maitri project

Third Feminine Spirit Women's Group Complete

Our third Feminine Spirit women's group finished on July 17.  We had thirteen participants and spent the six weeks exploring how out spirituality can manifest in our everyday lives.  We had lots of sharing, time for contemplation and mediation, played instruments, learned chants from various traditions, and had a good time getting to know each other.  Our last session was "Rites and Rituals", and everyone had a go at creating a ritual for the group to take part in.  Our next group will start on August 28th, Tuesday, 7pm in Narborough.  Mudita@amidatrust.com for details.

Buddhist Christian Exploration - report.

One day, all interfaith conversations will be like this...
Participant - Buddhist Christian Dialogue.

In their depth of meaning, and in the level of spirituality that ran throughout the day. Engaging with Faith was the subtitle of this event, led by Dr. Elizabeth Harris and Dr. Dharmavidya David Brazier, in association with Amida-kai. How do we engage with our faith? and How do we engage with the world though our faith?

The session opened by inviting the participants to share some of their faith journey, and what had led us to this event. There was a brief pause before the sharing began, and then one person followed another warmed up to aspects of their own stories by hearing those of other people.  As a participant myself, hearing some of the journeys of others gave me a new perspective to interrogate my own faith journey and to share a little of this, (And what an important role encountering others, like today, played in that.) with the group.

The spiritual thread which wove throughout the day is very important, as it's what keeps us together...or me the importance is the willingness to go deeper and be vulnerable. I felt this was achieved on Saturday.

We were a mixture of Christians interested in Buddhism, one time Christians who had converted to Buddhism, Christians interested in interfaith, and Buddhists who had never been Christian - and so there were many differences in our journeys, but the sense of journeying, of facing something greater, was a thread which ran though all our experiences.

This sharing laid the ground for the rest of the day - in which the personal element of our engagement with faith was to manifest particularly strongly. 

After a lively coffee break Dharmavidya took Elizabeth through an interview, in which we explored in some depth, her journey with faith - from her Christianity, to her experiences in a Buddhist country*. Dr. Harris shared the moving story of a Sri Lankan R.C Preist. Father Michael Rodrigo; A man who lived by his faith completely, changing the attitudes of wary Sri Lankans in his chosen village to one of warmth, and a man who was killed for speaking out against injustice.

Our processing and sharing of the material presented highlighted Father Rodrigo's story as one that many felt inspiring and touched by.

We returned, after lunch, to watch another interview, this time Elizabeth questioning Dharmavidya about his faith and 'love affairs with Religion'. We witnessed a moving account of Dharmavidya's engagement with faith, and then were able to explore some particular Buddhist concepts, and talked more about Engaging with faith, on the spiritual and on the social level.

It was wonderful to be part of, and to see so many people, sharing ideas and experiences. The whole day felt like a shared journey and this reflected the spirit of the dialogue.  There was a great many themes and ideas raised during this event that might act as springboards for further exploration, with this in mind - look for more events of this type in the future.

-Gareth Thompson
for the Maitri Project

*For more information see A Journey into Buddhism, by Elizabeth Harris

June Feminine Spirit Women's Group Starting

The next session of this women’s group starts on Tuesday, June 12, 2007 and continues for 6 weeks
through The Maitri Project, 4 Desford Road, Narborough, 7pm to 9pm, Pre-registration required

Please contact Mudita: mudita@amidatrust.com or ring 0116 286 7476

Join us for a six-week exploration of how we, as women, find inspiration, sanctuary and spiritual nourishment in our daily lives. The group will draw on the practices of several spiritual traditions and
incorporate meditation, reflection, and discussion.

Women and Spirituality Group

Two among many of the female goddeses/figures that we looked during the 6 week course. ************************************************ Thank you to everyone who participated for your enthusiasm and and all of your contributions throughout the six weeks. The process and journey we went through was very interesting and special. We started off looking at The feminine spirit and in particular the difference between spirituality and religion. We learned about Cassandra and how important our intuition is; the Snake Goddess and how she gives us strength and power, Spider Woman and the importance of mother earth, Quan Shi Yin and her many forms and many more.   I won't write down our conclusions but if you are interested in learning more then do sign up for the next women and spirituality group.  The structure of the group was gentle and fluid. We would start the session with a gathering and sharing and then we would either look at some female figures or do some other activity that would help us understand certains aspects and qualities in ourselves and others. At the end of the first session someone asked 'what does love really mean?' and 'what does it really look like?'.  Consequently we left each subsequent session with an assignment with a view to return the following week reporting back our findings. Incidently, this is a great question to have at the back of your mind. Are our actions loving ones and does the recipient of our love feel it as love? Alternatively, do we experience another person's love towards us as love and thus receive it lovingly or do we get upset or frustrated because it wasn't what we were hoping for? Were we expecting love to take on a specific action/gesture/shape? Each session was different but equally stimulating and I loved the fact that we left each time with a question to mull over or an assignment to do and to report back with the following session. It gave a sense of the divine feminine being with me throughout the week even when I wasn't in the group. The process of questioning and discovering the extraordinary in the ordinary is the gift that this group has given me. We ended the 6 week group with a visit to the Braunstone Goddess. It was such a treat to pay homage to her and to dedicate the merit we had accumulated to her. It was truly the perfect way to finish. Thank you, Susthama

