Available in Montreal

Please note that physical supplies such as cushions will not make you awaken. Buddha did not have a cushion as he sat in enlightenment, but he had a fig tree and the morning star — he was surrounded by nature, an endless source of inspiration.
There are many reports of Indian sages sitting up to meditate right where they sleep, and of Japanese monks lying down to sleep right where they sit to meditate. The best aid to meditation is openness to inspiration. This inspiration can come from the nature outside, the nature inside, chanting or singing Dharma Songs, listening to a Dharma talk, or reading sacred texts (What makes a text sacred is its inspirational content and truth).

At Plum Village, there is 20 minutes of chanting and bells before the meditation time early in the morning. This is truly a wonderful part of the day, and a great prelude for sitting. In addition, there is 15 minutes of singing before every period of walking meditation. Plum Village is not unique in that. Songs and readings are a part of every kind of spiritual practice everywhere, from your local church to an Ashram in faraway India, and they are the really essential meditation supplies.

Most of us need inspiration daily, not to say hourly. A talk we heard, or a text we read last week might not be enough to keep us going this morning. The juice slowly drains out of it with time. Divide the time you have for meditation in two: listen to or sing a Dharma song, or read a sacred text for a few minutes, and then sit while you are still in the glow of inspiration. As the memory of what you read or heard slowly fades away, new doors open. Then your meditation is more direct, and the time you spend at it more focused and beneficial. You are following in the footsteps of the sages. Even when you wander, you will be wandering in the same forest as they.

THE CLEAR PEACEFUL MOON – Songs of Thich Nhat Hanh

17 songs sung by Emily M King and the Skylarks from the Pine Gate Sangha in Ottawa, and Jean Monpetit from the MMC. This CD of songs celebrates the lyrical and poetic side of Thich Nhat Hanh. The lyrics have been crafted from Thich Nhat Hanh’s poems, gathas, meditation themes, calligraphy, and other texts by Joseph Emet who also wrote the music. The musical material ranges from meditative solos to joyful and melodic songs accompanied by a variety of instruments.

A BASKET OF PLUMS – Songs in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, edited by Joseph Emet
Two CD's of songs from Plum Village, with the sheet music for all the songs and a foreword by Thich Nhat Hanh. The poem for each song is a meditation on one aspect of the practice. Published by Parallax Press, and available from the publisher or from Amazon. Parallax Press (www.parallax.org) is the publisher for many of THICH NHAT HANH's books.

Sources in the Montreal Area for Books, Cushions and Meditation Benches

Cushions

Kapok filled cushions in different colours are available at Futon d'Or on 3855 St Denis, just north of Roy (514-499-0438).
Benches:
Meditation benches in pine are available from Atelier Roger Landreville,
10 Duluth West (near St Laurent Boulevard), Tel. (514)843-4075
With folding legs, and with with fixed legs.
Also available: benches with covering pillow.