Amida News

Two new books

News clip about Joan Court's new book and Caroline Brazier's new one.

On Monday 1st June a meeting took place between Dharmavidya, head of Amida-shu and Sangharakshita, head of the Western Buddhist Order. Dharmavidya thanked Sangharakshita for referring to his work in the latter's testament interview called What is the Western Buddhist Order? The meeting ranged over topics of doctrine, organisation and purpose. The two leaders found a great deal of common ground and a good spirit prevailed throughout the encounter.

This is the first of four talks on refuge. The others should follow on or can be accessed at http://amidatrust.ning.com/group/purelandbuddhism

Joan Court, age 90, patron of Amida Trust, originally a midwife, then a social worker who brought the issue of child abuse to public attention, subsequently a formidable campaigner against the cruelty perpetrated by humans upon other animals, has now brought out her second book: The Bunny Hugging Terrorist published by Selene Press with a preface by Tony Benn. The book includes references to the ork of many organisations and individuals on behalf of animals, including Amida Trust. 120 pages, £9.99 plus P&P. Copies obtainable direct from the author, via Amida Trust. Joan's first book, In the Shadow of Gandhi, is also still available.

Caroline Brazier's new book Listening to the Other on listening skills is now published.

On 13-14 June Dharmavidya will lead a weekend retreat at The Buddhist House on the theme The Feeling Buddha - a significant opportunity for teaching, practice and discussion.

Sangharakshita, the leader of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order has issued a transcript of an interview called What is the Western Buddhist Order?. In it he refers for support to David Brazier's The New Buddhism as well as to the Critical Buddhist book Pruning the Bodhi Tree. He is quite forthright about what he regards as acceptable and non-acceptable positions for members of WBO. This will be seen by many as an attempt to restore the original vision to a movement that, perhaps, has drifted somewhat from its original course.

The Amida Trust forum at

http://amidatrust.ning.com/group/criticalbuddhism

and

http://amidatrust.ning.com/group/future

has become the epi-centre of current debate in English on the questions raised by the Japanese 'Critical Buddhism' movement. Are 'Buddha nature', 'non-duality', 'interbeing', etc all non-Buddhist ideas? Join 

http://amidatrust.ning.com

to join in the discussion.

Dharmavidya and Prasada presented lectures about Buddhist Psychology and about Psychotherapy and Spirituality at Leeds Metropolitan University. Dharmavidya's paper on Psychotherapy and Spirituality is available for reading and discussion.

Open publication - Free publishing - More amida

The Ojo Retreat at The Buddhist House starts tomorrow morning. Preliminary materials are already available. This retreat can be followed by attending at TBH or by following along via the internet and practicing at home. New materials will appear each day for the eight days of the retreat. If you want to join in sign up at...

OJO Retreat

Enrolled participants can also give feedback and engage in discussions of the emerging themes or contribute writngs, poems, etc.

This is our first attempt to lead a retreat via the internet and there has been a very pleasing response. The idea has generated a lot of enthusiasm and we hope that this will not only enable individuals to practice more intensely on their own, but also to feel part of the community and make a contribution to the cohesion and purpose of the sangha.

Thank you all very much. Namo Amida Bu

Members of the Amida Order met over the weekend of 7-8 March to take stock of current developments in Amida-shu. There was a generally bouyant atmosphere and considerable enthusiasm for the possibilities that seem to be opening up for spreading the Dharma more widely. The meeting was also greatly cheered to receive news of the refuge ceremonies that took place on the Sunday in Delhi and a Skype link enabled those present at the Order meeting to talk with the Order members who are in Delhi.

Caroline Brazier's latest book, GUILT, is published this week. There is also a group on Facebook associated with this book.

Feburary 20th at The Buddhist House

Bill Karelis founded the Shambhala Prison Community in 1996 to propagate education, and in particular Buddhist-derived meditation, in criminal justice systems at all levels, internationally. He also travels the world to present meditation generally, and in recent years has given hundreds of programs in meditation centers, as well as public talks in university and other public venues. His lineage belongs to the Kagyu and Nyingma streams from Tibet, as well as the Shambhala tradition, as expounded by the great master Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Mr. Karelis enjoys the practices of poetry, photography and calligraphy and lives with his wife, Brigitta, in Boulder, Colorado in the United States.

