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Noirin here. We have now completed the first month of the spring-summer retreat and Bhante's first fortnight as a 'visiting teacher'! He says he is slowly finding his feet in his new life in the Shrewsbury Vihara.
Things have changed again in our plans to house the new manager (Jim Tibby). Another nearby house, "The Homestead" came up for sale in April. The Trust found it a much better buy than Poplar Cottage. It is being offered at a lower price, and is a recent build (1975) whereas Poplar Cottage is about 200 years old. Although its antiquity gives charm it also gives challenges for maintenance. And the close proximity of the big agricultural shed belonging to the farmers next door means an ongoing invasion of rodents - the survey had found evidence of recent activity in the loft and around the grounds.
The Homestead is just 20 mins walk from Satipanya, it's by the post-box for those of you who know the area. The house is small (two bedrooms) but well-built and bright, with a lovely garden surrounded by old meadows which the previous owners have maintained for decades and which were last year taken over by a community land trust which will maintain them as wildflower meadows.
We have now put our offer for Poplar Cottage on hold and have made an offer for The Homestead, which has been accepted, subject to us being able to show proof of purchase with 6-8 weeks. This is difficult as the financial uncertainty associated with the war in the Middle East has stalled the housing market in Bishops Castle. Thus we are busy pursuing mortgages, loans and donations to try to make up the required sum within this deadline.
If you can afford to make a donation it will be especially appreciated at this time. See the Treasurer's Report for more information.
Announcements
This years on-line course is titled "Rooted in Mud" and looks at the many ways our path to liberation can spring from the mud and mire of deep sorrows as well as the minor miseries of everyday life. The course includes suggested exercises for home practice and the opportunity to share your reflections with other students on the Satipanya Forum. It runs for 7 weeks starting mid-May and will run again in October. For further information or to register please contact Noirin.
Our house in Bishops Castle "Sativasa" remains open for personal retreats. Suitable only for those with a well-established meditation practice. Come for a week or longer. Retreats are self catering so the first day might need to be spent shopping, cooking etc. See here for more info. To apply email Bhante or Noirin.
has been published as an ebook, kindle, paperback and can be dowloaded as a PDF. Based on Noirin's Daily Life courses over previous years and supplemented by students' reflections, the book offers a study-practice guide to the Buddha's teaching on Mindfulness of Body, Feeling and Mind. Many thanks to Therese Caherty for editing. Further info here.
Satipanya London Sangha is a growing community of friendly and supportive meditators meeting in-person every month in a peaceful community garden near King's Cross station for group sits and lighthearted discussions.
If you'd like to attend upcoming meetings in London and practice vipassana in the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw then join our WhatsApp group using this link and say hello, or email Maz if you have any questions.
Join us for your daily meditation - Info.
An informal meditation group meets on a monthly basis via Zoom for a full day of meditation. Email Magda for details at [email protected]
This collaborative online group studies various dhamma topics across multiple traditions — so, not just Mahāsi practice. Carl says: We warmly extend an invitation to any practitioner who would like to join us. Currently meeting on the second and fourth Sundays of each month at 10:20am - around midday. Please contact Carl at [email protected] for further information.
Join 20.00 to 21.00 on the Sunday closest to the Full Moon. Bhante gives a short dhamma talk, followed by a 30-min sitting, refuges and precepts and we end by reading and chanting the metta sutta. For date of next Celebration.
Opening to the Impact of the Climate Emergency: Following on from the Zoom with Gwen Sanderson and Bhante Bodhidhamma in 2023, there are two options for ongoing engagement:
- Gwen Sanderson is facilitating monthly Climate and Dhamma Conversations which are held using Zoom. Email Gwen for further information or to register.
- Noirin Sheahan has set up a Satipanya Forum focussing on the Six Maxims (ethical training to prepare for the social and environmental consequences of climate change). Contact Noirin for further info or to register.
Every morning at puja we call the names of those who are sick or dying, or are having a hard time.
Every evening at puja we call the names of those who have something to rejoice.
Satipanya Courses
Vipassana as taught by the Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma
The Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma, one of the most influential vipassana insight meditation teachers of the last century, developed techniques to help us maintain moment to moment mindfulness from the instant we awake to the instant we fall asleep.
