Kagyu Samye Dzong London News

July 2007
             

Contents

  1. Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche on compassion
  2. Healing Stress through Meditation
  3. Sponsored walk in Richmond Park
  4. Holistic Treatment Day - report
  5. Forthcoming Events

Welcome to the July newsletter

News in Brief

  • Summer closure - both Centres close at 9.00 pm on Sunday 22nd July. Manor Place reopens on Tuesday 7th August at 9.00 am for the regular low cost clinic, and Carlisle Lane reopens on Wednesday 8th August at 2.00 pm.
  • The new program for Manor Place covering July to end of October has now been printed and is also up on the website.
  • Lama Yeshe's June visit was popular as ever (surprise, surprise!). If you were there and want to remind yourself of a memorable visit (or are wondering what you missed), feel free to checkout the latest slideshow.
  • The annual Southwark Interfaith Walk will take place this Saturday, 14th July. Taking in mosques, churches and a certain Tibetan Buddhist Centre, it starts at 9.45 and finishes at 5.30 pm. Click here for details.
  • Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche will be teaching in Samye Dzong London on Thursday 20th September
  • The Holistic Treatment Day went really well and we'd like to thank all those who took part and made it possible - not least Joelle Peters who has worked so hard on these events in recent years. What's so special about the Holistic Treatment Days is not just that they have raised money for the Centres, but that what is offered (and the spirit in which it's offered) is very much in keeping with the purpose of Samye Dzong London. Thank you again.
  • Finally, if you fancy a trip down memory lane, you can check out most of the back issues of the newsletter on the Samye Dzong website. You can either go to the main page and click on "News", which will take you to a listing of all the newsletters - or today you can just click here to remind yourselves of my many words of wisdom.

1 - Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche on Compassion....

"At present a measure of compassion exists in everyone. No matter how selfish people are, they are often still able to care for their parents, children, lovers or friends. Even creatures habituated to killing, such as snakes and crocodiles, maintain affection for their own young. However, when compassion is restricted solely to an individual's immediate family or species, it excludes many more beings than it embraces and is very narrow compared with the limitless compassion which we are all capable of generating. Whereas some compassion is better than none, limitless compassion is the best of all.

In the beginning, it is helpful to realise how we all share the awakened state of mind as potential. However, it has become obscured by ignorance and the accumulation of negativity. Misunderstanding and unskilful actions similarly prevent us from seeing and realising that potential. Removing these obscurations and defilements, however, will enable us to go beyond the illusion of separate existence and realise the interdependence of all things. It will become evident that when we harm others we are harming ourselves; and when we take care of others, we are taking care of ourselves. When we are able to see the awakened state of mind as potential in friend and enemy alike we will have equal compassion for everyone.

Essentially everyone wants happiness and the causes of happiness, just as we do. Even those who create suffering for themselves do so out of ignorance for no-one sincerely wants to be unhappy. They just do not realise that it is virtue that creates happiness and a happy state of mind which inspires us to practise virtue."

Clive Holmes will be leading a course on the development of compassion - "Bodhicitta according to the Jewel Ornament of Liberation" at Carlisle Lane on Friday 13th - Sunday 15th July, £55. Phone 020-7928 5447 to book your place now.

2 - Healing stress through meditation with Clive Holmes- 18th-19th July, Manor Place

There is so much stress in the world right now that the most generous thing we can do for our family and our society is to cultivate our own calmness, kindness and insight. We can do this through understanding the nature of our own emotions through understanding the basics of emotional intelligence and how our awareness can be hi-jacked by disturbing thoughts and afflictive emotions.  With enough skill, we can go beyond stress and live our lives according to the middle way.

To help us do this, the first part of the course will be devoted to specific relaxation techniques. These will be breathing exercises and visualisation techniques, very simple, effective and practical for our busy lives. Also there will be investigation of the fundamental reasons why we feel stress in the first place. Ways of preventing it becoming too great will be given along with a more humorous, light-hearted approach to the whole topic.

Clive is a popular teacher who leads his workshops with warmth and humour and makes what he teaches accessible to all. To book your place on this course phone 020-7708 8969.

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3 - Sponsored walk in Richmond Park

Running two Centres takes time, effort.. ..and money. To help deal with this last (but not least) item on the list we are organising the

2007 Samye Dzong Sponsored Walk in Richmond Park on 25th August 2007

If you would like to walk around the glorious Richmond Park, see deer roaming free and other lovely wildlife, just a short distance from central London then please sign up! All you need to do is collect a sponsor form, persuade all the people you know to pledge some money for your walk and then turn up on the day and get walking!!!! Children and dogs are welcome too!!!! All ages invited- we take it nice and steady! (walk is approx 8miles or 2 hours, bring a picnic lunch to share)

For more information contact estherbesta@hotmail.com or talk to someone in the office.

Thank you! Esther White
KSDL Fun Raiser

FUN RAISERS NEEDED!!!

As we've mentioned, money is one of the essentials we need to maintain the Centres, and in the same way that we have a Publicity Group to promote Samye Dzong London, we also need a group of Fun Raisers to generate ideas and organise enjoyable and profitable events.

Thank you to all those who have responded so far but we need more people involved to really get things started. If you're thinking about it but just haven't got round to contacting me, please don't hold back. Email me if you can help us get some ideas and a small group/working party together. I promise it will be FUN and I will always provide cake!!!

Cheers, Esther!

