Dharmavidya

Taking refuge in Vitoria

This evening we held a Buddhist refuge ceremony in Vitoria in Pais Vasco and some 15 people took refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. Prior to the ceremony proper we had an extended session of nembutsu practice. There was an excellent spirit and much sense of joy and celebration. I think this will have been a significant boost for the local sangha and was a very fine event to participate in.

Weekend Workshop "A time to awaken"

This training workshop on Zen Therapy got off to a fairly low key start but built in intensity as the weekend went on. In the end it felt to have been a particularly good one. Achieving the shift away from trying to fix the client (the mechanical model) toward accompanying the growth of the whole person (the organic or holistic model) became an important theme. The motif of the charioteer was much used. The chariot has a charioteer and a number of horses. This is like the rational part of the person and the various emotions, instincts, apetites and unconscious dynamics. However, in the case of the human chariot, sometimes the horses know more than the charioteer. The aim of an Eastern style of psychology is to arrive at a harmonious balance between all the different parts and this involves listening to them all and facilitating them listening to one another.

Day at the seaside before starting work here in Galicia

    

The gang of four

With Dharma friends Oscar, Marie-Angeles and Rafael in Berriz.

Teaching beneath the witch's mountain

The mountain behind the course centre is associated with a famous witch of Basque folklore. There is, apparently, a cave on the mountain but nobody can remain there who does not have a pure heart. Today, in addition to a pure heart you would have needed some good thermals.
 

Just completed a super weekend on Zen Therapy in Pais Vasco

Last weekend we had a workshop in Galicia and this weekend in Pais Vasco. This has been a super start to the Zen Therapy programme in Spain. In one case we looked at the element of space and in the other time with small enthusiastic groups of students. This weekend especially benefitted from a residential setting in a beautiful area which added to the intensity of the event. Buddhist psychology is such a deep and fascinating subject one could continue finding new angles indefinitely.

The rain in Spain falls mainly where we are

Over the past week we have seen a phenomenal amount of rain here. The reservoirs and rives are all full to overflowing. Fields look like paddy, and still it rains.

Spain is not very sunny today

 

The train journey across northern Spain is remarkable

I travelled from Ourense to Vitoria through wonderful mountain scenery.

 

A stroll by the Rio Amoia