Florida Interbeing
Spacious Mind, Inclusive Heart
Welcome to this site which contains a collection of many of the practices and spiritual teachings that have resonated with me and guide me along the path of healing and transformation.
Florida Interbeing is rooted in Tiep Hien & Yungdrung Bön. Tiep Hien (The Order of Interbeing) was founded by and continues to be inspired by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, poet, and peace activist. Tiep means "being in touch with" and "continuing." Hien means "realizing" and "making it here and now." Tiep Hien was founded within the Linji School of Dhyana Buddhism.
Yungdrung Bön has rich traditions and sophisticated teachings and practices that help to cultivate the heart-mind of compassion and wisdom. They promote healing, forgiveness, clarity, peace, and ultimately lead to enlightenment. This ancient, unbroken continuity of spiritual teachings extends back thousands of years. Yungdrung means "eternal" and "unchanging." Bon means "the way," "reality," and "the truth." Yungdrung Bön was founded by Buddha Tonpa Shenrab Miwo, who, according to Bön tradition, first brought the Bön teachings to what is now central Asia 18,000 years ago.
Vision:
Florida Interbeing envisions a community where the blooming flowers of love and compassion improves the quality of life and well-being of all whom we encounter.
Mission:
We nourish and cultivate well-being through offering opportunities for self discovery and re-establishing our connection with ourselves, others, and the world. We help people awaken to all the positive qualities of our heart mind; touching the wondrous, refreshing, and healing elements that are inside and around us, in all situations. We help people to cultivate seeds of joy, peace, love, and understanding in themselves.
Values:
Not relying on books or the internet alone, we continually seek out our local Buddhist centers. We explore introductory classes, attend Dharma talks, and engage the sangha (community). As we continue to do this, we develop relationships with Dharma teachers. We ask questions, and get personal instructions on our own practice of healing and transformation. We apply the teachings based on their appropriateness to where we are at on the path and practice skillfulness in their application.
We aim to serve. If we can help one person's day be better, then that is our service. If we can help one person feel less pain today, then that is our service. If we can make one person smile more, that is our service. If we can help one person know what to do, help one person deal with their suffering, help one person grow closer to themselves; their true self, then that is our service.
We practice the integration of multiple spiritual traditions. We explore a unique blend of Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhism rooted within the Linji School of Dhyana Buddhism & Tibetan's native Yungdrung Bon tradition. We offer an open, inclusive, and connected approach to practice and spiritual growth in both traditions. We practice non-attachment to views, without having to identify ourselves as being in one tradition or the other, or both, or even neither traditions.
