1 - Dorje Sempa practice day and recitation of the 35 Buddhas
This year we have had the good fortune to have Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche giving the Dorje Sempa empowerment at Easter, and then the Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche teaching about the 35 Buddhas. So now, if you've received the empowerment, you have the good fortune to be able to receive the instructions and a chance to practice them under the guidance of Lama Zangmo on this practice day.
We will start the day with an explanation of the Dorje Sempa practice of purification, with the main part of the day spent in meditation. |
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The Dorje Sempa practice day will take place on Saturday 24th November from 10.00 am - 4.00 pm at Carlisle Lane, suggested donation £30. Bring lunch to share. To book your place now contact the office either by email or on 020-7928 5447.
Please note - you do need to have the Dorje Sempa empowerment to attend this course.
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2 - The Alchemy of Compassion
The ever popular Clive Holmes returns to Samye Dzong London this month to share teachings on how to awaken and practise compassion in our daily lives. Clive writes:
"The alchemy can take place when we learn to transform emotional poisons into understanding. Rather than giving our rubbish to those around us, we can learn to “compost-garden” our unhelpful emotions and turn them into something useful and valuable. The basic text for this teaching- The Seven Points of Mind Training - has been useful for hundreds of years all over the world encouraging a fresh outlook on life."
Clive Holmes has completed a one year retreat and has led many meditation courses at Samye Ling and associated centres.
The Alchemy of Compassion will be taking place at Carlisle Lane on Friday 9th November at 7.00 pm and Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th from 10.00 am - 4.00 pm - £55. To book your place on this course either email or phone the office at Carlisle Lane on 020-7928 5447.
Clive will also be talking about Emotional Intelligence at Manor Place on Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th from 7.00 pm.
See Forthcoming Events for details.
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3 - Visiting Samye Ling for the first time, by David Bates
Before I went to Samye Ling, Lama Zangmo suggested that I could write about it for the newsletter and I readily agreed. I now feel rather foolish for having done so. For me it turned out to be not just a holiday in Scotland, but an experience that I now struggle to put into meaningful language. As it says in the song:
“Oh words are trains, for moving past what really has no name”
So now I will foolishly provide words for what I feel I cannot describe and hope it makes some sense to you. Here are just a few of the impressions that strike me as I look back on that week.
The almost complete absence of man-made noise – just the wind, birds and water. A stunning landscape – hills, woods, the River Esk in the bottom of the valley, and on a clear night? With the absence of streetlights or any nearby town, more stars than I’ve seen in a British sky since my childhood!
The sense that I was in a sacred place, a special place, was something that struck me the moment the taxi turned into the drive that led up to Purelands Retreat House. The drive curves up the hill and is lined on either side by colourful prayer flags flapping in the wind.p |
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The stupa at Samye Ling by the road, with the prayer wheel house behind it and the prayer wheels constantly turning 24 hours a day. Each prayer wheel packed with large sheets of paper which are covered with mantras in the tiniest print you’ve ever seen, and like virtually all of Samye Ling, built by volunteers. What struck me was the power of the aspiration behind it all, very much represented by the prayer wheels unceasing motion. “Turn every prayer wheel” I was told “and that’s another 45 million and 45 mantras going out into the universe”. I went down and turned them every day! |
A sense of being cared for and looked after in so many ways. Not just the teachings we received, or the food that was prepared for us, but also fellow retreatants thinking of each other too.
The way that everything is there to support you in your practice. I worried how I’d cope with going from 20-30 minutes of meditation a day to between four and five hours of formal sitting. It simply wasn’t a problem. Those hours were broken up with teaching, breaks through the day, time to walk over the hills and, despite my concerns about how I’d manage three days silence, it gave a welcome opportunity to go deeper and deeper and deeper into the practice.
The shock as I began to see the extent to which virtually every thought passing through my mind was based on attachment, aversion or ignorance and which one is strongest in me.
Early in the retreat Lama Yeshe spoke to us about the importance of forgiveness and letting go. “How?” I asked. Like many people I’m more familiar with the smiling, happy, jolly Lama Yeshe at large events. My question elicited a rather different response – not exactly fierce, but very, very direct. A question that was from the heart received an answer and instructions that went straight back there and which I followed with Lama Zangmo’s help through the week (and now beyond).
