Sangha of the Month for May 2016: Wake Up Graz
How did Wake Up Graz get started?
It started in the autumn of 2012 after a friend and I went to a Wake Up retreat during the summer in Plum Village. I actually wasn’t aware about Wake Up. We were so inspired after the retreat that we wanted to form a Sangha in our hometown.
I searched online and found out there was a Wake Up Sangha in Vienna. It was the only one in Austria at the time. I got in contact with this person and his name is Matthias. He was very friendly and explained to me how they were facilitating the Sangha. Then we got to know another person, and his name is Michael. At the time, he spent four months in Plum Village and he moved to Graz. He’s German but he lives here.
We were three people to start a Sangha in Graz. We spread the word through our friends and family, and we didn’t do much advertising.
What kind of people come to your Sangha?
During the first year, there were mostly students but this past year, there have been changes because we’ve all finished university. The group that started in the beginning is now different because people have moved to other countries and finished their studies. Now we’re in the process of being more working professionals and looking for new Wake Up members.
When and where do you meet?
We meet on Mondays every two weeks. There is a group in Graz called Theosophical Foundation and they offer us a room. We don’t have anything to do with the society, but they have a meditation room and offer it to us for free. We just ask for donations for the room. There are cushions and everything.
On average, how many people show up?
Currently, it’s between 6 to 8 people. We’re a little group and we’re looking for new members. Three years ago, there were 12 people.
Since last year, three people who were in a Wake Up Sangha in a different country are practicing with us. They discovered us through the Wake Up website. One girl lives in Toronto and just moved here a month ago and there’s another girl from the Netherlands in our Sangha.
Have you had to face any challenges in the Sangha so far?
Since last year, there have been changes in the group because the two other people who were the founders left the country. I’m the last founder and I’m okay with that ☺ I’m working and I’m happy to prepare the session. The new challenge is to spread the word about the group and get new members.
Have you thought of training other members to facilitate?
Yes. There’s another person who is Buddhist. He is not familiar with Thich Nhat Hanh, but he’s open and comes regularly. If I’m on holidays, he’s happy to facilitate.
What do you do during your sessions?
First, we sit in the circle and start with inviting the bell. Then we do walking meditation for 10-15 minutes. I always prepare something to read from an inspirational book. Most of the readings are Buddhist, but it’s always related to mindfulness. We read it together in the circle and then we do sitting meditation. Then there is the most important thing: Dharma-sharing.
Sometimes we do total relaxation. Other times, we do a body scan meditation from Jon Kabat-Zinn, meditation with a plant, or metta meditation from other Buddhist traditions.
Do you do activities outside the sessions together as a Sangha?
For the last two years we haven’t done anything outside the Sangha. At the beginning we did something very nice. We called it, “Wake Up Active Days”. We went to a retreat centre and we organized our little retreat. We didn’t have any teachers or masters, but there is a very nice Tibetan Buddhist centre where we can stay for free and use their room. It was on a mountain so we stayed there for 3 nights. We did our own cooking, practiced mindful eating, watched some Dharma talk and did sharing, painting and walking. It was a very nice time! But that was when we were all students and had more time.
Now that we have finished university and we are working, we don’t have time to organize activities on a regular basis. We’ve just planned a mindful dinner in the facilitator’s home ☺
What makes Wake Up Graz special?
We are the only meditation group in Graz that does Dharma-sharing. The people who come to the gatherings say, “Wow, this is really something other meditation centres don’t have!” They really appreciate it.
Note: This Sangha is currently inactive.