Engaging with Faith: 16th June 2007

A Buddhist-Christian Exploration

Led by Elizabeth Harris & Dharmavidya David Brazier

An inquiry into faith, especially intended for those who are active in society and for those who want their faith to have social implications. What does the experience of faith (as distinct from affiliation or belief) essentially mean and what does it imply in terms of life, action and community? An enquiry into personal spirituality and its manifestations and consequences.

Dr. Elizabeth Harris is Methodist Secretary for Inter-Faith Relations
Dr. Dh. David Brazier is Head of the Amida Order

Venue: This day seminar will take place at The Maitri Project in the Bishop Street Church Rooms, 10a Bishop Street, Leicester. 

Cost: £15
For more information or to book please email mudita@amidatrust.com or ring 0116 286 7476
Amida Trust: www.amidatrust.com

Womens Group: The Feminine Spirit

A Six Week Course
(Registration Required)

Spirituality can help one to live a richer and fuller life. Spiritual practices of cultivating qualities such as compassion, patience and wisdom are important and in doing so we are developing the feminine spirit. The awakening and growth of the feminine spirit can do much good in the world.

     
In this group we will cultivate the feminine spirit as well as look at the feminine spirit embodied in mythic female figures found in different faiths and traditions throughout history. This is a great opportunity to develop an appreciation of the feminine spirit whilst cultivating the qualities in ourselves.

Fridays 10am to 12pm
From February 23, 2007 until March 30, 2007

The Maitri Project
Bishop Street Methodist Church
10a Bishop Street
Town Hall Square Leicester,

REGISTRATION REQUIRED

Please contact:

Sr. Susthama
Amida Trust
12 Coventry Road
Narborough, Leics
LE19 2GR
Tel: 0116 286 7476

 

January 8th 2007: The Launch

Today was the first official session of the Maitri drop-in centre, a place to come in for a chat, some company, a cup of coffee; to be listened to, or just to sit with someone. 

We had done some publicity, before Christmas, and had changed location - we're operating out of the Foyer of Bishop Street Methodist Church, a coffee bar right on the edge of the Town Hall Square. A prime location for dropping in.

We put out the signs, 'we are open' in big letters, we put the heaters on, filled the kettle and waited. Our volunteers arrived; Liz, bearing gifts of freshly baked bread and gingerbread - and an illuminated M for Matri. And Haroom, both practised in listening and ready for the first guests.

I wasn't sure we'd see anyone at all...but not long after the clock struck 10, our first Guests arrived. And they kept coming, a mixture of people walking in, having seen our open doors, and people from other projects, who had seen our centre advertised. We had a visit from Leicester council of Faiths, and from a Womens Aid representative, eager to see what we were doing and to make connections with us.

There was a wonderful atmosphere today, conversations flourished between guests and volunteers, and between guests, ideas were shared and space given for people to just be listened to. Many cups of tea were drank, and coffee...and hot chocolate.

Two hours later we said goodbye to our guests and volunteers, and packed away what little of Liz's gingerbread that remained. I took down the signs, and the door was locked. Until next week - when we will open again, Monday at 10 o'clock, ready for more guests, more conversation, and more cups of Tea.

Perhaps we'll see you there....?

Best Wishes

Gareth

Maitri Project Volunteer

11th December 2006: The Third Meeting

A cold December day, with the rain bouncing off the pavements, and all around the project, convinced us to begin today's activities inside. We're still in the pre-launch stage of the Maitri drop in centre, and the plan for today was to focus on some more sharing and team building activities, to get to know each other a little better and to begin to publicise the launch of the drop in on Jan 8th next year.

We began the session with a stone passing, (a tradition of the Amida Trust - who are coordinating the project);  In this exercise a stone is given to one member of the group who can then share what's on their mind, while this person has the stone, they shouldn't be interrupted, everyone will get a chance to share, (although we relaxed the rules a little, today) when that member of the group has finished speaking, they can then pass the stone to someone else who then share in the same way, and so on and so forth, until all the group has had a chance to speak. At which point the stone is returned to the centre of the circle, and may be taken by anyone with a strong urge to respond, or share something else.

