Amida Events

2008: 10 - 30 July - Dharmavidya's Summer Teachings

During the three week period of the July Retreat, Dharmavidya & Prasada will give lectures on
Pureland Buddhism and its Application in Society, Culture and the Arts

• 12 lectures over the three week period

There will also be  periods of Pureland practice    

• Introductory seminars for the less experienced on the basics of the Pureland approach
• Seminars and coaching for the more experienced related to Buddhist chaplaincy and ministry

As usual there will be plenty of opportunities for outdoor life, community living, discussion and sharing with stimulating company, and good vegetarian food, much of it from the centre's own garden.

For more information see the Amida France weblog or

2008: August 1st - 20th: Arts in France

For the last few years August has seen the development of our summer arts programme. This offers an extended period of creativity in which participants can join in a range of arts activities in a friendly, relaxed setting.

The arts period takes place at the Amida retreat centre in Berry, which is in central France.

The arts period is suitable for serious artists, families and complete newcomers. You can dabble in new creative techniques, swap ideas, attend arts workshops and have a lot of fun.

In previous years there we have done painting, candle making, mosaic, dance, voicework, ikebana, clay modelling, fabric painting, writing, ceremony as well as plenty of time for swimming and walking. Sometimes we work together on a project, and sometimes people work individually. There is usually someone with expertise on hand to offer advice. 

See the Amida France weblog - or email bookings@amidatrust.com
         

2009: March 19-29: OJO RETREAT "Right Effort within Other Power"

A period of practice, seminars and community living with reflection upon the legacy of our spiritual ancestors and the spirit that they have imparted to the Dharma community.

The overall theme of this retreat period is "Right Effort within Other power". There is a common fallacy that Other Power and personal effort somehow exclude one another, whereas both are central elements in the Buddhist way. It is, therefore, important to understand the correct relation between them. This week includes memorials for Gisho Saiko Sensei, Amita Amrita Dhammika and Gyomay Kubose Sensei. All three were inspired by a deep Buddhist faith and all three were exemplars of Right Effort in the service of all sentient beings, though in three different ways that complement each another and together constitute three important dimensions of the Amida approach. Gisho Saiko pioneered Shinshu Counselling and his psychological methods rooted in Amidist faith inspired many students and disciples. Amrita Dhammika (1956-2006) went forth to Africa and expressed her faith in the form of humanitarian work. Gyomay Kubose (1906-2000), a disciple of Haya Akegarasu (1877-1954), supported the Japanese people in America through the difficult times that they experienced during and after the Second World War when as enemy aliens they faced great difficulties in recreating their community after internment and displacement and managed to do so through the sustaining power of Amidist faith. These three - psychological depth, humanitarian outreach and sustained community - are principal aspects of what Amida-shu is doing in the world.

The retreat also includes Paramita Day (21 March) and this focusses our attention upon the bodhisattva ideal. The Larger Pureland Sutra which is the principle text of Amida-shu has as one of its main themes the establishment of the bodhisattva ideal at the heart of what it means to have faith in Amida buddha.

2009 April 10-13: Easter Arts

Developing the Spirit through Art as Practice

April is the cruelest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain."
- T.S.Eliot

Spirituality and art share much in both being explorations of inspiration. The Other Power of spirituality and the Artist's Muse are forces that establish traditions of expression through human activity that is "for its own sake" yet speaks of the deepest meanings of which people are capable. Thus much of the greatest art is religious art, the world's spiritual literature includes some of its greatest poetry and prose, even secular art speaks of an influence that goes beyond the mundane, and art itself in all its diversity is a language of the Spirit. One does not have to be highly talented to participate in this. One of the aims of Amida Trust is to make it possible for ordinary people to participate, not merely be a passive audience. To this end the Trust sponsors pandramatics, poetry days, and a range of workshops. Easter is the time of rebirth after winter darkness. Let us meet together and have a collective flowering. Different participants may be drawn to different modalities of work, but all can stimulate and inspire one another.

During these four days we shall have opportunities to practice arts including:

Plastic Arts: Painting, collage, craftwork, construction of art works, flower arranging, etc.

Performance Arts: using the pandramatics approach to improvisation

Verbal Arts: Poetry, writing, scripting, etc.

Each day will include periods for creative work, seminars on method and meaning, and gatherings for sharing. The aim is to establish a creative community for the four days. Participants are, of course, also welcome to arrive early or stay longer if they wish to extend the time they devote to this work. The art room is always available.

2008 November 1-2: Spiritual Relationships, Complex Relationships, Healing Relationships

This two day workshop will explore the different types of relationships involved in chaplaincy and other face to face spiritual work. Chaplaincy and other spiritual support work provides opportunities to meet people in many different circumstances. The context is often one in which the person is facing particular changes or life traumas, and may be open to reviewing life and seeking the spiritual dimension in new ways. Meetings may have been requested and planned, or may be casual and informal. They may be in depth or brief, and it is not always clear at the outset what is required. We will look at styles of interaction which are appropriate in different circumstances, at the opportunities to support personal spiritual transformation which emerge in this kind of work. We will discuss the sort of boundary issues which need to be taken into account in the mixed relationships which can exist in the spiritual context and how to avoid some of the pitfalls. This course also carries credit for enrolled psychotherapy students.

