New Year NEWSBYTE
Dear Friends
Wishing you all a very fruitful 2016
A time to reinforce or reconsider our direction.
I hope this Newsbyte finds you all well and happy!
A full description of courses on our NEW website. http://www.satipanya.org.uk
Cold, damp winter : warm heart Bird Bath
Click: Calendar 2016
Tip o’ the Day below
The next few Tips on Love
Celibacy.
In Gratitude.
Rob Poleykett: As the newly elected chair of Satipanya Buddhist Trust, I would to express thanks on behalf of the Trust and Bhante for the support of the following:
The Trust: We have a seen a great change in our Trustees.
Those leaving:
Ernie Gunesekera left. He had been instrumental in getting our mortgage and buying the property. As an engineer he was able to advise us about water supply too. He was the Chair of the Trust for the last three years.
Nick Costaras joined the Trust at its inception in 2003. He had organized weekend retreats in London before the centre was bought. Nick was the Trustee with the more business approach which was crucial when we dithered about buying or not.
Sharon and Keith Hammond are both accountants. Although not Trustees, Sharon was our honorary secretary and claimed our gift aid, while Keith did our books. It is difficult to express what an enormous support they have been getting the centre off the ground.
Those joining:
Jim Tibby, a retired teacher, has joined the Trust and is supporting Mark in his role as Kitchen Co-ordinator. He’s also a keen gardener and will work with Andy to enhance the property.
Mike Regan is laser safety consultant and has an eye for detail. He has taken on the Treasurer role and is setting up Paypal accounts to ake the whole business of deposits and donations easy for us.
Remaining:
Rob Poleykett as our chair and Dea Paradisos as our secretary.
Thanks to all Co-ordinators:
Marion looks after the applications and all the enquiries that ensue. Mark continues to order all needed for the courses and help the assistants; Andy takes good care of our meadows and gardens; Carl putting in all the effort needed to get the new website up, Mailchimp started and now to organise a Paypal account which will make the accounting so much easier in the future.
Thanks to all Eighteen Assistants: without whom it would be very difficult indeed to run the courses.
Last by no means least! Thanks to regular and occasional donors who have made possible all the enhancements to the property and the new Accommodation Block hopefully up by the end of summer.
Extraordinary Trust Meeting Nov.29 2015, the first one at Satipanya
Top Left to Right: Rob Poleykett (Chair), Mark Blaxland (Kitchen Co-ordinator), Mike Regan (Treasurer), Bhante Bodhidhamma (Resident Teacher), Carl Fooks (IT and Website Co-ordinator and trainee Dhamma teacher), Jim Tibby (Trustee responsible Kitchen and Property) Andy Harold (Co-ordinator for the Property)
Bottom Left to Right: Keith Hammond (our Accountant), Sharon Hammond (Hon.Secretary till Nov.29.), Marion Vint (Co-ordinator for Applications), Dea Paradisos (Secretary as of Nov 29.), Noirin Sheahan (Dhamma Teacher)
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
New Website! Have you seen the new website. Any feedback on the website, especially glitches, wrong spelling, lack of clarity etc., most welcome!
Julian Bound is a photojournalist from Oswestry, Shropshire, UK. Jourrney through Buddhism in Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia.
Kindle copy for £1.99 View photos: The Middle Way by Julian Bound
Karuna Book: Every morning at puja we call the names of those who a sick /dying or having a hard time.
Mudita Book: Every evening at puja we call the names of those who have something to rejoice about.
The Complete Calendar for 2016
Assistants Needed
N.B. All the courses are serviced by assistants.
As an assistant, we do not expect payment of the deposit because you have kindly offered your time.
And as usual any dana by you is entirely in your gift.
However, your commitment is essential, for the course would be very difficult to run without an assistant and may indeed have to be cancelled.
If you are interested, follow this link: Course Assistant
For info. about Retreats and teachers see website www.satipanya.org.uk
See drop down menus: especially About Us, Teachings and Retreats
Would you like to come and assist on a course?
Scroll down to see where we need you.
All Retreats run by Bhante Bodhidhamma
unless otherwise stated
Click on names for bio.
New Year Retreat
09 -17 January
Assistant: Jim Tibby
The usual schedule and format – see website.