Sometimes the sharing is upon a particular theme, but today we just wanted to get to know each other a little better, although inevitably we began to share our hopes for this project, and some concrete ideas and questions began to form, so we wrapped up the stone passing and began to record some of those thoughts.

It's wonderful to be able to share our hopes for this project, and also to begin to share a little about our own backgrounds and experiences, which vary widely within the group. If you're interested in becoming a volunteer with the project, we'd love to hear from you, contact details are on the front page.

Well - the rain subsided and we headed in to the town centre, busy despite the weather. Mudita had prepared some fliers to raise awareness of the project and the launch date so we spent some time distributing them, perhaps if you're out Christmas shopping you'll see a couple.

(This exercise was personally useful to me a well, as a newcomer to the City it's wonderful to be able to walk around with someone who knows where they're  actually going....)

Eventually the skies became brighter and we said our goodbyes. There's a wonderful feeling of friendship within the group, which you can see in the photograph on the front page, taken during todays session.  It's this feeling, of being part of a family and welcomed through the doors, that is one of the things we hope to be able to share.

Best Wishes

Gareth
Maitri Project Volunteer

20th November 2006: First Meeting

Our first meeting was held on November 20, 2006.  At this meeting we got to know each other, discussed the Amida Trust, the Friendship Model of working, and participated in a basic listening skills exercise. 

The Friendship Model is one where we make friends, and help our friends through the skills we bring to the relationship.  It is a two-way participatory model of building a helping network and has been instrumental in the success of all projects coordinated by Amida Trust.

Future meetings will be held on Monday mornings between 10am and 12:30.

Welcome

Welcome to the Home Page of the Maitri Project. You can navigate this site by using the Categories section in the side panel. In particular, do check out forthcoming events.

Maitri means "loving-kindness".  The Maitri Project, Leicester (coordinated by Amida Trust) is a welcoming community space that offers spiritual support and befriending to people of all faiths, and none.  Run entirely by volunteers, it is creative and inclusive and will offer a variety of services including free/low-cost supportive counselling, groups, and drop-in-activities, to nurture the health and well being of those who visit us.

While open to anyone, we are particularly concerned to offer friendship and support to people who have ongoing mental health problems; have experienced being marginalised or excluded; or who have been isolated from their faith communities.

Through taking part in activities at the Maitri Project we hope participants will be able to develop greater resilience in times of stress, enhance personal relationships, find a new perspective on personal issues and questions, and gain confidence in living their lives more fully.

Current Activities

Maitri Centre Drop In

Mondays 10:30 am-1:00 pm

Need someone to talk to? A friendly ear, and a cup of tea? Come along to the Maitri Drop In, look for the signs at the front of Bishop Street Methodist Church, or read about the first session.

Maitri Womens Group

Tuesday 7pm - 9pm From August 28, Registration required.

Location

The project will be located in the rooms of the Bishop Street Methodist Church, 10a Bishop Street, Town Hall Square, Leicester.

Who Is Amida Trust?

Amida Trust, Charity# 1060589, was founded in 1996. It supports the Amida Order, which is a small Pureland Buddhist Order. In addition to its work in the UK, Amida Trust has been engaged in socially orientated work in a number of countries including India, Zambia and the Balkans. It currently has involvement in India, Zambia, Vietnam, Hawaii and Europe. This work varies according to local needs, as our emphasis is always on building friendship and responding to invitations.  Amida Trust conducts post-graduate level training in Buddhist Psychology and Counselling, Chaplaincy and Ministry, Engaged Buddhism and Overseas Volunteering.  In India our volunteer work focuses on education, in Zambia on health, in Hawaii on ecology and local disadvantaged groups, in Vietnam on work with children. 

Volunteering

In supporting a team of dedicated volunteers, we wish to:
· to foster friendship, and a spirit of working together for the benefit of all people.
· to promote mutual learning and support
· to support individuals who, through voluntary work, wish to put principles of universal compassion into practical effect;
· to help people make social action an integral part of one's spiritual practice;
· to foster good relations and co-operative contact between people and between different religious and social groups.

Volunteers from all faiths groups, as well as volunteers of no faith, are most welcome.

Volunteers are needed for a drop-in morning, women’s group, counselling and refugee/asylum seeker group as well as for such things as publicity, advertising and networking.

Training will be provided to volunteers around such topics as basic listening skills, faith awareness, spirituality, issues around mental health, asylum and refugee issues, goupwork and more.

Contact Details

Mudita
Maitri Project Coordinator
Amida Trust
12 Coventry Road
Narborough, Leics
LE19 2GR
Tel: 0116 286 7476
Email: mudita@amidatrust.com
Web: www.amidatrust.com