Click here for more information

Get your own - Open publication

At 6pm local time on New Year's Eve, which was also the first hour of 2009 in Britain, Amaya Glover, from her back porch in Richmond, Texas, made a broadcast on the Friends of Amida ning site on the theme "Globalization and Inspired Buddhism". Globalization has rought benefits and tragedies, liberation for some and oppression for others. Buddhism is an intrinsically internationalist philosophy that advances an approach to live that strengthens rather than weakening community and supports positive values and compassion for all sentient beings.

In the New Year Honours Amida-shu member Eileen Conn has received the award of being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for "For services to the community in the London Borough of Southwark." Eileen has been an inspiring campaigner for community life and harmony. She has also been involved in recently establishing the newest local Amida group: Amida South London.

Thirty Thousand Days: A Journal for Purposeful Living

This issue is generally available only to members of the ToDo Institute, but out of friendship with Dharmavidya and Prasada and to show our support of the Amida Trust we would like to make this issue available on-line to Amida Trust friends and supporters. The issue is a collection of many different ideas and essays we have published over the past 15 years which are all focused on the New Year.

Click here to download this issue , go to the following webpage

We hope you are enjoying the holiday season and offer you our best wishes for a wonderful New Year that brings you good health, new adventures and many opportunities to extend kindness and compassion to whomever you may encounter along your path.

Gassho,

Gregg Krech
Director, ToDo Institute
www.todoinstitute.org

A message from Dharmavidya on Friends of Amida

This morning Dharmavidya and Prasada left the UK, beginning their visits to the United States and Canada, the schedule of their American events is published on Friends of Amida

Buddhism can be a force in this world and your contribution is important for the benefit of all living things. There are so many ways to get involved and to feel part of something much greater than oneself.

AMIDA TRUST INVITES YOU TO JOIN A NEW AND EXCITING COURSE BY DISTANCE LEARNING : EXPLORE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH EATING AND WITH YOUR BODY.

Come and join us online for a month long course by distance learning starting in January 2009.

We are launching a month long course looking at attitudes to food, eating and body image. The programme includes exploratory exercises, guided meditations, and theoretical material based in the insights derived from Buddhist psychology. Participants join a supported peer group. Enrolment will be ongoing, with the first participants starting after Christmas.

This month long programme helps you to look at your eating behaviour and your relationship with your body in new ways. Through daily activities and reflections it helps you to understand some of the factors behind compulsive or restricted patterns of eating and to develop strategies to change your behaviour around food. The multi-media course uses meditations, work charts, guided fantasy exercises and practical experiments. It also contains theoretical and inspirational material related to the subject. Participants join an on-line support group and are given access to many resources. They remain registered after completion of the programme thus having access to an ongoing community of peers.
Check out details and register through the web page on click here for more details

Please pass this message on to your friends or groups

On 5th December Amida Trust became one of the founder members of the Institute for Spirituality, Religion and Public Life established by Leeds Metropolitan University to foster research and public interest in the relation between spirituality and civic involvement.

December 8th is Enlightenment Day, the celebration of the founding of the Buddhist religion. At The Buddhist House members of the Amida sangha are gathered in retreat. Highlights of the retreat have been and are being broadcast using the video facility on the Friends of Amida ning site. These have included the 24 hour nembutsu chanting on 1st-2nd, ceremonies and teachings by Dharmavidya and Prasada, and will include an ordination on 7th December at 9.00 GMT, further teachings and practice. The ordination of a new member of the sangha is something particularly precious in this age and society where the vital ingredient of personal commitment is often rare. It is a gift to humanity. It is also entry into the most wonderful life.

