Saturday Morning Mindfulness Practice

Heartwood Community of Mindfulness gathers on Saturday mornings from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. for simple, beginner-friendly mindfulness practice in community.

Heartwood is an intergenerational community of mindfulness practice inspired by Zen Master and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh. People of all ages, spiritual paths, religious traditions, secular backgrounds, and life experiences are warmly welcome. Children and families are welcome.

Our practice is simple. We return to the breath, come home to the body, and learn to live more deeply in the present moment. No meditation experience is needed. Come as you are.

Each Saturday will have a slightly different focus.

First Saturday: Walking meditation and nature practice. This is also a good opportunity for people who have not joined us before to come meet us in a public setting. We can get to know you, and you can get to know us, before joining any home-based gatherings.

Second Saturday: Sitting meditation, indoor walking meditation, recitation of the Five Mindfulness Trainings, and Dharma sharing. After the formal practice ends, anyone who would like to is welcome to stay for tea and conversation.

Third Saturday: Dharma study and practice. We will begin by reading and practicing with Breathe, You Are Alive. Our intention is not only to study the teachings, but to bring them into our breathing, sitting, walking, listening, and daily life.

Fourth Saturday: Sitting meditation, indoor walking meditation, contemplative reading or recitation of the Fourteen Mindfulness Trainings, and Dharma sharing. After the formal practice ends, anyone who would like to is welcome to stay for tea and conversation.

Fifth Saturday, when there is one: An extended Day of Mindfulness or community gathering. This may include hiking, mindful eating, potluck, deep relaxation, family-friendly practice, creative practice, tea, seasonal ceremony, community service, or other ways of practicing together.

For home-based gatherings, please know that this is a living household. Our almost five-year-old may be in the house during practice, and we have cats and a dog. We will do our best to create a calm and nourishing practice space, but it may not always be completely silent. In the spirit of mindfulness, we practice with the life that is present. Sounds, movement, and small interruptions can become invitations to return to the breath.

If you need a completely silent, pet-free, or highly controlled environment, this may not be the best fit. If you have allergies, sensitivities, mobility needs, or concerns around animals, please feel free to message us before attending.

We are still in the early steps of planting this community. Our hope is that Heartwood will grow through the presence, practice, wisdom, and care of everyone who joins.

Heartwood is not something we simply attend. Like a community garden, it grows through the care, presence, and practice of everyone who helps tend it.

Location details may vary depending on the gathering. First Saturday gatherings will usually be outdoors at Cleveland Lake in Belton. Other gatherings may eventually be held in a home-based practice space, with details shared after RSVP.

If you are longing to practice with others, you are warmly invited to join us.