Envisioning the Future of the Mindful Breath Sangha

Our Sangha—Envisioning the Future of the Mindful Breath Sangha Together
Led by Ron on April 12, 2026

Here are some Reflections about the Sangha from Thich Nhat Hanh:

Thay viewed the act of building and supporting a Sangha as one of the highest forms of practice. 

He reminded us: "The art of Sangha building is crucial to our practice. If a Sangha is available in your area, please keep in touch and take refuge there. If the Sangha doesn't have the quality you expect, don't abandon it. Stick to the one you have and try, with your practice and your joy and peace, to improve its quality."

"The Sangha is a holy body. Don't look for holiness somewhere else... Holiness is within you and within the body of your Sangha. When a community of people sit, breathe, walk, and eat in mindfulness, holiness is there."

Thay believed the Sangha is a vital "organ" of spiritual survival—the living embodiment of the Buddha and the Dharma.

Here are ten teachings quotes from Thay about the Sangha— to be read by ten Sangha members in the circle.

One: The beloved community:

From the first moment I met the Reverend Martin Luther King Junior, I knew I was in the presence of a holy person. Not just as good work, but his very being was a source of great inspiration to me. And I agreed that without a happy harmonious community, we cannot go very far, we cannot realize our dream. After he was assassinated, I made of deep vow to continue building what he called the beloved community. 

Two: Living in Harmony and awareness:

In Buddhism, a practice community is called a Sangha. Any group of people can practice a as a Sangha, as a community that is determined to live in Harmony and awareness. All we have to do is commit ourselves to going together in the direction of peace, joy, and freedom. Together, we benefit from each other's strengths and learn from each other's weaknesses. A Sangha is a family, a spiritual family connected by the practices of mindfulness, concentration, and insight. A Sangha does not have to be Buddhist, as long as it is a community that walks the path of liberation together. To fulfill this goal, we need concrete practices, we need the collective insight and wisdom to guide and support us

Three: Not an individual matter

The Buddha urged us to practice mindful living and to practice transformation and healing, as a community, (as a Sangha). When the community embodies the spirit of the dharma, it can produce collective insight and lasting social change.

Four: Making the practice, easy and natural:

Joining or creating a like-minded community is very helpful for our practice. When we practice together as a community, our practice of mindfulness becomes more joyful, more relaxed, and steadier. We are bells of mindfulness for each other, supporting, and reminding each other along the path of practice. With the support of the community, we can cultivate peace and joy in ourselves, which we can then offer to those around us. The encouragement and support of a community of practice, (of a Sangha), can help us enormously when we practice together, mindfulness becomes easy and natural.

Five: A community of resistance:

A Sangha is also a community of resistance, resisting the speed, violence, and unwholesome ways of living that are prevalent in our society. A good Sangha can lead us in the direction of harmony and awareness. It can help us touch the seed of awakening within our heart so that we will have the courage to act.

Six: Collective karma:

For the healing of our world, we need to create a community of practice, (a Sangha). The energy of our thoughts, speech, and actions is infinitely more powerful when we join together with others. When we come together as a group with a common purpose and commitment to mindful action, we produce an energy of collective concentration far superior to our own individual concentration. If we practice Mindful sitting, walking, speaking, and listening together as a group, the energy we create is amplified. Everyone can receive nourishment and healing, and this collective energy can lead to collective insight.

Seven:  Keeping your aspiration alive:

We have to organize our lives in such a way that we can continue to get the nourishment and healing that we need. The solution is in your community, your Sangha). If you build a community that practices together as a Sangha, you receive the collective energy of support. When you begin to feel exhausted by your efforts, others in your community, are there to help with the work, you can take time to restore yourself so that you can continue serving your deep aspiration

Eight: Spiritual support:

Sometimes your intellect tells you that it's dangerous to embrace this or that object of desire. You know that you'll suffer, but you can't resist and do it anyway. Without a wise friend, without a spiritual community that can protect and help you, you often do such things, in spite of your better judgment.

Nine: A Good friend:

A good spiritual friend is someone who can help us uncover our deepest desire. That person can inspire us to touch the seed of deep aspiration, and we become motivated to find out what we really want— not just on the surface but deep down.

Ten: My truth:

Here's the truth I live each day, proof that my dream is being realized, I live in a community of several hundred monks and nuns from many different countries, yet everyone can accept, forgive, and support each other. Everyone contributes to our shared well-being, and no one chases their own individual happiness because they know there's no such thing. We learned to cultivate togetherness and true friendship, helping each other, transform our suffering, and find joy in our daily lives. No one tries to be the boss. We live like bees of the same hive, working for our collective happiness.

[Sangha members signed up for committees and will meet at a later date for follow-up. Please email mindfulbreathsanghageorgia@gmail.com if you would like to be more involved.]