Amida News

Sunday Service 18th May: Honen, the Samurai and the Prostitue

This week Rev. Kaspalita led the Sunday Service. The readings were from Traversing the Pure Land Path, and the dharma talk is now online, at Friends of Amida.

I hope that none of us spend our days literally on the battlefield, sword in hand, taking life upon life, and I’m fortunate that my profession doesn’t ask me to do that, but when we look honestly at our lives, who among us can say that we haven’t, at least, swung a metaphorical sword in someone’s direction?

Conference photos now on Friends of Amida

Some photo's from the 5th Living Buddhist Conference are now online at Friends of Amida.

7th June : Responses to Affliction: LONDON

RETREAT DAY WITH SISTER MODGALA

Buddhist Psychology offers ways to cut through habitual responses.
This retreat will focus on the second and third Noble Truths. We
will look at how we react to afflictions and add onto our suffering
by building the "wall of self". If we can see how our thoughts and
ways create our worlds we can start to do things differently and
walk a path towards a better world. Together we will share and
explore the possibilities.

email: modgala@amidatrust.com

20th May - Transforming Anger: LONDON

RETREAT DAY WITH SISTER MODGALA

What are the roots of anger?
This retreat day will focus on looking deeply into our roots of
anger and irritation. We might be surprised at what we find there.
We might be moved and find our anger melts away so that we find new
energy to face the world. Anger is energy, wasted energy that could
be harnessed. We can use this energy to build a Pure Land…….

more information email modgala@amidatrust.com

Sunday Service 11th May: Faith is Power

Mudita led the Sunday Service at The Buddhist House Yesterday, a transcript of her talk is now online on the Friends of Amida Network. Check it out.

When do we look at someone or something without the suspicion that they are not what they seem. Probably not as often as we would like to admit. When we are able to look into the hearts of our companions in depth we find, when we trust that they are as they are, Manshi says we find the true man (or woman), the infinite light within. We find Amida Buddha

Sunday Service 4th May - Friendship

Dharmavidya gave a talk, after reading the passage on Friendship and the Spiritual Life in the  Samyutta Nikaya. Read Dharmavidya's thoughts on  the Friends of Amida Network

In the Samyutta Nikaya there is a very famous passage that refers to a time when the Buddha is visiting the Shakya country. This is, of course, his home land. He must have had many friends and relatives there. On this occasion, Ananda approaches the Buddha and says, "Lord, surely friendship with the good is the half of this religious life." The Buddha replies, "Don't say that, Ananda, for friendship with the good is the whole of the religious life."

Pandramatics - Let's Act! 24th May

Pandramatics is an arena for improvising and experimenting with action, dialogue, and ritual, using ordinary things as a springboard for creativity. You don't need experience in acting to take part. It is both serious and fun.

This day workshop will be led by Dharmavidya, in Leicester, UK, see the events homepage or email kaspalita@amidatrust.com

2008/2009 events now online

Please check out the events weblog for full details of upcoming events, or for a quick guide, the calender on the Amida Trust homepage.

5th Living Buddhism Conference Begins!

Yesterday evening the conference proper began, with addresses from Prasada and Dharmavidya, Prasada highlighted the image of breaking the mould and Dharmavidya talked about building better communities and societies, and the state of Buddhism in the west, his address will appear online shortly.

Pre-conference Gathering in full swing

Some of our overseas guests have arrived and has boosted the international flavour at The Buddhist House.

Pureland Study Evenings: Amida London

You are very welcome to join us for the latest addition to the Amida London events schedule - which is a Pureland Study evening that will be taking place every other Tuesday. We will be listenting to recorded dharma talks from Dharmavidya David Brazier, initially the Larger Pureland Sutra series.

Details of this and all our other events are available on our publicly accessible Yahoo calendar at the following link: http://calendar.yahoo.co.uk/amidalondon

Note The meeting on the 22nd April, has been rescheduled for the 29th.

Vegetarian Cookery Day: Amida London

Saturday 19th April
10.30am – 4.30pm

AMIDA LONDON, Sukhavati, 21 Sussex Way, Finsbury Park, London N7 6RT

Come and try our inexpensive and tasty recipes. Demonstrations and
recipes given.
Learn to cook in a new way. Healthy and appetizing, and may turn into
a short course!