2008 November 3-4: Blessings, Weddings and Funerals: Creative Approaches to Personal Ceremony.

Spiritual groups offer ceremonies to the important mark life transitions of their members. In the last couple of decades, interest in the creative use of ritual has grown, and people increasingly seek more personalised events. Some Buddhist groups already have traditional ceremonies to mark rites of passage, but many Western groups are daunted by requests from their members and others. Learning to facilitate personal ceremony is an art which takes practice, resourcefulness and a dramatic presence. Ritual is a language, mastered through experience and repetition. This two day workshop will look at the art of ceremony and creating a special occasion relevant both for those committed to a religious path and to those who have a less aligned sense of the spiritual. It will be practical, suitable for anyone who might take a role in such events, but particularly for those who may be called on to lead them. We will look at resources: readings, music, and chants; and at commonly used elements of a service, including making offerings, creation of the ceremonial space, invocations, symbolic acts, blessings and dedications. We will draw on both Buddhist sources and other spiritual traditions. We will discuss the structuring of anevent, the poetic and metaphoric frame, and the sequencing of elements. We will look at those small details which become so precious to participants. There will be opportunities to practice ceremony and pool resources. This course is an important opportunity for all Vow 22 students but will be useful to Buddhists of any background.

2008 October 11-19: Buddhist Psyology & Psychotherapy: "Hearing the Real Other"

led by Caroline and David Brazier and Gina Clayton

Buddhist psychology suggests that psychological problems arise when we are locked in the deluded worlds that we have created. What we experience is a function of our need to maintain personal stability, and to this end, our minds insulate us from others by distorting perception. We see selectively or unconsciously distort what we see so that our perception fits with our pre-conceptions. The way out of this psychological rigidity is through more direct encounter with others, and the therapeutic relationship can be a forum in which this encounter is explored.

2009 Feb 21-March 1: Buddhist Psychology & Psychotherapy: "Creativity and Focus in Therapy"

led by Caroline and David Brazier and Gina Clayton

Human beings are psychologically healthy when they are creatively engaged and have a sense of purpose. When one's life is engaged in contributing to some greater project, small troubles drop away. This course block explores the way that assisting the client to develop creativity, find purpose and to focus beyond their small world, investing their energy in activity that feels worthwhile, can bring change and growth. Through the active media of creativity, cultural critique and working with body experience, we will explore how healthy engagement with life can be encouraged and facilitated.

2008: May 31 - June 8: THE IMPACT OF PROFESSIONALISM

led by Caroline and David Brazier and Gina Clayton

Becoming a counsellor or therapist means joining a profession. The idea of professionalism can be one that inspires us to reach for the highest standards in our work, or which leads us to limit and control our impact on others by creating a professional distance. The professional role of the counsellor is, of course, an identity. It is shaped by our self-image and the image of what we would like to become. It can be challenging or defensive. In this course block we will look at professional issues in therapeutic work and will explore how joining a profession can be a creative process that inspires us to see new potential in our situations.

31May-1June: Using Supervision
Supervision is an essential aspect of therapeutic work. The counsellor is required to have regular supervision as part of their professional status, but using that supervision effectively can be a challenge, both in that the process itself is as creative or otherwise as the two people involved, but also because the supervision relationship itself develops professional norms that may enhance or detract from its usefulness. This weekend will look at different forms that supervision sessions may take and how a counsellor can maximise their usefulness. This workshop will provide a good introduction for students who intend to start placements, but will also be an opportunity for experienced counsellors to review their own use of supervision.

2-5 June: The Role of the Counsellor: Counsellor Intensive
A four day intensive offering students a opportunity for intensive experience of both counselling and supervision, interspersed with sessions reflecting on the impact of professional image and issues upon the therapist’s process. We will review professional materials and articles and reflect on how the profession is portrayed, alternating these reflective sessions with counselling sessions, which will allow a ongoing relationship to continue over several days. Juxtaposing these two formats will allow reflection on the impact of professionalisation on therapeutic encounter. This four day section is suitable for students who have already completed some basic skills training or practising counsellors and therapists.

6 June: Day Seminar: Structuring Counselling and Supervision Relationships
This theory seminar will explore different models of counselling and supervision process taken from Western and Buddhist approaches. It will reflect on the motivations for supervision and the different interests which the supervision process supports.

7-8 June: Brief Counselling & Informal Contexts
Although counselling is often portrayed as a long term relationship which allows time for issues to unfold and deeper meanings to emerge, many counsellors work in settings where brief therapy is appropriate. In particular people who use counselling skills in other contexts, such as pastoral care or chaplaincy settings, time may be very limited and making an impact may require speedy engagement. Buddhist approaches to therapy with their emphasis on practicality, other-centred work and avoiding habit formation, lend themselves to a brief therapy approach. This weekend will explore the way that short therapeutic encounters can offer support and effect real change.

This course block is part of the Psychotherapy Training Programme. All courses are complete in themselves and may be attended by the general public. If you would like to join us for all or part of this course, please contact courses@amidatrust.com. For students registered on one of our longer programmes, course fees are paid as lump sum payments. Costs for those who are not registered students on psychotherapy courses are £60 per day for the public and £36 per day for students with general registration. Accommodation costs are additional. Attendance is subject to the conditions given elsewhere on this site.

For full information on Amida Trust educational programmes please consult http://www.buddhistpsychology.info