The Bombastic Monastics

A noble silence walking meditation at a Buddhist Mindfulness Retreat in Westwind, Oregon. The walking meditation was followed by a picnic lunch on the beach each afternoon. The photographs below document our peaceful afternoon. I've added a picture of the Monastics from Deer Park Monastery--two sisters and two brothers attended our retreat as our thays (teachers).

Brother Man Tue.

Sisters swept away.

I call them the Bombastic Monastics. In this pic the Monastics were chanting and playing instruments for talent night. They were a lot of fun. The sisters were lovely women originally from Vietnam. I chatted with most of the Monastics (a little "la blah-blah" as Brother Phap Hai would say). The sisters are: Sister Hang Ngheim and Sister Dac Ngheim. The brothers are: Brother Man Tue from Vietnam, Brother Phap Hai from Australia-- all from Deer Park Monastery in California and ordained by Thich Nhat Hanh at Plum Village in Southern France.

A walking mediation followed by a noble silence picnic lunch on the beach.

Miranda and I practicing right speech once the noble silence was lifted. We had fun thinking up new lyrics to some of the retreat's songs. Our songs say basically the same thing but with less eloquent speech and a little more passion ;) 

Lunch on the beach with  the children...

Nem and Tabs making their way to the picnic spot.

The Dharma Kids Posse.

The posse of Dharma kids at the retreat. They were adorable--bonded instantly and spent the entire retreat together exploring.

The coast at Westwind.