“Sitting meditation is an act of civilization.These days we are so busy, we don’t even have time to breathe. To take a moment to sit in stillness and cultivate peace, joy and compassion – that is civilization. And it is priceless.”

— Thich Nhat Hahn

This wonderful insight comes from Thich Nhat Hahn, one of the best known and respected Zen Masters in the world today. He is also a poet and human rights activist. He has published over 100 titles on meditation, mindfulness and Engaged Buddhism. We read more and more about this important practice of meditation, and Thich Nhat Hahn explains how it is important not just to individuals — but to our whole society.

There are many ways to explore meditation, even in our small state, but we want to highlight one local teacher in Thich Nhat Hahn’s order — Joanne Friday. Joanne leads meditation retreats for sanghas and groups throughout the Northeast. She is the guiding teacher for the six sanghas which comprise the Rhode Island Community of Mindfulness, and she is also an Associate Chaplain at the University of Rhode Island. Please check out her website — www.joannefriday.com to  where Joanne is teaching.