Welcome to The Orchard Sangha Website.
The Orchard Sangha is a group of students who study mindfulness practices at The Orchard Dharma Centre under the guidance of
Sonia Moriceau and
Ad Brugman.
The Orchard has been a place of meditation, retreat and reflection since 1985 and the aspiration of the Sangha is that it will continue to guide, inspire and support all who seek to develop and deepen their practice.
The Sangha was formed to support both teachers and their teachings in the lineage of John Garrie Roshi and the Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche and was created in a spirit of gratitude and appreciation for the teachings received.
“If we are a drop of water and we try to get to the ocean as an individual drop, we will surely evaporate along the way. To arrive at the ocean you must go as a river. The sangha is your river. The Sangha River is a community who practice the way of harmony, awareness and compassion. In the sangha we practice mindful walking and breathing. The sangha radiates a collective energy that can support us and make us strong. The sangha is a boat that transports us and prevents us sinking into the ocean of suffering. Allow your community to hold you, to transport you. When you do you will feel more solid and you will not risk drowning in your suffering. Taking refuge in the sangha is not a matter of belief. “I take refuge in the Sangha” is not a statement of faith; it is a practice. As a river, all the individual drops of water arrive together at the ocean"
Thich Nhat Hanh