All welcome. For details telephone modgala: 0207 2632183
or email amidalondon@yahoo.co.uk

Conference preparations

Where would we be without food? Preparations for the conference has started and here are a few photos of what one might expect to eat at the conference. Plenty of baked goods, from biscuits with no wheat, no nuts, no dairy, no eggs to savoury quiches and more.

Caroline Brazier Writing Prolifically

Caroline Brazier has recently completed TWO new books - one on Guilt and another on listening skills. Both will be published in early 2009.

Spend the Summer in France with Dharmavidya and Prasada

The summer retreat will begin in July at Amida France with a series of Buddhist teachings by Dharmavidya. Take a bit of time out from the busy-ness of life, relax and enjoy life in serene and calm settings whilst learning about the Dharma. After the summer teachings, Dharmavidya and Prasada will offer time and space for dabbling in the creative arts. August Arts Period has always been a great success and much fun. Come and enjoy a creative and relaxing atmosphere.

Amida Psychotherapy Training Programme 2008/9

Click here for future course blocks for the Amida Psychotherapy Training Programme 2008/9 .

You can also put in your application for next October's Distance Learning programme in Buddhist Psychology now.

Amida's Retreat Centre in France to open Mid-May

The retreat centre will be up and running from the last week of May and will stay open until late autumn.

Susthama and a couple of members from The Buddhist House will go to France in mid-May to open it for the coming season.  Amida France has been closed for the winter period and so time will be spent airing the place out, finding new homes for our winter tenants aka little critters, giving the place a big spring clean, digging the garden to get the beds ready for planting, and clearing paths for outdoor walking meditation just to name a few things.

Madrakara begins meditation class at Office

Amida Order Member Madrakara, based at Amida London, will be leading weekly meditation and relaxation classes at his offices, for employees there.    

Arts Workshop: Embodying the Spirit

April 12th - 2008 Prasada will be leading a day workshop of relaxation and body awareness
exercises to express feelings about life and spirituality.  It will help us to open ourselves to the creative and the devotional aspects of life.

more information

Eileen is Citizen of the Year

Amida-kai member Eileen Conn has been awarded the Southwark Active Citizen of the Year Award. See full story

Pastoral Letter: "Open Secret"

There is a new Pastoral Letter at http://amidatrust.typepad.com/pastoral/

Sahishnu Returns from India

Rev. Sahishnu, Amida chaplain and project leader at Amida Delhi, has returned to UK after a very successful five month tour of duty in India.

Dharmavidya Attends Buddhist Teachers' Convivium

Dhamavidya attended by invitation the Convivium of Buddhist teachers in UK held at Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey in Northumberland organized by the Network of Buddhist Organisations 11-13 March 2008.

Creating Harmony Lands

The practice of coming together and joining in practice is part of creating a Pureland. In Chinese the character for this is harmony which is pretty good as it denotes lots of different notes in harmony with one another. When we journey together and harmonize with one another we are creating little harmony lands.

We looked at the theme of being on a spiritual journey and how the view changes as we move along the path. Where we are today and how we see things in the past will probably be different from a year or two or more ago and how this is a good thing as it shows that we are moving even though sometimes it may feel like we are stuck.

Where we are headed is also very important as the direction we go in will influence us in many ways. This weekend we looked at the path to the Buddha and the path back to our worlds and how we can go forth into the spiritual world and return richly for the benefit of others and the good of all. It may seem like those closest to the Buddha have more spiritual qualities than those furthest away but things are not how they seem. We are constantly moving closer to and further away from the Buddha and one is either replenishing and receiving offerings or giving what one has received to others.

Here is the group photo that was taken in our garden. A lovely group of fellow travellers on the spiritual path getting ready to go back out into the Saha world to create little harmony lands wherever they go.

Book Now for 5th Living Buddhism Conference

Book now to secure a place at the 5th Living Buddhism Conference using the pdf booking form

8th-9th March Intro Retreat.

This weekend at the Buddhist House is our March Introductory Retreat. This introductory retreat is open to all. We will introduce some basic concepts found in the Amidist approach to Pureland Buddhism and spend some time practising together.