The retreat marks the end of a full year for the Amida sangha and, perhaps, a cusp in the ethos of society at large where economic difficulties and political change are at a particularly acute stage. This is a time to reach out. The advent of an as yet primitive broadcasting facility is focussing minds upon how to further improve the connection between activity at The Buddhist House and those who are connected but unable to be physically present and how to enable Amidists around the world to play a full part in prctice and propagation of the Dharma. Amida activity overseas seems once again to be increasing after a lull. Concern for the distant and sometimes unseen other is a valuable aspect of Buddhist training and therefore a by no means inappropriate concern for a week dedicated to awakening. Our community is centred on faith and in our faith community, the sangha jewel, plays a particularly important role. As the connections within our sangha intensify so the influence of Amida Buddha shines more and more brightly in this afflicted world; when we have faith in the Buddha's principle of concern for the other miracles happen of their own accord. Namo Amida Bu.

Amida now has an affiliated group Nembutsu New Zealand dedicated to spreading the practice to a further corner of the world. There seems to be some association between nembutsu and islands - Japan, UK, Hawaii, now NZ - Amida moves on the ocean of samsara. Namo Amida Bu.

On Friends of Amida networking site we have added a streaming video facility for broadcasting events from The Buddhist House. We hope to develop a forward programme of broadcasts. Our first broadcast was of the 24 hour chanting at the start of this year's Bodhi Retreat. The second will be Dharmavidya's Dharma Talk at 1400 GMT 3rd December.

The schedule for Dharmavidya and Prasada's visit in January and February to the USA and Canada are now published on Friends of Amida

Friends of Amida is a social networking site using 'ning' software catering for people interested in the development of Amida Trust, Amida-shu and the Amida Order. There are now members in 31 countries. The network is already very active, carries Dharmavidya's teachings, discussions, members' blogs and forums, photos and news. If you are interested in Amida-shu, do join Friends of Amida. If you are already a member, tell your friends. The Friends of Amida site is gradually taking over functions previously managed on a range of different Amida Trust weblogs and has enabled us to concentrate information in one spot making for ease of access and ready participation.

On 27th November, following consultations in accordance with the Provisions for Structure, Continuity and Governance of Amida-shu, Dharmavidya, as Head of the Amida School and Order, enacted changes in the Amida Order Rule, being the precepts for ordained members of the Order, such as to create separate ordination options for celibate and non-celibate ordainees. Henceforth ordained members of the order shall have the option to take or not take precepts of celibacy. The effect will be to create the potential for there to be four categories of ordained persons, namely celibate ministers, non-celbate ministers, celibate amitaryas and non-celibate amitaryas. Only for celibate ordained persons shall the shaved head be obligatory. All ordained members of the Order may be addressed as 'Reverend' and referred to as priests, but celibates may alternatively be addressed as Venerable, or, in the case of women, Sister, and celibate amitaryas may be referred to as monks or nuns. In the case of ministers the option for celibacy or non-celibacy shall be made at initial ordination as a chaplain. In the case of amitaryas, the option shall not be made until after novitiate is completed. Novices shall be celibate during novitiate if they ordained as single persons and non-celibate if they ordained as a couple.

The full Rule in its new form complete with explanatory notes can be read on the Friends of Amida site (right column, bottom) or here: Amida Rule

A teaching from Dharmavidya

Prasada Brazier is making a presentation at this conference in Poland.

Details

Dharmavidya has returned to The Buddhist House from a twelve day visit to Japan during which he

• made a presentation on 'Buddhist Response to the Suicide Problem' at the 24th World Fellowship of Buddhists Conference
• participated in a service for world peace at Senso-ji Temple
• attended a seminar on 'Living Together: Environment, Peace and Social Development'
• met with Masazumi Okano, president of Kodo Kyodan
• visited the head quarters of Shinnyo-en
• stayed at Tsukiji Honganji Temple, Tokyo
• attended the wedding of a Rev. Haruki Kanayama and his bride Mari in Tokyo
• visited the eternal flame from Nagasaki and Hiroshima that burns in Ueno Park in Tokyo
• visited our friend Zen priest Issho Fujita sensei
• led some classes
• had various other visits and encounters

and, all in all, had a very constructive visit to our Buddhist friends and colleagues.

