| Dong Hung Temple Lazy Day Summer Retreat 2025 |
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| Another Summer Lazy Day Retreat has come and gone, and for those of us who were able to attend, it was quite a special day in several ways. Our morning began splendidly with a full half hour of traditional Vietnamese Buddhist Chanting by seven monks from our own Dong Hung Temple, as well as monks who were visiting from other states for their seven-day retreat. The sounds of their voices, accompanied by a variety of rhythmic bells and drums, filled the Buddha Hall, creating what one attendee referred to as a full Sound Bath experience where the sounds washed over and through us, letting us become the sound itself.  Following this in kind, Thay Thanh led us in a guided meditation which continued the centering experience of the chanting, carrying us into the awareness of our breath and our own bodies-as-they-are, highlighting gratitude and appreciation. From there, we all shared our own experiences by way of Dharma discussions, both general and personal.  Then there was lunch – a wonderful vegetarian picnic-style potluck with a huge pot of homemade soup as well as foods from people’s own gardens. Quite a selection of bountiful treats. With full bellies, we returned to the Buddha Hall for a 15-minute walking meditation while chanting a mantra of the Buddha’s name, and then settled back in for further Dharma Talks and discussion led again by Thay Thanh. One of the focuses of the afternoon was the transient nature of everything, the suffering we cause ourselves by grasping, and the liberation and freedom we feel by learning to let things go. The day drew to an end with another very special treat. Jon, a young man who studied the Japanese Tea Ceremony for five years in New York, came to offer us a special Matcha tea in the style of his learning. In his works, ”tea isn’t just a beverage – it’s an experience.”, and he clearly brought his words to life. Not only was the beverage exceptional, but the elegance of his presentation evoked feelings of serenity and unity, and again, as he said, through the “power of ritual and community”.  So all in all, it was a very moving retreat. We send our deepest gratitude to everyone who was there, contributing to the great success of the day. We look forward to our next retreat in the Fall and hope to see many of you there. With Metta Dong Hung Temple  |