GLOBAL SANGHA NEWSLETTER 95

GLOBAL SANGHA NEWSLETTER 95

21st December 2021

PODCAST GS55

Photo by Iris Dotan Katz

Friday 24th December 18:30

PUJA SERVICE

with Angela Romani & Liz Allmarl

Zoom: https://bit.ly/3ed1eob -:- Meeting ID: 834 8550 7346 -:- Passcode: 858571

NEW YEAR SANGHA GATHERING
"Mindful of the Past: Faith in the Future"

The New Year Retreat 31st December.to 4th January

All times are Rome time zone

The retreat starts at 14:00 (Rome) which is New Year in Australia

PROVISIONAL FULL PROGRAMME

Friday 31st December
New Year's Eve
14:00 Gathering & Orientation
- Introductory Dharma Talk by Dharmavidya
- Break
16:30 Guided Meditation
- Sharing New Year Resolutions
- Break
18:30 Puja - meditation, chanting, recitations & readings
- Break
21:30 Chanting Nzmbutsu for Peace in the World
24:00 Celebrating the New Year

Saturday 1st January
Birth Anniversary of Reverend Master Jiyu Kennett Roshi
11:00 Gathering
- Puja for Roshi Kennett
- Break
14:00 Accounts of Applied Dharma: 4 speaker panel
15:30 Break
15:45 Reading from the Writings of Kennett Roshi - Liz Allmark
- Break
18:15 Led Meditation: Nei Quan Chih Quan - Dharmavidya
- Break
19:15 Practice Session - Ganendra

Sunday 2nd January
Birthday of Dharmavidya
10:00 Puja - Liz Allmark
- Birthday Celebration
11:30 "Pureland & Sufism" - Ganendra
- Break
14:00 "Nine Bows for Reflection & Renewal" - Will Holcomb
15:30 "The Journey Begins with a Visit to Hell" - Angela Romani
17:00 Writing Workshop - Carol English
- Break
19:00 "Contact with Nature in Faith & Healing" - Helen Evanfé

Monday 3rd January
Birth Anniversary of Irene Brazier
10:00 Puja - Geeta Chari
- Poetry Reading for Irene
11:30 "The Flavours of Compassion" - Ganendra
- Break
14:00 "Friendship with the Other" - Iris Dotan Katz
15:30 "Whales" - Benjy Day
17:00 Dialogue: "Renewal in Psychotherapy: Reviewing Old & New"
- Iris Dotan Katz & Yaya de Andrade

Tuesday 4th January
10:00 "Vinaya & Pureland" - Geeta Chari
11:30 "Focussing & Buddhism" - Shoji Tsuki & Kimiko Nita
- Break
14:00 (Title to be announced) - George Daly
15:30 Science Fiction & Buddhism - Geeta Chari & Liz Allmark
16:30 Gathering
- End

Tickets for part or whole attendance: <https://www.tickettailor.com/events/globalsangha>

SANGHA DAY REPORT
18th December 2021

The day began with a short lecture on the main principle of the Diamond Sutra, establishing the perspective of paramita - the possibility of seeing all situations either from a mundane or from a spiritual point of view, the former being related to the mentality of accumulation (alaya) and the latter to the infinite merit of acting without ego. In the succeeding discussion we also looked at a poem by Dogen:

Inexpressible -
the heart
of one who, at full moon
beholds the first fall of snow
upon autumnal golden leaves !

which illustrates how the experience of infinity is not alien to the ordinary person. It also, perhaps, alludes to the purity of the prajna paramita (snow) may fall amongst the dead leaves of samsara and suddenly make it radiantly beautiful.

Then, following the break, we had a discussion of the various ideal types found within different schools of Buddhism, namely, the Buddha, the arhat, the bodhisattva, the myokonin, the bhikshu, and the hijiri. This led to a discussion of the idea of life as a pilgrimage and the place of pilgrimage (yatra) in Buddhism with examples from India and Japan. We were also treated to some myokonin poetry and had a description of the Ten Ox-herding Pictures.

Bodhi Tree growing at the Sea of Galilee -:- Photo by Iris Dotan Katz

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YOU CAN NOW BOOK FOR

DIPLOMA IN BUDDHIST PSYCHOLOGY

Distance Learning On-line Programme

Beginning 1st February 2022

The course beginning in February is a two year programme delivered in four semesters each of four units. The first semester begins 1st February 2022 and runs to the summer. Each unit contains three sections of study material with accompanying exercises.

The programme involves

- study material provided on line on dedicated private web pages

- some pre-recorded lectures

- live seminars via zoom

- exercises to do in one's own time and report back on

- assignments from time to time to check understanding

- discussion with tutors and other students

It is a co-operative learning programme. Students see each other's work and have plenty of scope for getting to know one another and for discussion of topics and experience.

The material is both theoretical and practical and is extensive. One should allow for a time commitment of minimum three hours per week.

The content of the course covers major Buddhist psychological theory and its relevance to daily life and to psychotherapy practice. One does not have to be a psychotherapist to do the course, but therapists and others in human relations work will generally get most from it as they will be able to apply the principles in their work.

This is a course of Buddhist principles applied as psychology. It is not really an integration of Western and Buddhist psychology, though comparisons are made throughout. It covers the material in the books Zen Therapy and The Feeling Buddha and other works by David Brazier and others plus a good deal more:

- dependent origination

- different forms of conditioning of the mind

- the skandha cycle and Buddhist psychological analysis

- Buddhist work with strong emotions

- dukkha and its transformation

- calm and insight

- the role of faith, purpose and refuge

- styles of Dharma-based psychotherapy

- sudden awakening and gradual cultivation

and many other similar topics.

The proposed fee is £200 per semester.

