4th February
UPAVASTHA & HONEN MEMORIAL
Programme (approximate times)
11:00 Dharma Talk
11:45 Qi Gong - Angela Romani
12:15 Nei Quan Meditation
13:00 Break
14:00 Sangha News & Sharing
14:20 Puja with readings, meditation & chanting
15:00 Reading of Mahayana Precepts
15:15 Mondo Dialogues "Discerning the Deeper Question"
16:00 Reading from Commentary on the Summary of Faith & Practice
Discussion
17:00 Break
18:00 Silent Meditation
18:30 Nembutsu Chanting
20:00 End
UpavasthaThroughout the history of Buddhism, sangha members have met at the time of the full moon to renew their faith and practice, share experience with one another and learn. In Indian tradition, this is also the time when the gods visit one's home, so one can welcome and praise them.
Puja & MeditationThese sessions include chanting, readings from traditional and other texts, guided or silent meditations and times for sharing.
MondoDirect encounter, either with the teacher or with other members of the sangha, in pairs. A time to search the heart in order to discern the fundamental koan (spiritual question) in one's life. In mondo each pair has a short conversation in which any topic relevant to spiritual practice can be raised. Dharma is transmitted through encounter. Healing is inter-personal. Dialogues bring out the questions we all wrestle with and stimulate us to deeper thought.
PRACTICE MEETINGS
Thursday Faith & Practice Meeting: David & Priti have resumed doing readings from the Commentary on the Summary of Faith & Practice each Thursday afternoon. The reading is followed by time to discuss and share. A good way to explore Pureland teachings. Every Thursday 16:30-17:30
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87189670352?pwd=OXFTSlYrSWkvS3Q4UWdWSFdlWTQ1dz09Meeting ID: 871 8967 0352Passcode: 732590
Saturday Refuge Group Puja: Every week we have a puja at 14:00 on Saturday. The puja includes nembutsu chanting, silent reflection, devotional texts, readings, sharing, and sometimes a Dharma talk. Do join us.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83365263186?pwd=cURmOW5FNGJvdTd2SG1qVWtPSDJrZz09Meeting ID: 833 6526 3186 -:- Passcode: 353386
BP WORKSHOPS & SANGHA
Last weekend we had an excellent Buddhist Psychology workshop with nineteen participants from many parts of the world. There were presentations by Yaya, Kimi, Gayre, Geeta, Priti, Angela, Nuria, Carol & myself.
These workshops, which we hold three times per year are becoming more and more rich. They form part of the Buddhist Psychology programme. However, they are also open to people who are not on the programme. The next one is scheduled for 10-11 June - put it in your diary.
These meetings are also contributing to the evolution of Global Sangha. Through our exposure to BP we seem to be generating an emergent mandala in which, from a stem of other power practice, there are opening petals of:
dream yoga
naikan
therapeutic encounter
tantra
and perhaps others.
The sense of energy and enthusiasm at these workshops is compelling. They are not merely theoretical. We go away from them with new insights and a desire to practise. A spiritual community can easily become stultified by being reduced to a formulaic doctrine and practice that is considered to be immutable, but it can also be a field of creativity within which fundamental truth can find ever new avenues of expression.
I am very happy to see so much creativity. We are always entering new space and the spaciousness of the sangha kshetra is ever expanding. We know that, in principle, this spaciousness is measureless, but to actually see, feel and experience it in the actual life of the learning and practising community is a great treasure.
Do pass the Newsletter on to other members of your sangha
and if they are interested, ask them to subscribe.
ESPAÑOL: Siéntase libre de reenviar el Newsletter a otros miembros de su sangha
y, si están interesados, pueden apuntarse. En los próximos números
del Newsletter, habrá más artículos en italiano y español.
Intentemos ampliar la lista de correo a amigos italianos y españoles.
ITALIANO: Sentiti libero di trasmettere la newsletter ad altri membri del tuo sangha
e, se sono interessati, possono iscriversi. Nei prossimi numeri
della Newsletter, ci saranno più articoli in italiano e spagnolo.
Proviamo ad espandere la mailing list agli amici italiani e spagnoli.