Prasada & Dharmavidya to talk at St James' London

Dharmavidya David Brazier, and Prasada Caroline Brazier are to talk at St. James's Church, London on the topic of their most recent books, Who Loves Dies Well and The Other Buddhism.

The intuition of a measureless Other lies behind the spiritual experience of many of us. The practice of opening ourselves to the ever-present love of Amida is the profound message of Pureland, a form of Buddhism, until recently, relatively unfamiliar in the West.

St James's Church, 197 Piccadilly, London Piccadilly Circus tube (south side exit) £10/5 concs

 

For more details: http://www.alternatives.org.uk/Site/Talks.aspx

Phone: Sukhavati 020 7263 2183

Highly Stimulating Arts & Culture Presentations

The arts and spirituality week has continued in a remarkably stimulating way and we all feel quite elated with it. Do continue.....

Presentation at De Montfort University

David and Caroline Brazier presented a session as part of the De Montfort University Cultural Exchanges Programme 2008 called "Writing Abour Spirituality in a Secular Age". Caroline read an extract from the manuscipt of the new book that she completed writing this week.

David read some of his poetry. Both talked about the history of their involvement in writing and the influences of spirituality, psychology and the arts on their work. The session was chaired by Kaspalita Thompson.

Prasada's Next Book

Prasada Caroline Brazier returned to The Buddhist House after a week long writing retreat in Yorkshire during which she completed the draft of a new book on the subject of Guilt.

An Active Day of Cultural Critique

We are well into the process of our Cultural Critique week: being and thinking creatively. Yesterday was a stimulating and interesting day – started off with a check-in and discussion about arts and spirituality followed by a presentation on some of the dub poetry by Lynton Kwesi Johnson and Jean Binta Breeze  who we will be going to see tomorrow. In the evening we had a viewing of short films and music video that were used as a springboard for discussions that were both personal and universal - in particular, the themes of the struggling artist and the mystery behind art.

Spirituality & the Arts Week Begins

Our week of reflection on culture and the arts got off to a good start this evening as members of The Buddhist House community, including Dharmavidya, attended an event offered by the local Baha'i community at which film-maker Mark Bamford showed hie film The Hero and talked about the influence that being Baha'i had had upon his life and work. The meeting was also attended by novelist Rod Duncan. Much intense discussion resulted. What makes a work of art spiritual? How does spirituality change an artist's approach? Is there a danger is spirituality using art? Is art intrinsically spiritual? What is the nature of creativity? These and many more questions will fuel our inquiries over the coming nine days.

Culture, Connections and Society: 23rd Feb - 2nd March

For the third year we will explore contemporary culture through the eyes of leading voices the arts and political arenas. This course block is timed to coincide with De Montfort University's Cultural Exchanges Programme, which offers a rich diversity of presentations by interesting contemporary figures. As a group we attend some of these presentations, interspersing the events with our own group sessions for discussion and exploration of the topics raised
More

Dispatch from Delhi

Saul reports on FWBO news, his recent trip to Amida Delhi

I’ve recently finished two weeks teaching very large classes of children from slum areas in Shahadhara in east Delhi. At first I couldn’t cope with it, or I felt I couldn’t cope with it. Then I became rather accustomed to it and I've missed it on leaving. more

Turbulence and Tranquility

The February Psychotherapy began today, with students from across Europe arriving to take part. This weekend we're getting in touch with our 'inner child' and exploring issues around Buddhist psychology and development.

Sunday Service - Certainty/Uncertainty

Sr. Susthama lead todays Sunday service, with a reading from TRAVERSING THE PURE LAND PATH, on certainty and uncertainty.

Poetry workshop, a sucess!

The second of this years Arts and Spirituality events took place 2nd Feb. Lead by Marylin Ricci, five  budding poets explored English poetry, with a spiritual theme, from the 17th C to the present day, and then each wrote two of our own.

Marylin led us through the creative process, providing us with a springboard to launch our creativity from, for example - letting us each select an object, to hold and then, in ten minutes, to write about.

Honen Memorial Retreat

This weekend members of the Buddhist House are joined by Ray, from Amida Sheffield for our annual Honen Memorial retreat, this is a time when we remember the teachings and life of Honen Shonin, founder of Jodo-Shu, the first independent pureland school in Japan.

