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Atisha Buddhist Centre
e-Dharma Newsletter |
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| August 2007 | |||||||||||||||||
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We should not allow a gulf
to develop between our meditation and our daily life, because the
success of our meditation depends upon the purity of our conduct
outside the meditation session.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso The New Meditation Handbook 
Madhyamaka Centre, Pocklington Being a resident of Atisha Centre This August, Atisha Centre is going to have a full house of residents living together. A warm welcomes go to Paul & Jen who have recently arrived and we hope their stay here is very meaningful for them. As Admin. Director I have to make sure residents are OK living in the Centre, help provide and coordinate living accommodation and allocate jobs to residents. What are people’s perceptions of residents in a Dharma Centre? Do you value them? Are you envious of their lifestyle. Can you rejoice in their good fortune? How would you like Atisha Centre to flourish with a full house of Buddhist residents? Do let me know, on admin@atishameditation.co.uk Part of our intermediate vision is to have a full household of happy residents working along with the wider community in promoting pure Buddhadharma in our region. Ideally, residents have to be on one of our education programmes, have a cleaning area in the Centre and do a few hours a month of work for the Centre. Each gets a lovely room for their privacy, sleep & meditation practice – all for £55 a week. A kitchen, a lounge / café, a meditation room and the occasional meal together – it can’t be bad. When visiting the Centre please do cherish all residents and encourage them in participating as much as they can. Also, as Venerable Gen-la Khyenrab was saying the other week in a teaching at Manjushri Centre – members of the wider community help out with the work at the Centre too e.g. cleaning;. physical work can be spiritual practice too. You can’t beat a bit of cleaning you know. As a resident A.D. I am trying to set a better example with my cleaning. Reading Geshe-la’s words from Eight Steps To Happiness has helped me ‘We know from experience that dirty and untidy surroundings tend to bring our mind down and drain our energy, whereas a clean and tidy environment uplifts our mind, making it clear and vibrant’ ‘It is helpful to recall the story of Lam Chung, whose sole practice was sweeping the floor of the temple. Imagining that he was sweeping away his delusions, Lam Chung spent all his time cleaning the temple, and by doing so he purified his karmic obstructions, received Buddha’s profound blessings, and spontaneously developed high realizations’ Quite inspiring for us all; in our homes and at the Centre. Please do help out; encourage and talk to residents when you can. With a peaceful, harmonious community within the Centre and beyond, who know what is possible. With much love, Mike
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Swimathon
 some of the swimmers before the event... We were too tired for an 'after' shot! Once again many thanks to everyone who took part and all of the sponsors. We raised over £750 altogether which will be a great help towards the costs of improvements at the centre. |
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