.  Bring with you anything you wish to read -- your own writing, or others'.                  

DAILY NOON LECTIO AT BOOKSHOP --Noon -12:15pm (Tue-Sat)
 Theme-- 15 at 12.  A 15 minute mid-day practice in harbour room. A regular daily pause for 15 minutes at noon consisting of: listening to a reading for 5 minutes, sitting in silence for 5 minutes, then having an opportunity to share some personal response in a circle go-round for the remaining 5 minutes.  

OTHER   EVENTS   AT   THE   HARBOUR

SUNDAY UPSTAIRS/DOWNSTAIRS COMMUNITY TABLE  1:00PM –2:30PM
  Upstairs/Downstairs Community Table: Whether it is called brunch, barbecue, potluck, or meat-&-potatoes -- a regular Sunday gathering with good food & good company. (Donations of food or money gratefully accepted.)Music, conversation, laughter, and superb Sunday dinner. Stop by! Donations accepted for food!   

MUSIC REHEARSALS  -- 1:00pm-3:00pm (approx)
 Individuals are invited, any time any day of week, to practice/rehearse in a public space (upstairs, downstairs, on patio).. On Wednesday and Sunday afternoon a group might gather.. We've a piano. Come rehearse, or play in public. No one will pay any attention to you. (Unless you wish so.)

OPEN INVITATION TO USE HARBOUR PATIO FOR GATHERINGS --Anytime, just ask
 Our redone patio at the water, with its new large grill and cafe tables, is available for use by the Meetingbrook community for gatherings of family and friends. One requirement: A plate of food must be offered to a stranger passing by

MORNING TAI CHI, QiQONG (CHI KUNG), OR YOGA -- OPEN INVITATION FOR SMALL GROUPS.
 Our harbour patio is quiet and lovely in the mornings, especially from 6:30am-10-00am. If any individual or small group wished to practice/lead meditative movement using our patio, please ask.

MEETINGBROOK EVENTS AT MAINE STATE PRISON, WARREN ME

FRIDAY MORNING PRISON CONVERSATIONS  -- 7:15am --11:00am.
 Weekly Meetingbrook Conversations, groups and individual, open to all inmates.

HERMITAGE EVENTS AT BARNESTOWN RD,  RAGGED MOUNTAIN

 HERMITAGE CHAPEL/ZENDO MEDITATION CABIN  -- An Open Daily Community resource  The Chapel/Zendo Meditation Cabin is always open and available for silence, meditation, or prayer. Whatever your tradition, let us remember one another whenever we sit.

 SATURDAY ORA ET LABORA PRACTICE -- 7:15am-9:15am.  Prayer and Work. Beginning with a silent sitting, chanting, and walking meditation. We then (after coffee/tea, English Muffins with jam, taken in silence) do a brief period of work in mindfulness around grounds of hermitage.

 SUNDAY EVENING PRACTICE AT THE HERMITAGE -- 6:00pm-8:00pm
Each Sunday evening, drop-in. Practice includes:  Sitting (40min), Walking, (10min),  Chanting, Table reading (10min), Silent Eating (10min), Conversing (20min). Bell. Leave.

Closed Mondays.

Open Tuesday-Saturday 10:00am to 8:00pm,  Sunday 10:00am to 4:30pm

Let us order your books and music!      Thanks!

Bookshop/Bakery, 50 Bayview Street, Camden, ME
Dogen & Francis Hermitage 64 Barnestown Rd, Camden, ME

mono@meetingbrook.org (207) 236-6808 or (in Maine) 800-510-meet

...

·      Stop Pretending
The great teachings unanimously emphasize that all the peace, wisdom, and joy in the universe are already within us; we don't have to gain, develop, or attain them. Like a child standing in a beautiful park with his eyes shut tight, there's no need to imagine trees, flowers, deer, birds and sky; we merely need to open our eyes and realize what is already here, who we already are--as soon as we stop pretending we're small or unholy. I could characterize nearly any spiritual practice as simply being: identify and stop, identify and stop, identify and stop. Identify the myriad forms of delusion we place upon ourselves, and must the courage to stop each one. Little by little deep inside us, the diamond shines, the eyes open, the dawn rises, we become what we already are. Tat Twam Asi (Thou Art That).

( -- Bo Lozoff, from 365 Nirvana, Here and Now edited by Josh Baran)