Friday evening, the anniversary of Honen's death we remembered him, through reading about his death, and the signs and omens that predicted his birth in the Pureland, and through practicing nembutsu in our evening service.

In today's seminar we compared the teachings of Honen and Shinran, looked at the One Page Document, Honen's final teaching, and thought about the significance of the nembutsu to 12th C. Japan, and to our own society.

More News from California

Dharmavidya and Prasada are currently in Redding, north California, offering workshops for psychotherapists and members of the local Buddhist sangha. A small team of good friends are hosting them in a warm and hospitable manner and the work is well received. Today there was a workshop for therapist's on the opening phase of the therapeutic encounter and yesterday a gathering for experienced therapists to work on personal issues together.

News from California

News from Reading, from Prasada:

We just did our first event - a session on Buddhism/ practice centred round offering. Much to their surprise here 16 people turned up (Its open to the students but the staff were afraid as it was theur day off they might not come) and we had a lovely time doing meditation and experimenting with experiences of offering that were based on body sense (which we thought would appeal to healing people) we also had a stone passing which was a great revelation to them here - something they just don't do. It was a lovely open sharing. Meantime the woodpeckers are demolishing the telegraph pole outside. they make holes and put acorns in them to breed maggots which they then eat.

Making connections: Poetry Workshop

2nd Feburary 2008

Marylin Ricci will lead this workshop in which we'll take a close look at the work of some inspirational    poets such as Mary Oliver, Gerard Manley Hopkins, George Herbert and   John  F. Deane, analysing the techniques they use, the images and   landscapes 
they conjure.  Then we'll have a go at making poems   of our own.

This was previously advertised as being in Leicester City Centre, but will now take place at The Buddhist House - Narborough.

Dharmavidya & Prasada in San Francisco

Dharmavidya and Prasada are currently visiting Zen Center, San Francisco, before travelling to north California.

Charity Commission Report

We today received a copy of the report "Working with Faith Groups: The Charity Commission Faith Groups Programme 2004-07". This details findings of the Commission through its consultations with faith groups across Britain. There is a picture of Prasada Brazier on page 7 reflecting the service she has given in representing Buddhism in this important area.

Professor Alfred Bloom sends New Year Message

Professor Alfred Bllom sends the following message to all at the Amida sangha: "hope you all have a good new year with good health and that peace and justice will soon become more of a reaility in our lives. Thank you for your friendship over the years. Gassho - Al Bloom"

Kenneth Tanaka becomes Amida Patron

The picture shows Kenneth Tanaka, Dharmavidya and Jonathan Watts after a meeting at Jodo Shu Research Institute, Tokyo

Dr. Kenneth Tanaka, Professor at Musashino University, Tokyo, President of the International Association of Shin Buddhist Studies, author of The Dawn of Chinese Pure Land Buddhist Doctrine, The Faces of Buddhism in America, Engaged Pure Land Buddhism, and Ocean: An Introduction to Jodo-shinshu Buddhism in America has become a patron of Amida Trust.

Picture: At The Buddhist House

For other photography, click the pic.

Amida Chaplain Chairs City of Sanctuary Event

Rev. Bhaktika facilited an evening event for Sheffield Faiths Forum & City of Sanctuary.

Arts + Spirituality : Storytelling

Amida Kai and the Maitri project present The Art of Storytelling

Old as language itself, perhaps older - [stories] were our first expression of spirituality. Stories bind us to something deeper than everyday life, they connect us with, and can help create a shared culture. For hundreds of thousands of years people have told stories, to remember their roots, to inspire and to question; Who am I? And what is truth? Love?

 

Stories connect us to something greater in the world.

led by Kaspalita                                more information

Amida Delhi: Visit and school admission ceremonies

Just got back from a week in Delhi visiting our project there. The project is in its fourth year and offers English classes to some of the poorer communities in the East of the city. This year Amida chaplain, Sahishnu has two volunteers with her. Kaspalita and I travelled out on Monday a week ago. We spent most of our time visiting the different classes, held in different Buddhist temples around the area. Some were for children, some for young women, and others for mixed adults. They tended to be very interactive with lots of word games and singing. On Sunday the visit culminated with a school admission ceremony for ten people in Shanti Nagar, a district just over the border in Uttar Pradesh. This group has been meeting with Sahishnu for a couple years to practice Buddhism and its members have become particularly interested in our form of Pureland and wanted to become part of our group. You can see photos of our visit on my facebook site

Among those joining the school was Shiv Kumar Gautam who has been a very active supporter of the project in his local community. At the ceremony he also received the Buddhist name Suvidya. The community from Shanti Nagar presented us with a lovely picture of the Buddha teaching the five ascetics. In this picture you see Kaspar and I seated with Suvidya in his home. 

