|
We should
patiently accept whatever misfortune befalls us and use it as an
example to help us develop sympathy for others
Geshe
Kelsang Gyatso
|
|
SUPREME GOOD HEART
Meditation
Day Course
Everybody
welcome
Friday 20th June
7.30pmto 9.00pm
and
Saturday
21st June 10.00am to
5.00pm
Kelsang Chödor will explain
how to cultivate Bodhichitta, the mind of enlightenment. He will
then grant the Bodhisattva Vows and explain how to keep the
commitments of a Bodhisattva.
Cost is £25 and includes a
two course vegetarian lunch on
Saturday.
Feast of Delight
Friday 13th June 2008at
7.00pm
Our monthly social event begins with a
relaxing meditation, followed by a freshly cooked three-course
vegetarian meal.
This is an
evening of good food, good company and sparkling conversation. All
proceeds from this evening go to our new centre appeal, and early booking
is recommended for this popular event.
Please send full payment by post (cheques made payable to 'Atisha
Buddhist Centre') or pay online by clicking
below:-
|
|
Studying
Buddhism
Would you like ...
to deepen your knowledge and experience of
Buddhist meditation and practice?
We offer our Foundation
Programme which provides an opportunity to do this through a
step-by-step guidance of the complete path to full awakening and
enlightenment.
You can choose from one of two
classes:
Saturdays
9.30am
-2pm studying
'Joyful Path of Good
Fortune'
Or
Mondays and
Thursdays 7.30 -9.30pm studying
'Eight Steps to Happiness'
No experience is
necessary, but an open mind is an advantage.
Wishfulfilling Jewel with Tsog
is
at a new time
Saturday
Wishfulfilling Jewel
will be held at 2.30pm
Making offerings to
Buddhas earns us lots of Merit. So this special weekly Puja is not
only enjoyable, but highly meritorious. We do hope that all
practitioners, (in particular FP students) will feel able to join
us at the centre to offer prayers and offerings to Dorje Shugden
and Je Tsongkhapa.
The times of other Pujas
remain unchanged, but as you are probably aware they occasionally
move during Retreats; or to make way for GP classes, so check your
calendar.
|
|
Guru Yoga & Mandala
Offerings Retreat
Saturday
31st May - Friday 6th June 2008
Session
times: 7am, 10.30am, 4pm, 7pm
You do not need an
empowerment to do this Retreat
Guru
Yoga is a special method for receiving the blessings of our
Spiritual Guide. Our Spiritual Guide is any Spiritual Teacher who
sincerely leads us into spiritual paths by giving correct
instructions. All schools of Buddhism agree that the practice of
Guru Yoga, or relying upon a Spiritual Guide, is the root of the
spiritual path and the foundation of all spiritual
attainments.
The word 'Mandala'
in this context means 'universe'. When we offer a Mandala to the
holy beings we are offering everything - the whole universe with
all its objects and all the beings who inhabit it. We mentally
transform the whole universe into a Pure Land and imagine that all
its inhabitants are pure beings and that all its objects are
precious substances. We then imagine that we are offering this pure
universe in our hands.
These two practices are
very powerful methods for receiving blessings from all enlightened
beings and for accumulating a great stock of merit or positive
mental energy. They will be done in conjunction with the
prayersOffering
to the Spiritual Guide
All retreat sessions are
FREE,
please come to as many as you like.
And do remember that
donations are always
welcome!
NKT
International
Summer Festival 2008
July
25th to August 9th
- Empowerment of Buddha Avalokiteshvara
Bookings have
already opened for this annual festival held at Manjushri KMC in
the Lake District. A fantastic opportunity to receive inspiration,
teachings and empowerments from the renowned Buddhist teacher,
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
For more
information please visit the Festival site by following the link
below:-
International
Kadampa Buddhist Festivals 2008
NKT
International Fall Festival 2008
Opening the Wisdom Eye
with Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso
The
2008 International Fall Festival will be held in
Paris.
31st October - 7th November
During the
Festival, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso will grant the empowerment
of the Great Mother Prajnaparamita for the very first time in the
West.
Booking
Now Open
|
GP
Forum
Friday 9th May
saw the inauguration of the GP Forum, where students from all over
our area came together to meet each otherand discuss new ideas for
helping our General Programme (GP) to flourish.
The discussion was lively,
objective and very productive. It certainly gave Chodor and me lots
to think about. I think that the forum will continue to meet at
least a couple of times a year. In the meantime, if you have ideas
that you think will benefit your GP class, then either discuss them
with your teaching team or e-mail me (Kathy) at education@atishameditation.co.uk
Details of all our GP classes can be found below.
 |
|
General Programme
Buddha taught that to be
perfectly happy, we need to transform our mind.
In our General Programme
(GP) classes, which are especially designed for beginners, we learn
how to apply these teachings to our everyday life using
contemplation and meditation.
The classes require no
experience of meditation or knowledge of Buddhist philosophy. All
that is required is an open mind. There is no need to book,
simply turn up on the night.
Everyone
is welcome regardless of experience - join at
anytime.
Click
on the specific class details for more information about
that particular class.
|
|
|
The
following poem was written by a student who attends the Atisha
Centre on Friday morning. If you would like to share any of your
writing with other Atishans, please e-mail Kathy ateducation@atishameditation.co.uk
We have a very
good teacher
At the centre, she’s quite
a feature
She tells us: concentrate on the
breathing
Even though your mind may
be seething
When you study the
restless mind
You may, at last, the
answer find
We sit and
meditate
But we do not
levitate
At last we rise and Kathy
cries
It’s time for tea and coffee I tell no
lies
Then she listens to our
queries
Saying You are ready to start the series (GP
classes)
To Kathy we send good
wishes
With compassion, we will
help her wash the dishes
Written
by Bridget Hickey (Tenzin Kunzang)
|
|
|
|