Tickets <https://www.tickettailor.com/events/globalsangha>

Clouds over Eleusis -:- Photo by David Brazier

POETRY

VISITING THE MAO IN TORINO

The Museum of Oriental Art
exhibits work of the Japanese pen.
A splash of colour here and there
to give a naturalistic touch
or simply ink stroked careful lines
to indicate essence with neat precision:
a representation of what’s been seen
with symbolic meaning woven in
to suggest the standing and esteem
of the family of the patron.

Before you reach the fine exhibits,
pause to rest in the Japanese garden,
contemplate the fine raked sand,
the rocks deep buried in the ground
that tell of the yang of unmovable stone
amidst the yin of flowing ocean.
We all know yin will win in the end
though yang stands proud above the main
and far beyond this mighty turmoil
reigns a peace that quiets the mind.

Afterwards I repair to the bookshop,
peruse the volumes of pictures and words:
books for children, books for adults,
the public, the specialist, the devotee.
Today I prove to be a shopper -
come home laden with paper treasure,
some in Italian, some in English,
hours of perusal now in my sack.
The Museum of Oriental Art:
worth the journey, I’ll go again.

- DB

LE JOYAU DE L'EAU

Ruisseau clair et joyeux, tu es la source même de la vie.
Et pourtant, dans la houle de tes eaux tumultueuses,
Gronde parfois le maelstrom des colères et des confusions.
Quand l’eau boueuse laissera-t-elle émerger
Le blanc lotus de la vérité ?
Inlassablement, obstinément,
Contournant tous les obstacles,
Les fleuves coulent vers la mer et la mer n’est pas remplie
Panta rei !
Eau bienfaisante, au soir de ma vie, tu me fais don,
Sur le seuil même de ma maison,
Du chant léger d’une humble fontaine.

- Annette Tamuly Jung

Clear and joyful stream, you are the very source of life.
And yet, in the swell of your tumultuous waters,
Sometimes the maelstrom of anger and confusion scolds.
When will the muddy water allow
The white lotus of truth to emerge?

Tirelessly, obstinately,

Bypassing all obstacles,

Rivers flow to the sea and the sea is not full

Panta rei!

Beneficial water, in the evening of my life, you are a gift to me,

At the very doorstep of my house,

The light song of a humble fountain.

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Photo by Iris Dotan Katz

DIARY

Friday 24th December 18:30
PUJA SERVICE with Angela Romani & Liz Allmarl
Zoom: https://bit.ly/3ed1eob -:- Meeting ID: 834 8550 7346 -:- Passcode: 858571

Otherwise all our regular weekly events are now suspended for the festive season and will resume after the New Year Sangha Gathering. Readings of the Commentary on the Summary of Faith & Practice will resume Thursday 6th January; weekend meetings on 8th-9th; Satsang on the 18th.January.

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GENERAL

Jisshas <jisshas@googlegroups.com> - for all general enquiries
Tickets <https://www.tickettailor.com/events/globalsangha> - to book courses

DONATE

If you would like to support my work of facilitating the sangha and especially of assisting people to come to Eleusis in France for teachings, the simplest way is to make a donation via Ko-Fi https://ko-fi.com/feelingbuddha

You will also find a wealth of interesting articles there curated by Geeta Chari.

USEFUL LINKS

Global Sangha Web Site: https://www.globalsangha.net/
Recent Audio Podcasts: https://eleusis.ning.com/notes/LATEST_PODCAST_AUDIO
Dharma Ocean Buddhist Studies Programme <jisshas@googlegroups.com>,
The Feeling Buddha on KoFi: https://ko-fi.com/feelingbuddha
Tickets for Events: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/globalsangha

IBAP & Buddhist Psychology Programme
(English) Dharmavidya <dharmavidya&fastmail.fm>,
(Español) Nati Menendez <natim.luna@gmail.com>,
ITZI: https://zen-therapy.org/

GS on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/710544479619937
GS at Eleusis: https://eleusis.ning.com/group/global-sangha
Dharmavidya: dharmavidya@fastmail.fm
Dharmavidya on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidbrazierauthor/
Dharmavidya website: http://eleusis.ning.com
Tineke's website https://tinekeosterloh.com
Zen & Now - the musical https://www.zenow.net/

Books: https://shepherd.com/best-books/spirit-japanese-buddhism

Donations: https://ko-fi.com/feelingbuddha

GLOBAL SANGHA CONTACT PEOPLE BY REGION

Worldwide: Jisshas <jisshas@googlegroups.com>,
United Kingdom: Geeta Chari <charige@googlemail.com>,
France: Dharmavidya <dharmavidya@fastmail.fm>,
Spain Pais Vasco: Ganendra <omzcoaching@gmail.com>,
Spain Pais Vasco: Sonia Gobbato <songobbato@gmail.com>
Spain: Nati Menendez <natim.luna@gmail.com>,
Italy: Angela Romani <ange.romani.2017@gmail.com>
Latin America: Maya Choi <gallerychakana@gmail.com>,
USA: Carol Corey <carolcore@gmail.com>
Africa: Juline Smit <julinesmit@googlemail.com>,
Israel: Iris Dotan Katz <irisdo@netvision.net.il>,
India: Priti Vaishnav <pritivaishnav@gmail.com>,
Hong Kong: Nando Maril <nandomaril@gmail.com>,
Japan: Nita Kimiko <knloveandpeace64@gmail.com>,

You can see other Global Sangha materials, past podcasts and articles via : https://eleusis.ning.com/notes/GLOBAL_SANGHA_INDEX

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Thank you very much
Namo Amida Bu

Global Sangha at Eleusis

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10 rue de l'Orange
03360, Ainay le Château, Allier
France