Prasada and Kaspa return from India

Rev. Prasada, assisted by Rev. Kaspalita, has just returned from ten days in Delhi where she went to support the Amida Trust project which provides English teaching to children and young people from poor areas and also to conduct ceremonies to admit ten new members to the Amida-shu.

Dharmavidya Returns from Nine Day Solitary Retreat

Dharmavidya has been on solitary retreat for the past nine days in a remote spot in the north of England. He is now returned to The Buddhist House.

A funeral in Newcastle

Sujatin has attended the Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Rev Kit Widdows, the Master of St Thomas', in the city centre,who died suddenly on December 8th while giving a talk at another church. Kit was robustly involved in ethical action, enthusiastic about setting up the local inter-faith community and the Newcastle Make Poverty History group. He had a Fair Trade shop within his church. ::link

Flying West Free Form Nembutsu Video on You Tube

Flying West. This is the second little film to emerge from the Bodhi retreat - a free form chanting session to accompany pictures from a flight west. Voices by the retreat community, pictures by Prasada.

Nembutsu Film

The film of our 24 hour nembutsu is now on U-Tube . You can also read Susthama's lovely account of her experience of the event.

Dharmavidya on Retreat

Rev. Dharmavidya, the Head of the Order, today begins a ten day retreat in a remote location.

Prasada and Kaspalita to India

Rev. Prasada will fly to India tomorrow to visit our community in Delhi who are all excitedly awaiting her. She will be assisted by Rev. Kaspalita on what will be his first Amida mission overseas.

Happy End of Bodhi Retreat

This year's Bodhi Retreat ended yesterday. The sangha goes forth to new work.

Ordination

An ordination took place at The Buddhist House this morning. Gareth Thompson received the Buddhist name Kaspalita and becomes a novice amitarya. News item. Also: Picture

Order Meeting

On 6 December the members of the Order of Amida Buddha met at The Buddhist House. There were 12 of the 15 members present, one being absent on active service and two ill. There was much discussion. The meeting exhibited a strong sense of mutual commitment, esprit de corps and sense of mission.

Get Engaged - call for workshop contributions

5th Living Buddhism Conference 1st - 4th May 2008

We invite workshop contributions at the main conference.

These will be 90 minutes sessions on the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th of May. We envisage some 5 parallel sessions from which participants will be able to choose.

 

 

From the 24 hour nembutsu

Film clip - see 2 December item.

Refuge Ceremony

At a refuge ceremony conducted by Rev. Prasada at The Buddhist House this morning

• Tony Stellmacher confirmed his membership of Amida-shu and
• Alena Budkovska took refuge in the Three Jewels, Amida Buddha and the Pure Land thus becoming a lay Buddhist of the Pureland tradition.

Media Coverage

Radio Leicester interviewed Dharmavidya about the meaning of the 24 hour nembutsu chanting on their morning news bulletin. Independent Television visited The Buddhist House filmed us on the theme "What do Buddhists do at Christmas".

Dharmavidya on Radio Leicester

John Florance from BBC Radio Leicester  called the Buddhist House and interviewed Dharmavidya live,
during the 24 Hr Nembutsu ( 1st/2nd Dec.) for this week only you can listen again on the BBC Website

Twenty Four Hour Nembutsu

This year's Bodhi Retreat is now under way with the 24 hour nembutsu chanting in full swing at The Buddhist House. Commenced noon today. Ends noon tomorrow. Wonderful!

Events at Amida Newcastle & Newcastle University

Details

Northumbria University Buddhist Society

Events

Whirling Dervishes

Members of the Amida community last night attended a performance organised by the Anatolian Cultural and Educational Society that included a display of derishe dancing and many other aspects of Anatolian culture.

Amida Muse

There is a new Amida weblog for poetry called Amida Muse