Teacher shares students’ positive changes after retreat
Retreat with high school students from New Orleans on March 17-21, 2012: the aftermath!
Dear Sangha,
I hope everyone is enjoying the day of mindfulness at the center.Here in New Orleans it is a beautiful, clear day…many birds are singing. I wanted to share with you several things that have happened since our return to the city.
We returned late Wednesday evening. For me, the next morning was spent at funeral services for a beloved friend and mentor, my former principal.The services were very long and some of my colleagues mentioned this.However, I had been practicing for the last five days and was so prepared to really listen and be present, what a gift.The pastors and friends who spoke were inspirational and I was to really enjoy the moment.
In the time that has passed since I was at that monastery, I have often written you. I did not send the letters because the words seemed too feeble to express my gratitude. But today, while eating breakfast mindfully, I realized that the week I spent with you saved my life. I stopped eating and cried in thankfulness. As I cried, I saw the face of Thay and all of your faces.
Breathing in, breathing out- Warren Easton High School students
On April 14th-16th, 2011, a group of twenty senior students and two teachers from Warren Easton High School from New Orleans, LA made a psychology trip to Magnolia Grove Monastery to practice mindfulness and meditation with the monastic Brothers and Sisters. Instead of going to Florida for the senior trip, the students decided to have an adventure to the monastery instead. Below is the letter from Jenny Rious, the psychology teacher of the students, sharing her feelings about the retreat. We wish you much peace and happiness while reading it.
I want to let you know how wonderful our trip was to Magnolia Grove Monastery. It did so much for the students and so much for me. My friend Ann Marie has nicknamed me Sister Puddle because of all my crying, but I can assure you every tear I shed at Magnolia Grove was one of joy.
There are so many wonderful things that happened there for my students, that even if just one of them had happened the whole trip would have been worth it.