To get involved with the Fun Raising Group, please contact Esther White

4 - Holistic day report

The Holistic Day at Manor Place was a great success, thanks especially to Joelle Peeters and the 20 other therapists who gave of their time and skills so generously with an amazing variety of Holistic Therapies throughout the day. The place was transformed into a mini mind-body-spirit-festival for the day!!

There was very good turnout right from the start, and already by 3pm the treatments were almost fully booked out. We will have to add a few more therapists next time! The atmosphere was bright and sunny and full of happy faces, as people were being pampered with shiatsu, Indian head massage, Korean hand massage, polarity therapy and lots, lots more. Many local people came to enjoy the day and to find out what the centre has to offer to the local community.

5 - Forthcoming events

To see the full programme of activities at the Centre, please click here to visit the website

Carlisle Lane Samye Dzong Manor Place Samye Dzong
JULY JULY

BODHICHITTA ACCORDING TO THE JEWEL ORNAMENT OF LIBERATION
with Clive Holmes
Fri 13th July 7 - 8.30pm, Sat 14th & Sun 15th 10 - 4pm
£55
The core of spiritual development in Mahayana Buddhism is the generation of Bodhichitta, the unconditional intention to help all beings become free from suffering. It is vital to become familiar with the training of letting go of our own self interests, and to learn to put the interests of others first. Clive Holmes has completed a one year retreat, and leads meditation courses at Kagyu Samye Ling and associated centres.

TEACHINGS ON THE GREEN TARA PRACTICE
with Lama Zangmo
Sat 21st July 10am - 4pm
£30
This is a day of instructions for those people who would like to become more familiar with the Green Tara Puja, which is done to overcome both outer and inner obstacles. At the Kagyu Monlam in Bodh Gaya this year, His Holiness the 17th Karmapa advised us to dedicate our Green Tara practice to the long life of Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche. You will need text, pen and paper. The Puja is done every Sunday morning at Samye Dzong London and is open to all.

SUMMER CLOSURE
The centre will be closed from the 23rd July - 7th August. Reopens Wed 8th August 2pm

Southwark Interfaith Walk
Saturday 14th July, 9.45 am - 5.30 pm
Starting at the New Peckham Mosque on Cobourg Road and wending it's way around South East London taking in Mosques, Churches and a certain Tibetan Buddhist Centre. Click here for full details.

STRESS REDUCTION
with Clives Holmes
Wed 18th & Thurs 19 July 7pm - 8.30pm
£10 per evening
These two evenings will focus on the causes of stress and how to overcome stress through the use of meditation. Suitable for all. Clive Holmes teaches meditation in Samye Ling and associated centres.

TAMING THE MIND
with Lama Zangmo
Sun 22nd July 10am - 4pm
£30
A weekend of meditation instructions introducing simple techniques that have been tried and tested for the last 2,500 years. Ideal for beginners. Bring lunch to share.
AUGUST AUGUST

TEACHINGS ON THE CHENREZIG PRACTICE
with Lama Zangmo
Sat 18th August 10am - 4pm
£30
Chenrezig is the great Bodhisattva who embodies the compassionate activity of all the Buddhas, continually manifesting to free beings from suffering and guide them towards enlightenment. The course will focus on the Chenrezig text and instructions will be given on the chanting, visualisation and mantra recitation. Please bring Chenrezig text (available from the shop), pen and paper. Bring lunch to share.

HOW MINDFULNESS LEADS TO INSIGHT
with Rob Nairn
Fri 31st Aug 7pm - 8.30pm, Sat 1st Sept & Sun 2nd Sept 10am - 4pm
£55
Training in mindfulness will settle the mind and produce tranquillity. Insight will not arise unless one learns to focus the mind with clarity. We will practice settling and stabilizing the mind, and also learn exercises for improving insight. Rob has completed a four year retreat at Kagyu Samye Ling and has written several books on meditation.

 

INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION
Tue 7th August 7pm - 8.30pm
£10
This course will give an introduction to the basic meditation techniques such as posture and the use of the breath as a focus. The evening is open to all, whether Buddhist or non-Buddhist.

INNER POTENTIAL - INNER PEACE
with Lama Zangmo
Sun 19th August 10am - 4pm
£30
Universal basic goodness, or Buddha nature, refers to how we are all in essence innately pure. The challenge is to face ourselves, and then to embark on a journey of personal growth and discovery to develop our latent potential. The day will be a combination of instructions and meditation, suitable for all. Bring lunch to share.

SPONSORED WALK AROUND RICHMOND PARK
led by Esther White
Sat 25th August
Esther will lead us on a leisurely ramble around Richmond Park, with a picnic by the lake halfway through. An enjoyable day out as well as an opportunity to raise money for Samye Dzong! Get your friends and family involved in sponsoring a permanent home for Samye Dzong London!
Sponsorship forms and info about route and meeting time available from the office at Manor Place Samye Dzong

 

 


About the Newsletter

This newsletter goes out to those who have expressed an interest in Kagyu Samye Dzong London. It covers news of the efforts and progress towards finding and funding a new site for the centre, and other events taking place in the coming weeks

Being on this mailing list is not compulsory. If you do not want to receive this newsletter, or would like it to be sent to a different email address, please use the links at the bottom of the newsletter.

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Kagyu Samye Dzong London Tibetan Buddhist Centre
Carlisle Lane, Lambeth, London, SE1 7LG
Tel 020 7928 5447
Email: london@samye.org

and

Manor Place Samye Dzong
33 Manor Place, London, SE17 3BD
Tel: 020-7708 8969
Email: manorplace@samye.org

Web-site: www.samye.org/london
Newsletter editor: David Bates davidjbates@mac.com