2008 - 2009 Guide to Retreats and Events in Amida France

Get your own - Open publication

Now on Friends of Amida, a blog post from Dharmavidya, followed by lots of good discussion, sign in, and and your thoughts: Gender is a serious issue in Buddhism 

Seriously though, it does seem to be the case that Buddhism has a major problem in this area. Buddhist events and Buddhist institutions are almost invariably male dominated especially in Asia. As one speaker said, the Buddhist vinaya is a blatant case of institutional sexism.

Roots and Soil Retreat - Led by Susthama

Come and start the New Year with practice.

The retreat begins Wednesday 31 December and finishes Sunday 4 January. 

Dharmavidya is attending the World Fellowship of Buddhists meeting in Tokyo
Weblog

We are holding our annual 'Exile and Return' retreat in commemoration of the founders of Pureland Buddhism in Japan who were exiled at the beginning of the thirteenth century. This retreat is a short period of intensive practice.
Read: Alena, Kaspalita and Dharmavidya.

The Book Against and For CBT in which David Brazier has a chapter is now published. Flyer

Dharmavidya has written a guide to nembutsu on Friends of Amida - Let's Chant Together!

on Friends of Amida, our volunteer in Delhi writes:

It is cooler today; the erratic electricity at the flat is charging up the laptop and powering the television and mosquito repellents, but not the ceiling fans. It is about midday, and loud bangs reverberate around the buildings, but are not as startling to us as they were a few days ago. Sahishnu and I have been in India for two weeks now.

Read more on Friends of Amida

Joan Court has again received recognition for her many years’ work for animals and is now the recipient of the RSPCA’s Lord Erskine Award.

This new book has a chapter by David Brazier (Dharmavidya). See Amida Books

There amitaryas of the Amida Order have been having a gathering at Amida France. The atmosphere has been relaxed. Much gardening has got done. A tree planting ceremony was held in memory of Andy Whyte who died 3 January 2007.

Listen to a talk by Dharmavidya, on the most important concepts in Buddhism, beginning with the Buddha's discovery of Other Power. This talk was given during our september retreat.

Listen to the talk on Friends of Amida

David Brazier, Dharmavidya, Head of the Amida Order, gave keynote address at the Transpersonal Psychology Conference in Scarborough on 13th September. He talked about Buddhist psychology and the humanity of Shakyamuni Buddha.

The Maitri project, in association with Amida Trust, will be hosting an introductory weekend on listening skills, at the Buddhist House in Narborough.

This course is designed for people with little or no experience. Join us to learn new skills or improve your
existing ones. Would be very suitable for anyone working with adults in a voluntary/helping role that involves listening and support.

more details

Dharmavidya and Prasada attended the 15th European Shin Buddhist Conference at the end of August at Bad Reichenhall in Germany and enjoyed the many presentations and the good company meeting many old and new Dharma friends. Prasada gave a presentation about 'Guilt', the theme of her forthcoming book, and Dharmavidya presented a collection of 19 poems.

Buddhist Psychology  offers an understanding of mental process that has developed over the past 2500 years. It offers the West an important new perspective on Human interaction and mental process.

Take time to study with others via the web to learn about the core theory behind Buddhist Psychology without leaving your home or office.

Register today! The course starts on October 1, 2008

Dharmavidya-Sangharakshita Meeting

On Monday 1st June a meeting took place between Dharmavidya, head of Amida-shu and Sangharakshita, head of the Western Buddhist Order. Dharmavidya thanked Sangharakshita for referring to his work in the latter's testament interview called What is the Western Buddhist Order? The meeting ranged over topics of doctrine, organisation and purpose. The two leaders found a great deal of common ground and a good spirit prevailed throughout the encounter.

The Humanity of Buddha

Four Talks on Refuge

This is the first of four talks on refuge. The others should follow on or can be accessed at http://amidatrust.ning.com/group/purelandbuddhism

Joan Court's New Book

Joan Court, age 90, patron of Amida Trust, originally a midwife, then a social worker who brought the issue of child abuse to public attention, subsequently a formidable campaigner against the cruelty perpetrated by humans upon other animals, has now brought out her second book: The Bunny Hugging Terrorist published by Selene Press with a preface by Tony Benn. The book includes references to the ork of many organisations and individuals on behalf of animals, including Amida Trust. 120 pages, £9.99 plus P&P. Copies obtainable direct from the author, via Amida Trust. Joan's first book, In the Shadow of Gandhi, is also still available.

