October 22, 2022
Unitarian pipes (photo by Dave)
Starting last week-end and continuing this week-end, we are on a music run at UUHoulton. The Houlton Coffeehouse opened last Saturday night and it turned out to be an amazing evening of musicians and poets returning to the stage and an amazing crowd urging them on.
Then, on Sunday morning, Dale Holden guided us through the service music and a short workshop on “The Belongingness of Singing Together.”
This Sunday, we have one of our former pianists, Dianne Black, returning as guest musician. This means more live music and singing in the service than usual.
I will also continue our theme on Belonging (part three) as we look at “Uncertainties of Belonging.” This week, more singing – less talk.
Our YouTube service for this week is
“The Belongingness of Singing Together” led by Rev. Dale Holden. We hope you will enjoy all the music and singing! Please join us for one of the services this weekend. Have a good week-end everyone.
In Ministry,
Dave
THIS WEEK’S YOUTUBE SERVICE:
HERE IS THE SERVICE LINK FOR THIS WEEK’S YOUTUBE SERVICE
(Please note it won’t be active until 10AM on Sunday morning)
https://youtu.be/dcX_EfWaMmc
HERE IS THE ZOOM LINK FOR SUNDAY COFFEE HOUR:
David Hutchinson is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: UUHoulton coffee hour & check-inTime: Oct 23, 2022 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us06web.zoom.us/j/85894395898?pwd=Rk9va2VMb1VEWTAzbzRJZHNGMTBlUT09
Meeting ID: 858 9439 5898 Passcode: 168797
Virtual Offering Plate
If you would like to send in your pledge or donation simply drop an envelope in the mail. The address is listed below. You can also send your donation electronically with our new payment system on the church website. Simply go to uuhoulton.org and click “Donate” on the menu and it will explain how the system works. You can set up a regular monthly payment plan or donate in single transactions. Thank you for your generous support!
UU Church of Houlton, 61 Military Street, Houlton, ME 04730
From Dave’s Desk:
On Thursday morning I drove to Harvey Siding on the west side of Monticello to observe what remained of the fall colors. It had rained for several days and the river and brooks were fast and overflowing their banks. The woods roads were also wet and swamped in a few places so I didn’t get as far as I would have liked, but it was a good morning in the woods nonetheless. These photos were taken around 8AM as the frost was melting, mist remaining in the low areas and the sun just poking through the trees. I thought these two pictures accompanied Thich Nhat Hanh’s article on “Imagine a Pine Tree” nicely.
Meduxnekeag River (north branch) as seen from the bridge at Harvey Siding
Pine trees (on the right) in morning mist…
Imagine a Pine Tree
Thich Nhat Hanh answers a retreatant’s question on what to do in the face of suffering.
Question: Dear Thay, I suffer a lot and I know that suffering is part of my practice. My suffering comes from two main things. One is that I have a chronic illness, which causes me a lot of physical pain. The other is that I am an activist and I care very deeply for the world. Sometimes I feel a lot of despair about what’s happening in the world around us, in terms of violence, poverty, and environmental destruction. What practices would you recommend for those of us who are living with physical pain or are in despair about the suffering of the world?
Thich Nhat Hanh: As activists we want to do something to help the world to suffer less. But we know that when we’re not peaceful, when we don’t have enough compassion in us, we can’t do much to help the world. We ourselves are at the center. We have to make peace and reduce the suffering in ourselves first, because we represent the world. Peace, love, and happiness must always begin here, with ourselves. There is suffering, fear, and anger inside of us, and when we take care of it, we are taking care of the world.
Imagine a pine tree standing in the yard. If that pine tree were to ask us what it should do, what the maximum is a pine tree can do to help the world, our answer would be very clear: “You should be a beautiful, healthy pine tree. You help the world by being your best.” That is true for humans also. The basic thing we can do to help the world is to be healthy, solid, loving, and gentle to ourselves. Then when people look at us, they will gain confidence. They will say, “If she can do that, I can do that too!”
Don’t think that you and the world are two separate things.
So anything you do for yourself, you do for the world. Don’t think that you and the world are two separate things. When you breathe in mindfully and gently, when you feel the wonder of being alive, remember that you’re also doing this for the world. Practicing with that kind of insight, you will succeed in helping the world. You don’t even have to wait until tomorrow. You can do it right now, today.
The Buddha proposed so many ways to practice to reduce the pain in your body and in your emotions, and to reconcile with yourself. We have learned in this retreat that you can reduce physical pain through the practice of releasing tension in the body. Pain increases as a function of tension, and it can be reduced if we release the tension. You can practice relaxation in the lying or sitting position. You can also practice relaxation when you walk, and with every step you can help release the tension. Walk like a free person. Put things down, don’t carry anything, and feel light. There is a burden we always carry with us. The skill we need is how to lay down our burden in order to be light. If you sit, walk, or lie down like that, it’s very easy to release the tension and reduce the pain.
The Buddha said that you shouldn’t amplify your pain by exaggerating the situation. He used the image of someone who has just been hit by an arrow. A few minutes later, a second arrow strikes him in exactly the same spot. When the second arrow hits, the pain is not just doubled; it is many times more painful and intense.
So when you experience pain, whether it’s physical or mental, you have to recognize it just as it is and not exaggerate it. You can say to yourself, “Breathing in, I know this is only a minor physical pain. I can very well make friends and peace with it. I can still smile to it.”
If you recognize the pain as it is and don’t exaggerate it, then you can make peace with it, and you won’t suffer as much. But if you get angry and revolt against it, if you worry too much and imagine that you’re going to die very quickly, then the pain will be multiplied one hundred times. That is the second arrow, the extra suffering that comes from exaggeration. You should not allow it to arise. This is very important. It was recommended by the Buddha: Don’t exaggerate and amplify the pain.
ABOUT THICH NHAT HANH
Thich Nhat Hanh (1926-2022) was a renowned Zen teacher and poet, the founder of the Engaged Buddhist movement, and the founder of nine monastic communities, including Plum Village Monastery in France. He was also the author of At Home in the World, The Other Shore, and more than a hundred other books that have sold millions of copies worldwide.
Keeping Up With the News:
Fen is back in New Orleans.
The Quists are back in Louisiana.
The tamaracks are stating to turn…
Prayer List
For those recovering from COVID-19 in the state of MaineLocal emergency personnel and hospital staffFor our state and national leaders as they respond to the current coronavirus crisisFor those working for social justice and societal change
Pray for peaceful action and democratic process in our nation
The war in Ukraine is now in its ninth month
Prayers for those affected by the flooding in Pakistan
Prayers for those affected by hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean
Prayers for those recovering from hurricane Ian in Florida and along parts of the east coast
Prayers for political unrest in the Middle East
The Four Limitless Ones Prayer
May all sentient beings enjoy happiness and the root of happiness.
May we be free from suffering and the root of suffering.
May we not be separated from the great happiness devoid of suffering.
May we dwell in the great equanimity free from anger, aggression and exclusion.
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