Day Retreat
Assistant : Needed
Kick Start/Top up
Sat. 12 March
Arrive 09.30. Finish 17.00
Please bring food to share.
Easter Mahasi Retreat
Assistant : Jim Tibby
Sat. 19 March – Sun 03 April
The usual schedule and format – see website.
Mahasi Retreat
Assistant : Needed
Sat.09 – Sat. 16 April
‘Sayadaw U Pandita's definition of Mindfulness: Mindfulness is the observing power of the mind, which clearly and simply experiences an object, without reacting to it. We start actively to develop this power with the body as primary object. That makes it possible not to get fully entangled in the hindrances and to come to know something about them. Sitting meditation, walking meditation and daily activities are fully equal in importance. Gradually we come to know other objects of meditation, both internally and externally.’
Contemplative Vesakha Retreat
Celebrating the Life of the Buddha
Assistant : Needed
Sat. 23 -April – Sun. 01 May
Usual Mahasi schedule
with option to reflect and read.
Taking Refuges and Precepts Ceremony
On Saturday 30 April
Please bring veggie food to join us for communal lunch at noon.
Ceremony starts 13.30
Talk: Where there’s suffering, there’s the end of it.
Mahasi Weeklong Retreat
Assistant : Needed
Sat. 07 – Sun. 15 May
The usual schedule and format – see website.
Mahasi Weeklong Retreat
Sat. 21 – Sun.29 May
Assistant : Needed
The usual schedule and format – see website.
Mahasi Weeklong Retreat
Assistant : Needed
Sat. 18 – Sun. 26 June
The usual schedule and format – see website.
Summer Mahasi Retreat
Assistant : Needed
Eleven week roll-on, roll-off Retreat.
Minimum stay eight nights.
Start dates: Saturdays:-
02 & 16 & 30 July; 13 & 27 Aug. 10 Sept.
Finishing Sun. 18 Sept
N.B. Start restricted to listed Saturdays.
Alternate Sun. possible for Mahasi devotees.
A challenging Retreat easily modified for beginners.
See Beginner’s Testimonials on website.
You are encouraged to stay for more than one week.
Assistants : Needed
Starting and ending on following Saturday.
02 – 16 July : Needed
16 July – 30 July : Assistant : Needed
30 July – 13 August : Assistant : Needed
13 – 27 August: Assistant : Needed
27 August – 10 September: Assistant : Needed
10 – 18 (Sunday) September: Assistant : Needed
Sangha Day : Ninth Anniversary
Saturday 17 September
Please bring veggie food to join us for communal lunch at noon.
Ceremony starts 13.30
Talk: To be announced.
Mahasi Two Week Retreat
Sat. 24 Oct. – Sun. 09 October
Preference given to those who want to stay two weeks.
Assistant : Needed
The usual schedule and format – see website.
Day Retreat
Saturday 15 October
Local Assistant : Needed
Kick Start/Top
Arrive 09.30. Finish 17.00
Please bring food to share.
Weekend Retreat
Fri. 21 – Sun. 23 p.m. October
Assistants : Needed
See usual Schedules
Autumn Mahasi Retreat
29 Oct. – 20 Nov.
Bhante Bodhidhamma
Assistant(s) : Needed
Preference is given to those who wish to stay for the full three weeks.
The usual schedule and format – see website.
Day Retreat
Kick Start/Top up
Saturday 03 December
Local Assistant : Needed
Arrive 09.30. Finish 17.00
Please bring food to share.
Xmas Retreat
Fri. 23 – Tues. 27 December
Assistant : Needed
N.B. This retreat is reserved for those who have completed a Retreat as Satipanya.
The first day will be a normal retreat schedule though we shall rise at 5.30.
An opportunity to make it a day of fasting
in solidarity with the one in nine people undernourished and starving.
The second day, Xmas Day, is a contemplative day
looking at the qualities of gratitude, renunciation and generosity.
During a group event, you will be asked to speak
about an event which manifests the goodness of mankind.
The third day is communal. There is a walk – weather permitting.
Xmas menu will be close to the traditional veggie fare - a set menu!