Listening to the Other

Caroline Brazier's new book Listening to the Other on listening skills is now published.

The Feeling Buddha

On 13-14 June Dharmavidya will lead a weekend retreat at The Buddhist House on the theme The Feeling Buddha - a significant opportunity for teaching, practice and discussion.

Sangharakshita's Testament

Sangharakshita, the leader of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order has issued a transcript of an interview called What is the Western Buddhist Order?. In it he refers for support to David Brazier's The New Buddhism as well as to the Critical Buddhist book Pruning the Bodhi Tree. He is quite forthright about what he regards as acceptable and non-acceptable positions for members of WBO. This will be seen by many as an attempt to restore the original vision to a movement that, perhaps, has drifted somewhat from its original course.

Critical Buddhism

The Amida Trust forum at

http://amidatrust.ning.com/group/criticalbuddhism

and

http://amidatrust.ning.com/group/future

has become the epi-centre of current debate in English on the questions raised by the Japanese 'Critical Buddhism' movement. Are 'Buddha nature', 'non-duality', 'interbeing', etc all non-Buddhist ideas? Join 

http://amidatrust.ning.com

to join in the discussion.

Psychotherapy & Spirituality

Dharmavidya and Prasada presented lectures about Buddhist Psychology and about Psychotherapy and Spirituality at Leeds Metropolitan University. Dharmavidya's paper on Psychotherapy and Spirituality is available for reading and discussion.

Running Tide Magazine - Spring Issue 18

Open publication - Free publishing - More amida

OJO Retreat Starts: Our first web intensive

The Ojo Retreat at The Buddhist House starts tomorrow morning. Preliminary materials are already available. This retreat can be followed by attending at TBH or by following along via the internet and practicing at home. New materials will appear each day for the eight days of the retreat. If you want to join in sign up at...

OJO Retreat

Enrolled participants can also give feedback and engage in discussions of the emerging themes or contribute writngs, poems, etc.

This is our first attempt to lead a retreat via the internet and there has been a very pleasing response. The idea has generated a lot of enthusiasm and we hope that this will not only enable individuals to practice more intensely on their own, but also to feel part of the community and make a contribution to the cohesion and purpose of the sangha.

Thank you all very much. Namo Amida Bu

Order Meeting

Members of the Amida Order met over the weekend of 7-8 March to take stock of current developments in Amida-shu. There was a generally bouyant atmosphere and considerable enthusiasm for the possibilities that seem to be opening up for spreading the Dharma more widely. The meeting was also greatly cheered to receive news of the refuge ceremonies that took place on the Sunday in Delhi and a Skype link enabled those present at the Order meeting to talk with the Order members who are in Delhi.

GUILT published

Caroline Brazier's latest book, GUILT, is published this week. There is also a group on Facebook associated with this book.

An Evening with Bill Karelis : Founder of the Shambala Prison Community

Feburary 20th at The Buddhist House

Bill Karelis founded the Shambhala Prison Community in 1996 to propagate education, and in particular Buddhist-derived meditation, in criminal justice systems at all levels, internationally. He also travels the world to present meditation generally, and in recent years has given hundreds of programs in meditation centers, as well as public talks in university and other public venues. His lineage belongs to the Kagyu and Nyingma streams from Tibet, as well as the Shambhala tradition, as expounded by the great master Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Mr. Karelis enjoys the practices of poetry, photography and calligraphy and lives with his wife, Brigitta, in Boulder, Colorado in the United States.

