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### Note: This is an update from a prior announcement. Initially, March 8 was planned to be in person, but we needed to switch to online. Going forward, our current plan is to offer the following schedule: March 22 in person, April 12 in person again, and April 26 online.

Dear Sangha, We are alternating our gatherings on line and in person. See http://mindfulnessvancouver.org/practice/ for details. For our next gathering, please join us on Zoom. The Zoom link is below, the passcode will be on our website shortly before meeting start time. If you are unfamiliar with Zoom, here are some basic instructions: “Getting Started Guide for New Users.”

We invite everyone who joins our online sangha gatherings to practice the following together:

  • Enter the online sangha space as you would any other sacred in-person space: With your full presence, open heart, respect, and without external distractions as much as possible (for example, other electronic devices / windows etc).
  • Please do your best to arrive on time, and stay for the entire session if possible. If you arrive late, we will have you wait in the waiting room until the next section begins. We invite you to use that time to enjoy your breathing mindfully. Likewise, if you need to leave early, please do your best to wait until a transition point before leaving.
  • In order for us to feel safe together and have a sense of togetherness with each other, please keep your video camera on for the duration of the online sangha session. If you are not able to use your camera, please let us know in advance so we can get to know you and problem-solve together.
  • Please keep your microphone muted when not speaking. Unmute yourself when you are speaking.
  • We practice noble silence for most of the meeting, which allows us to deeply listen and be present with each other, without speaking.
  • During the Dharma Sharing portions, we are invited to share our practice if we wish. We practice mindful communication, listening to others without interrupting, and refrain from cross-talk and giving advice.
  • Zoom is an imperfect medium that can make people feel unsafe; therefore, out of respect for everyone’s safety, we will immediately remove people from Zoom if guidelines are not followed. This is in order to find the balance between inclusivity and safety, not as a means of punishment.

“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”
– Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

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