New Year Retreat
Thurs. 29 December to Mon. 02 January
Assistant : Needed
N.B. This retreat is reserved for those who have completed a Retreat as Satipanya.
The first day will be a normal retreat schedule though we shall rise at 5.30.
An opportunity to make it a day of fasting
in solidarity with the one in nine people undernourished and starving.
On the second day, the Eve, we will see in the New Year.
During a group event, you will be asked to tell us about an event which has had a effect upon you - international, national or local or personal.
We hope to have a bonfire.
A day to reflect on the past year, plenty of time to oneself.
Retreatants will be asked to say a little about an virtuous event chosen by them.
The third day, New Years Day, is communal with a walk – weather permitting.
Celibacy
To coin a Churchillian phrase: some are born celibate, some have celibacy thrust upon them and some grow into celibacy. (Churchill had said this of greatness.)
In more religious times and even now in Buddhist countries, a woman may boast she is still a virgin. And a man is not considered any less a man who joins the Sangha as a child or young teenager and never has any sexual encounter throughout their lives.
How strange to a Westerner. Sounds even perverse. A life without sex! But we fail to remember that the ‘sexual revolution’ of the 60’s is not that long ago. And such has been the sexualising of our society – with easy pornography – that even children are caught up in lust - and themselves lusted.
No-one needs sex. It’s not like food. And since sexual desire is probably our greatest driver, can you imagine the relief when you are no longer hounded by sexual cravings as someone with OCD may feel when relieved of their compulsion.
And can you imagine the energy released for other purposes?
For those who find themselves temporarily celibate, take the opportunity to find out how it feels when you let go of lustful thoughts. As with all acts of renunciation, you have to resist the fantasies and suffer the desire, feel it in the body, till the compulsive need exhausts itself completely to feel the release, the relief and the joy of liberation – even if only once!
And there is romance which blossoms often into an intimate relationship. This is also forsaken in celibacy. To someone seeking a greater love, such love is confining.
There are also all the other loves - parent and child, friend with friend, even spiritual friendships and so on – all will have some psychological dependency. This ‘attachment’ is not to be seen as evil, but unskilful. It has unwanted consequences. Such loves cannot be universal by definition.
True universal love arises when there are no particulars. And this can only be arrived at through relinquishing particulars.
The Buddha says our love should go out to the whole world, ourselves included, without any hatred or preference. In other words, whoever we meet within that given moment, whether we like them or not or whether they like us or not, they are focus of our goodwill.
Such will not be perfectly possible to do till the delusive sense of self which creates fences is taken down. But we can begin the process of dismantling them.
When we are with someone, let us give them our full attention with the desire to know where they are coming from, how they feel, what they are saying. And at the same time to be aware of the background of reactions and responses that arise within us. To develop an affectionate awareness. And respond from the heart of goodwill.
In this way we can all in given moments, unhindered by erotic, romantic or specific loves, be ‘celibate’. For this is the reason for celibacy – to develop unhindered love.
Difficult!
Ponderings:
Why do you think the Buddha did not return to his family and the household life after his Enlightenment?
Why did he create a celibate institution, the monastic Sangha?
How might you practice celibacy within a relationship?
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Many thanks.
Books:
Encouragements to Awakening : Books are now available from Wisdom Books.
This booklet is being kept at Wisdom Books who very generously will only charge you postage.
Towards the End of Forgiveness (Angulimala Monologue) ‘Sold out’, but can be downloaded from the website: Towards the End of Forgiveness
If you haven't been on Wisdom Book's website, it's worth exploring it. They are THE distributors of Buddhist books in UK. Type in Bodhidhamma in search box to find the books: Wisdom Books
Both are also available as PDF files for eReaders etc. Books
Finally, please forward this email if you know someone who may be interested. Thanks.
Metta
Onward
!
Bodhidhamma
SATIPANYA BUDDHIST TRUST
Directors - Rob Poleykett, Mike Regan, Dea Paradisos, Jim Tibby
Limited Company Number 05924965 Registered Charity Number 1116668
Satipanya, White Grit, Minsterley, Shropshire SY5 0JN
T: 0044 (0)1588 650752 email: bodhidhamma@satipanya.org.uk info: info@satipanya.org.uk