Click here for more information

Running Tide Magazine - Winter Issue 17

Get your own - Open publication

First Amida Broadcast from America

At 6pm local time on New Year's Eve, which was also the first hour of 2009 in Britain, Amaya Glover, from her back porch in Richmond, Texas, made a broadcast on the Friends of Amida ning site on the theme "Globalization and Inspired Buddhism". Globalization has rought benefits and tragedies, liberation for some and oppression for others. Buddhism is an intrinsically internationalist philosophy that advances an approach to live that strengthens rather than weakening community and supports positive values and compassion for all sentient beings.

Amida Member Receives MBE

In the New Year Honours Amida-shu member Eileen Conn has received the award of being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for "For services to the community in the London Borough of Southwark." Eileen has been an inspiring campaigner for community life and harmony. She has also been involved in recently establishing the newest local Amida group: Amida South London.

The ToDo Institute has published a special New Years Edition of its journal

Thirty Thousand Days: A Journal for Purposeful Living

This issue is generally available only to members of the ToDo Institute, but out of friendship with Dharmavidya and Prasada and to show our support of the Amida Trust we would like to make this issue available on-line to Amida Trust friends and supporters. The issue is a collection of many different ideas and essays we have published over the past 15 years which are all focused on the New Year.

Click here to download this issue , go to the following webpage

We hope you are enjoying the holiday season and offer you our best wishes for a wonderful New Year that brings you good health, new adventures and many opportunities to extend kindness and compassion to whomever you may encounter along your path.

Gassho,

Gregg Krech
Director, ToDo Institute
www.todoinstitute.org

The Importance of Diversity within the Sangha

A message from Dharmavidya on Friends of Amida

Dharmavidya & Prasada fly west

This morning Dharmavidya and Prasada left the UK, beginning their visits to the United States and Canada, the schedule of their American events is published on Friends of Amida

Would you like to be a Member of the AMIDA-KAI

Buddhism can be a force in this world and your contribution is important for the benefit of all living things. There are so many ways to get involved and to feel part of something much greater than oneself.

NEW ONLINE COURSE!!!

AMIDA TRUST INVITES YOU TO JOIN A NEW AND EXCITING COURSE BY DISTANCE LEARNING : EXPLORE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH EATING AND WITH YOUR BODY.

Come and join us online for a month long course by distance learning starting in January 2009.

We are launching a month long course looking at attitudes to food, eating and body image. The programme includes exploratory exercises, guided meditations, and theoretical material based in the insights derived from Buddhist psychology. Participants join a supported peer group. Enrolment will be ongoing, with the first participants starting after Christmas.

This month long programme helps you to look at your eating behaviour and your relationship with your body in new ways. Through daily activities and reflections it helps you to understand some of the factors behind compulsive or restricted patterns of eating and to develop strategies to change your behaviour around food. The multi-media course uses meditations, work charts, guided fantasy exercises and practical experiments. It also contains theoretical and inspirational material related to the subject. Participants join an on-line support group and are given access to many resources. They remain registered after completion of the programme thus having access to an ongoing community of peers.
Check out details and register through the web page on click here for more details

Please pass this message on to your friends or groups

Founding of Institute for Spirituality, Religion & Public Life

On 5th December Amida Trust became one of the founder members of the Institute for Spirituality, Religion and Public Life established by Leeds Metropolitan University to foster research and public interest in the relation between spirituality and civic involvement.

Approaching Enlightenment Day

December 8th is Enlightenment Day, the celebration of the founding of the Buddhist religion. At The Buddhist House members of the Amida sangha are gathered in retreat. Highlights of the retreat have been and are being broadcast using the video facility on the Friends of Amida ning site. These have included the 24 hour nembutsu chanting on 1st-2nd, ceremonies and teachings by Dharmavidya and Prasada, and will include an ordination on 7th December at 9.00 GMT, further teachings and practice. The ordination of a new member of the sangha is something particularly precious in this age and society where the vital ingredient of personal commitment is often rare. It is a gift to humanity. It is also entry into the most wonderful life.