This leads not only to spiritual insights into our true, unborn-undying essence, but also, equally important, to the purification of the heart. So that we not only become wiser but more caring, generous, joyous and compassionate.
Applying the techniques on this retreat we follow a robust schedule, but meditators can modulate their practice to fit their level of experience, even absolute beginners. The accent is on relaxation and curiosity, rather than striving and concentration. And regular teacher contact, daily Q&A and personal interviews ensures students are supported throughout.
The retreat ends with advice on how to bring the practice into ordinary daily life to enhance our relationships and give spiritual meaning to our work and everyday tasks.
Assistants Needed
N.B. All the courses are serviced by assistants.
As assistant you have the opportunity to serve others. It can be a way of
expressing gratitude for the gift of Dhamma. Although the morning is mainly
taken up with breakfast preparation and cooking, the rest of day is for
practice.
You can see
the menus here (PDF).
As an assistant, we do not expect payment of the deposit or make a donation
because you have kindly offered your time.
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?
See calendar on website for up-to-date assistant need.
Please apply only when you are certain to come.
Rooted in Mud
An introduction to this year's On-line Daily Life Course
Noirin Sheahan
In his book No Mud, No Lotus Thích Nhất Hạnh says: Most people are afraid of suffering. But suffering is a kind of mud to help the lotus flower of happiness grow. There can be no lotus flower without mud.
This echoes the Upanisa Sutta, a lesser-known variation on the teaching of Dependent Arising. Many of you will be familiar with the 12-step formula for Dependent Arising, which describes a cause-and-effect chain whereby we unwittingly cause dukkha / suffering / unsatisfactoriness (final step) because of not understanding what causes dukkha (first step). Ironic isn’t it …
The Upanisa Sutta describes a further 12-step cause and effect process which starts with dukkha and ends with the knowledge of liberation. Suffering (dukkha) is the root cause of our liberation.
This is indeed an uplifting perspective on dukkha. There are other suttas which say much the same thing. Together they are known as the Spiral Teachings. They all describe an identical cause-and-effect process leading, like a spiral staircase, to liberation.
Interestingly they sometimes provide different entry points to the spiral and these differences provide the focus for this year’s course. Next year’s course will explore the later links in the spiral, but first we have the more pressing need to find ways of extracting ourselves from the mud so as to glimpse the light of freedom and orient ourselves in that direction.
It is refreshing to know that there are many ways to do this. In the opening lines of Anna Karenina, Tolstoy says: All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. In the mud of dukkha we become more individualized, go to our own extremes. What works to get me out of the mud might infuriate you, make you dig in deeper.
For me (today) it might be to withdraw from life with all its temptations and busyness, find a quiet spot to let myself cool off and heal. For you (today) it might be to launch yourself into some form of useful activity, busy yourself by taking good care of what matters. Tomorrow we could both be different – I might need to think of some inspiring ideal to prize myself from the mud; you might find your way out by investigating root causes.
The Spiral Teachings suggest seven different ‘entry points’ to the spiral: Faith / Confidence / Trust, Wise Investigation, Ethical Action, Restraint, Dedication & Care, Full Awareness, Inspiration. The course will suggest ways of developing all of these in ordinary daily life as well as in formal meditation. Thus when we are shocked by bad news, depressed at our failings or in whatever way knocked about by life, we will have seven possible ways to let this particular lump of mud nourish our path to liberation.
The notes and exercises are inspired by a Tricycle on-line course I attended a few years ago titled: The Spiral to Freedom, taught by John Peacock and Akincano Weber. They contend that the links in the spiral can be seen in everyday life, which I found to be true. It can be a challenge to see them in vipassana where our main job is to learn how to stop causing suffering. The Spiral Teachings help us acknowledge and appreciate moments where suffering is not being caused. It can be easier to see these in the arena of everyday life where broad awareness gives a different perspective to the more intense, fine focus developed in vipassana.
Experiencing and acknowledging moments when we’re not causing dukkha strengthens confidence in our ability to find the path to freedom. It also lessens the fear of making mistakes, causing dukkha unwittingly – which we’re bound to do till we’re fully liberated. It doesn’t matter so much that we keep burying ourselves up to the neck in mud when we know that the path to freedom is buried alongside us in the mud.
For more information or to register for the course contact me here: Noirin
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