7 June 2008 – The Saturday Service on 7 June was attended by 17 people. After walking and standing meditation Venerable Miaoyu asked everyone to take five minutes to focus on the autumn leaves that were lying on the ground under the cherry trees. We were asked to feel the leaves, be aware of the texture, the colour and reflect on the significance of the leaves. We should also be mindful of the environment of the Courtyard, the shape of the trees, the rocks, stones, bird song and any distractions that contributed to the conditions.
During the Dharma discussion later in the service, Venerable Miaoyu asked each group member to share their thoughts on the question, ‘What were your realizations from nature?
Venerable Miaoyu summarized our reflections using an analogy of the tree. If a tree has a strong trunk and deep roots it can withstand bad conditions (suffering). It has a natural life cycle; the leaves die and drop off in autumn and after a period of lying dormant new life begins in spring with buds that grow into blossom. This demonstrates the impermanence of the life cycle and how we should live in the present.