The retreat marks the end of a full year for the Amida sangha and, perhaps, a cusp in the ethos of society at large where economic difficulties and political change are at a particularly acute stage. This is a time to reach out. The advent of an as yet primitive broadcasting facility is focussing minds upon how to further improve the connection between activity at The Buddhist House and those who are connected but unable to be physically present and how to enable Amidists around the world to play a full part in prctice and propagation of the Dharma. Amida activity overseas seems once again to be increasing after a lull. Concern for the distant and sometimes unseen other is a valuable aspect of Buddhist training and therefore a by no means inappropriate concern for a week dedicated to awakening. Our community is centred on faith and in our faith community, the sangha jewel, plays a particularly important role. As the connections within our sangha intensify so the influence of Amida Buddha shines more and more brightly in this afflicted world; when we have faith in the Buddha's principle of concern for the other miracles happen of their own accord. Namo Amida Bu.

Affiliated Amida Group in New Zealand

Amida now has an affiliated group Nembutsu New Zealand dedicated to spreading the practice to a further corner of the world. There seems to be some association between nembutsu and islands - Japan, UK, Hawaii, now NZ - Amida moves on the ocean of samsara. Namo Amida Bu.

Amida Ning has Streaming Video

On Friends of Amida networking site we have added a streaming video facility for broadcasting events from The Buddhist House. We hope to develop a forward programme of broadcasts. Our first broadcast was of the 24 hour chanting at the start of this year's Bodhi Retreat. The second will be Dharmavidya's Dharma Talk at 1400 GMT 3rd December.

Dates of Dharmavidya & Prasada Visit to N America

The schedule for Dharmavidya and Prasada's visit in January and February to the USA and Canada are now published on Friends of Amida

Amida Ning Now Has 200 Members

Friends of Amida is a social networking site using 'ning' software catering for people interested in the development of Amida Trust, Amida-shu and the Amida Order. There are now members in 31 countries. The network is already very active, carries Dharmavidya's teachings, discussions, members' blogs and forums, photos and news. If you are interested in Amida-shu, do join Friends of Amida. If you are already a member, tell your friends. The Friends of Amida site is gradually taking over functions previously managed on a range of different Amida Trust weblogs and has enabled us to concentrate information in one spot making for ease of access and ready participation.

Enactment of Celibate and Non-Celibate Ordination Tracks

On 27th November, following consultations in accordance with the Provisions for Structure, Continuity and Governance of Amida-shu, Dharmavidya, as Head of the Amida School and Order, enacted changes in the Amida Order Rule, being the precepts for ordained members of the Order, such as to create separate ordination options for celibate and non-celibate ordainees. Henceforth ordained members of the order shall have the option to take or not take precepts of celibacy. The effect will be to create the potential for there to be four categories of ordained persons, namely celibate ministers, non-celbate ministers, celibate amitaryas and non-celibate amitaryas. Only for celibate ordained persons shall the shaved head be obligatory. All ordained members of the Order may be addressed as 'Reverend' and referred to as priests, but celibates may alternatively be addressed as Venerable, or, in the case of women, Sister, and celibate amitaryas may be referred to as monks or nuns. In the case of ministers the option for celibacy or non-celibacy shall be made at initial ordination as a chaplain. In the case of amitaryas, the option shall not be made until after novitiate is completed. Novices shall be celibate during novitiate if they ordained as single persons and non-celibate if they ordained as a couple.

The full Rule in its new form complete with explanatory notes can be read on the Friends of Amida site (right column, bottom) or here: Amida Rule

Why Chant?

A teaching from Dharmavidya

Prasada Attending 1st Conference on Practical Application of Buddhism in Western Psychology

Prasada Brazier is making a presentation at this conference in Poland.

New Buddhism & Zen Therapy published in Portuguese

Details

Dharmavidya Returns from Japan

Dharmavidya has returned to The Buddhist House from a twelve day visit to Japan during which he

• made a presentation on 'Buddhist Response to the Suicide Problem' at the 24th World Fellowship of Buddhists Conference
• participated in a service for world peace at Senso-ji Temple
• attended a seminar on 'Living Together: Environment, Peace and Social Development'
• met with Masazumi Okano, president of Kodo Kyodan
• visited the head quarters of Shinnyo-en
• stayed at Tsukiji Honganji Temple, Tokyo
• attended the wedding of a Rev. Haruki Kanayama and his bride Mari in Tokyo
• visited the eternal flame from Nagasaki and Hiroshima that burns in Ueno Park in Tokyo
• visited our friend Zen priest Issho Fujita sensei
• led some classes
• had various other visits and encounters

and, all in all, had a very constructive visit to our Buddhist friends and colleagues.

