What is it like to suddenly lose your meditation teacher?
Our Sangha is in shock. Our beloved teacher, Anne Mahoney passed away on September 30th. We all loved her. She was kind, thoughtful, and generous with her teachings. We were just finishing up a year long course on loving kindness (her favorite meditation) and had three months to go before finishing her other course on Growing Wisdom, finishing up her dhamma talks on the Paramis. We were excited and looking forward to her next courses. And then everything just stopped. I wanted time to stop too. We all needed time to take in what had happened, time to adjust and regain some sort of balance. But time does not stop and as the days roll by, the shock wears off and grief sets in hard.
A remarkable and multi-faceted woman, Anne’s dhamma talks were insightful, relatable, and filled with examples of her own life. She was always very clear, making sure that we all understood the principles behind the Buddhist teachings. As a skilled psychologist she contributed that experience along with her knowledge of the dhamma to her teaching. She patiently answered any and all questions and was available any time to clarify her teachings.
Anne wasn’t shy in talking about death. She constantly reminded us that everything is impermanent. That has been my mantra for the past weeks and it keeps me focused on the dhamma. I studied with Anne for over 25 years. I hear her voice in my head telling me that everything I need to know is inside of me. And so, even though she is gone, I still sit, I still meditate and I reflect on the Buddha’s teachings.
Where does our Sangha go from here? I’m not sure but I know there are options and we are meeting and planning how to go forward with our loss. No, it will not be the same but with our devotion to hearing and learning about the dhamma, we will figure it out.
Thank you, Anne, for everything you have given to us. You have enhanced our lives. May you be happy and peaceful and be reborn in a higher realm.
Metta Always,
Sharon McClare