Going As A River - Edmonton Sangha

Home
Canada
Edmonton, AB
Going As A River - Edmonton Sangha

A community of practice in the engaged Buddhist tradition of Venerable Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh

08/05/2026

Dear Friends 🪷 We are taking a break!

A gentle reminder that our Wednesday night practice is postponed until September. This includes the following Wednesdays: August 5, 12, 19 & 26, 2026. Instead, please see our webpage for several unique opportunities that Going As A River will host over the month: https://www.goingasariver.org/events

We hope to see everyone together in September, and that everyone is enjoying summer, and a period of rest.

07/29/2026

"Taking refuge in sangha is a very deep practice. You trust the sangha. You become the sangha. If you are a drop of water, you might wonder whether you have the capacity to go to the ocean. But when you become a river, you are sure you don’t have to worry. You will certainly come to the ocean. In Plum Village, we try to practice like that. We don’t want to be a drop of water. We want to be a river. And by practicing becoming a river, we suffer much less. Individual suffering can be transformed very easily when we share the concern of the sangha, the happiness of the sangha, the dedication of the sangha". - Thich Nhat Hanh (Excerpt from a Dharma talk given during the 21 Day Retreat on 8 June, 2002 in the Loving Kindness Temple, New Hamlet, Plum Village, France." https://plumvillage.org/articles/go-as-a-river-not-a-drop-of-water-taking-refuge-in-the-sangha

Dear Friends,

Please join us this Wednesday July 29th at the Belgravia Community League, 11540 73 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB for our scheduled practice, which will be the last Wednesday night practice until September, due to the building undergoing maintenance over August.

We will be exploring the second Dharma Seal of Plum Village - Going As A River which will continue to build on the energy of the retreat from this last weekend.

We will not be gathering to practice on Wednesday during August there will be special touchpoints in August to gather, such as a picnic and song gathering on August 14th @ 6:30 pm at Belgravia and a Mindful walk on Aug 29th in the afternoon @ 2:00 pm with a return to the old Riverdale Rink house as a meeting point!

Details for these upcoming gatherings are now posted on the website and reminders sent prior to the events if you are on our email list (sign up via the contact form on our website goingasariver.org)!

Enjoy the setting summer sun,

Be well

07/15/2026

“Everyone knows we need to have mud for lotuses to grow. The mud doesn’t smell so good, but the lotus flower smells very good. If you don’t have mud, the lotus won’t manifest. You can’t grow lotus flowers on marble. Without mud, there can be no lotus”. -
Thích Nhất Hạnh, No Mud, No Lotus: The Art of Transforming Suffering

Dear Friends, 🙏

Please join us this Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm to practice:

Belgravia Community Hall (Lower Hall), 11540 - 73 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB

Please arrive 5-10 minutes early so we can begin on time. If you would like some quiet time or to assist with set up arrival after 6 pm is very welcomed.

Lucy and Alda will be speaking to the gems received, and the deepening of their practice having recently returned from their retreat in Plum Village, France. These retreats are an important moment in the Plum Village tradition and there has been much focus on the renewal of the Order Of Interbeing within its 60th year anniversary.

07/08/2026

“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.” - Thich Nhat Hanh

Please join us Wednesday night at 6:30 pm where we will deepen our practice as we recite the Five Mindfulness Trainings. An ethical framework for daily life, the trainings focus on reverence for life, true happiness , true love, loving speech, and mindful consumption.

Time and location: 6:30-8:30pm at the Belgravia Community Hall (Lower Hall)11540 - 73 Ave NW. Please try to arrive at least 5 minutes early so we ca settle in. If you wish to help with set-up or have some quiet time, feel free to arrive anytime after 6 pm.

Please note that registration to the Edmonton July 24-26th Retreat-Building Resilient Sangha: The Five Mindfulness Trainings in Action is open! Further information on this special opportunity can be found here👉https://www.goingasariver.org/events/non-residential-retreat

07/08/2026

“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.” - Thich Nhat Hanh

Please join us Wednesday night at 6:30 pm where we will deepen our practice as we recite the Five Mindfulness Trainings. An ethical framework for daily life, the trainings focus on reverence for life, true happiness , true love, loving speech, and mindful consumption.

Time and location: 6:30-8:30pm at the Belgravia Community Hall (Lower Hall)11540 - 73 Ave NW. Please try to arrive at least 5 minutes early so we ca settle in. If you wish to help with set-up or have some quiet time, feel free to arrive anytime after 6 pm.

Please note that registration to the Edmonton July 24-26th Retreat-Building Resilient Sangha: The Five Mindfulness Trainings in Action will be opening this week! Further information on this special opportunity can be found here👉https://www.goingasariver.org/events/non-residential-retreat

06/21/2026

“Thầy offers a deep teaching on the Three Doors of Liberation—emptiness, signlessness, and aimlessness—common to all schools of Buddhism, and each a doorway to insight and freedom from suffering.

Exploring emptiness, Thầy asks: empty of what? A flower is full of clouds, rain, soil, and sunshine—full of the cosmos, yet empty of a separate self. This is the nature of interbeing. Using the image of a lit match, Thầy reminds us that teachings are only the means — it is the flame of insight, not the match of doctrine, that truly liberates.

Signlessness invites us not to be deceived by appearances. A cloud becomes rain, rain becomes river—nothing is lost, only transformed. Those we have loved and lost are still present, in new forms. When we touch the insight of signlessness, grief and fear begin to dissolve.

Aimlessness teaches that we are already wonderful as we are. We do not need to run after something we lack. The Kingdom of God, the Pure Land of the Buddha—these are available here and now. Happiness is not a destination”

https://plumvillage.org/gems/event/The-Three-Doors-of-Liberation-nNCnZDWLzKdfTXXpxYYSye/preview?

This week you are invited to join us at Belgravia Community hall, starting at 6:30 for our Wednesday night practice. We will by extension of last weeks discussion, explore further The Three Doors of Liberation with a short reading, and except from a Dharma Talk from Sister Chan Duc.

Please try to arrive 5 to 10 minutes early to settle in so we can start promptly. If you wish to have some quiet time or assist with setting-up, please join anytime after 6 pm.

06/21/2026

We are delighted to announce a special opportunity to practice together in community this summer.

If you are interested in attending, please complete the pre-registration form below or click on the QR code in the attached link. This will help us with planning and allow us to keep you informed as details unfold. In early July, we will contact all pre-registered participants with registration details, payment instructions, and a more comprehensive registration form to confirm and reserve your spot.

Retreat Theme

This retreat invites us to explore how we cultivate resilient, inclusive, and compassionate sangha in a rapidly changing world. Together, we will reflect on belonging, collective care, Engaged Buddhism, and practices that support understanding, connection, and community resilience.

The weekend will also include a Five Mindfulness Trainings Transmission Ceremony for those wishing to receive the Trainings.

This is a non-residential retreat. Participants are responsible for bringing their own vegetarian bag lunch and arranging their own accommodations if travelling from out of town.

The retreat will be co-facilitated by Plum Village Lay Dharma Teachers Tracey Pickup from Calgary and Kenley Neufeld from British Columbia, and hosted by Going As A River Sangha.

July 24-26, 2026
Schedule (subject to change): Friday evening 7-9pm / Saturday & Sunday 10-4pm
Belgravia Community League, Edmonton, AB
This retreat will be offered on a sliding scale.

Visit goingasariver.org to pre-register!

Address

Edmonton, AB

Website

https://www.goingasariver.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Going As A River - Edmonton Sangha posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.