The Amida Buddhist Centre in France

2008 - 2009 Guide to Retreats and Events in Amida France

Get your own - Open publication

Sexism in Buddhism: Discussion

Now on Friends of Amida, a blog post from Dharmavidya, followed by lots of good discussion, sign in, and and your thoughts: Gender is a serious issue in Buddhism 

Seriously though, it does seem to be the case that Buddhism has a major problem in this area. Buddhist events and Buddhist institutions are almost invariably male dominated especially in Asia. As one speaker said, the Buddhist vinaya is a blatant case of institutional sexism.

New Year's Retreat at Amida France

Roots and Soil Retreat - Led by Susthama

Come and start the New Year with practice.

The retreat begins Wednesday 31 December and finishes Sunday 4 January. 

WFB Meeting in Tokyo

Dharmavidya is attending the World Fellowship of Buddhists meeting in Tokyo
Weblog

Exile and Return Retreat

We are holding our annual 'Exile and Return' retreat in commemoration of the founders of Pureland Buddhism in Japan who were exiled at the beginning of the thirteenth century. This retreat is a short period of intensive practice.
Read: Alena, Kaspalita and Dharmavidya.

Against and For CBT

The Book Against and For CBT in which David Brazier has a chapter is now published. Flyer

Let's chant together

Dharmavidya has written a guide to nembutsu on Friends of Amida - Let's Chant Together!

News from India

on Friends of Amida, our volunteer in Delhi writes:

It is cooler today; the erratic electricity at the flat is charging up the laptop and powering the television and mosquito repellents, but not the ceiling fans. It is about midday, and loud bangs reverberate around the buildings, but are not as startling to us as they were a few days ago. Sahishnu and I have been in India for two weeks now.

Read more on Friends of Amida

Joan Court receives Erskine Award

Joan Court has again received recognition for her many years’ work for animals and is now the recipient of the RSPCA’s Lord Erskine Award.

For and Against CBT

This new book has a chapter by David Brazier (Dharmavidya). See Amida Books

Amitaryas at Amida France

There amitaryas of the Amida Order have been having a gathering at Amida France. The atmosphere has been relaxed. Much gardening has got done. A tree planting ceremony was held in memory of Andy Whyte who died 3 January 2007.

Podcast: Basic Buddhism

Listen to a talk by Dharmavidya, on the most important concepts in Buddhism, beginning with the Buddha's discovery of Other Power. This talk was given during our september retreat.

Listen to the talk on Friends of Amida

Dharmavidya Keynote at Transpersonal Psychology Conference

David Brazier, Dharmavidya, Head of the Amida Order, gave keynote address at the Transpersonal Psychology Conference in Scarborough on 13th September. He talked about Buddhist psychology and the humanity of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Listening Skills weekend course - Nov. 15/16

The Maitri project, in association with Amida Trust, will be hosting an introductory weekend on listening skills, at the Buddhist House in Narborough.

This course is designed for people with little or no experience. Join us to learn new skills or improve your
existing ones. Would be very suitable for anyone working with adults in a voluntary/helping role that involves listening and support.

more details

15th European Shin Buddhist Conference

Dharmavidya and Prasada attended the 15th European Shin Buddhist Conference at the end of August at Bad Reichenhall in Germany and enjoyed the many presentations and the good company meeting many old and new Dharma friends. Prasada gave a presentation about 'Guilt', the theme of her forthcoming book, and Dharmavidya presented a collection of 19 poems.

Learn Buddhist Psychology from home

Buddhist Psychology  offers an understanding of mental process that has developed over the past 2500 years. It offers the West an important new perspective on Human interaction and mental process.

Take time to study with others via the web to learn about the core theory behind Buddhist Psychology without leaving your home or office.

Register today! The course starts on October 1, 2008