Dharma Sharing

Dharma Sharing Guidelines

Dharma sharing is a unique opportunity to benefit from each other's insights and experience of the practice. Please practice conscious breathing during Dharma Discussion in order to be fully present. Share based on your own experience of the practice rather than abstract ideas, theoretical topics, or purely academic study.

To begin, we bow in and say your name if you wish. Then, offer your thoughts. When you are finished, bow again. 

• We may like to reflect on tonight’s reading, 

• to share the joys or difficulties of daily life and how we try to apply mindfulness practice and the teachings.  

• It’s an opportunity to practice deep listening by creating a calm and receptive environment. 

• We can practice compassionate speech, which can add to the collective insight and understanding of sangha. 

• We speak to the entire circle. Avoiding giving advice, even if it is asked for.

• It’s helpful to use the pronoun “I”, instead of “You”.

• When sharing your thoughts, please be mindful as certain words and topics can be sensitive to sangha members. 

• Also be mindful of how long you speak because we would like to ensure there is enough time for everyone to share. Which also means to limit yourself to sharing one time. 

• Please know it is not required for everyone to speak, at times just practicing deep listening can be a precious gift we can offer to others. 

• When someone asks a question, we do not need to feel the need to respond.

• Out of respect for sangha members, everything shared here should remain confidential. 

• Bells are offered as a guide to bring us back to the present moment, our true home.  

• A bell may be invited if the content of sharing is not appropriate for dharma sharing time or as a reminder to be mindful of time.  If while sharing, you hear the sound of the bell, please join sangha in taking 3 deep breaths. 

• You may then choose to wrap up your thoughts  or you may simply bow out. 

September 2024