Every New and Full Moon
This weekend I listened to a talk given by Ajahn Sucitto in which he mentioned Uposatha Observance Days…which are the New and Full Moons of each month. He was mostly talking about how the monastic community gets together to reconcile differences during this time (there’s a formal recitation of the rules of conduct), but he also mentioned sitting up all night and other ways of turning more intensively toward meditation and reflection.
It sounded beautiful.
So I looked it up on Access to Insight:
“Uposatha days are times of renewed dedication to Dhamma practice, observed by lay followers and monastics through out the world of Theravada Buddhism…
“Lay people observe the Eight Precepts on Uposatha days, as a support for meditation practice and as a way to re-energize commitment to the Dhamma. Whenever possible, lay people use these days as an opportunity to visit the local monastery, in order to make special offerings to the Sangha, to listen to Dhamma, and to practice meditation with Dhamma companions late into the night.
“For those not closely affiliated with a local monastery, it can simply be an opportunity to step up one’s efforts in mediation, while drawing on the invisible support of millions of other practicing Buddhist around the world.”
OK, well I’m not quite ready to give up eating dinner (which is what is required if you observe Eight Precepts), but I do what to find a way to be a part of this world-wide sangha. Sitting up all night to meditate isn’t really an option at this point either. But maybe sitting longer…say for two hours….might just be possible.
The next Uposatha day is the Full Moon on Sunday, June 23rd.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
(image from: a stack of cards I have with no box, no name, no one to credit)