Buddhist Service
Carol Grafford, follower of Thich Nhat Hanh since 2002, and ordained as a core member of the Order of Interbeing in 2017, will be our service presenter.
Is Buddhism a religion or a way of life? I guess it depends on who you ask, and how you define religion. For me it is a beautiful way of living and it makes my heart happy. There are many different schools of Buddhism, each with its own flavor and style. The school that I most love is the one founded by the Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. There are sanghas (spiritual communities), practice centers and monasteries all over the world that follow his way.
Thich Nhat Hanh’s basic teaching is mindfulness. He teaches gentleness and deep looking – into ourselves and into our world. With mindfulness, we can clearly see what is beautiful and helpful, and we can see what is harmful and needs help.
On October 31, I will be offering a Buddhist service for KUUF. The order of service will follow the typical flow of a sangha meeting in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. It will include silent meditation, a Dharma talk, reading the Five Mindfulness Trainings, and Dharma sharing. It sounds different, but in many ways, it is much like a UU service!