Thursday night – the end of the evening’s Chenrezig practice. As I was about to leave the Shrine Room with everybody else, something inside just said “Sit a bit longer”. During the day I seemed to have reached a sticking point. There was something I’d been struggling with for the past two years, unable to let go or forgive – and while the retreat had helped me understand the situation I just couldn’t let it be. Five minutes went past, then ten, then fifteen, then a voice said “forgive” and it was as though a stone in my heart had gone.
| That’s enough words now – probably more than enough. The more I try and write about it, the more the words seem to dry up, inadequate to the task they’ve been given. Perhaps I should just have said that the time couldn’t have been more right for me to go on a retreat – and Samye Ling was the best place for me to go, with teachers I know, like, respect and trust (now more so than ever!). I hope that if you go, you find the same.” |
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David edits the Samye Dzong London Newsletter and hangs around the Centre when he gets the chance. Modesty forbids him from putting his own photo in the newsletter, and the pictures above seemed more appropriate.
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4 - 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 |
| NOVEMBER |
NOVEMBER |
THE ALCHEMY OF COMPASSION:
with Clive Holmes
Fri 9 Nov at 7pm, and Sat 10th / Sun 11th Nov 10am-4pm
£55
Teachings will be shared on how to awaken and practise compassion in our daily lives. The alchemy can take place when we learn to transform emotional poisons into understanding. Rather than giving our rubbish to those around us, we can learn to “compost-garden” our unhelpful emotions and turn them into something useful and valuable. The basic text for this teaching- The Seven Points of Mind Training - has been useful for hundreds of years all over the world encouraging a fresh outlook on life.
Clive Holmes has completed a one year retreat and has led many meditation courses at Samye Ling and associated centres.
VOLUNTEER DAY
Sun 18th Nov 9.30am onwards
Yet another opportunity to help out the Centre and gain buckets of merit too!
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION
Thursdays starting 22nd November (until 13th Dec) 7pm
£35
A four-week introduction course for beginners. The course will give a good foundation for meditation practice, with instruction on posture, breathing and some simple visualisation techniques.
DORJE SEMPA PRACTICE DAY AND RECITATION OF THE 35 BUDDHAS:
with Lama Zangmo
Sat 24 Nov 10am - 4pm
£30
The day will start with an explanation of the Dorje Sempa practice of purification, with the main part of the day spent in meditation. It is necessary to have received the Dorje Sempa empowerment to attend. Bring lunch to share.
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INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION
Tues 6 Nov 7.00 - 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.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
With Clive Holmes
Wed 14 - Thurs 15 Nov
7.00 - 8.30pm
£10
The 5 key themes of emotional intelligence are: self awareness, self mastery, motivation, empathy and social skills. Understanding these five can help us in the home, at work or even in our leisure. We can grow out of dependence into independence and then on to effective interdependence contributing to the world around us and enjoying what the world has to offer.
Clive has completed a one year retreat and has led many meditation courses at Samye Ling and associated centres. He edits teachings and lectures for publication and co-edited Akong Rinpoche’s books ‘Taming the Tiger’ and ‘Restoring the Balance’.
VOLUNTEER DAY
Sat 17th Nov 9.30am onwards
Liberate those leaftlets - let the world know where we are and what we do! Think of the merit of helping even one more person come across the Dharma.
HOW TO DEAL WITH STRESS
with Lama Zangmo
Sunday 25 Nov
10am - 4pm
£30
We will look at the roots of stress and the attitudes and habits which keep us in the grip of stress. Meditation instructions and techniques for changing attitudes will be provided. Bring lunch to share.
Lama Zangmo is the teacher and spiritual director of Kagyu Samye Dzong London. She has completed 3 long retreats over the course of twelve years and she is available to all for spiritual guidance and advice. |
| DECEMBER |
DECEMBER |
THE ABC OF MEDITATION:
with Alistair Appleton
Sat 1st - Sun 2nd December 10am - 4pm
£55
This is a course for absolute beginners or those who wish to get back to the bare bones of meditation. Over the two days we’ll look at the basics of silent meditation – concentration, mindfulness and simple visualisation – all powerful tools for reducing stress, clearing the mind of mental debris and preparing ourselves for spiritual practice. You don’t need any previous experience, nor are you expected to have a Buddhist background. It’s the perfect way to begin meditation in the run-up to Christmas. All proceeds from the course go to Manor Place. Bring lunch to share.
INTERMEDIATE MEDITATION:
with Ani Kunzang
Sat 8th - Sun 9th December 10am - 4pm
£55
This course is suitable for people who already have some meditation experience and who wish to further their practice and understanding. Ani Kunzang will clarify basic meditation techniques, which participants may already be familiar with, as well as presenting new ones. Bring lunch to share.
SILENT RETREAT DAY
Sat 15th Dec 10am - 4pm
£30
A day devoted to the practice of the Shinay meditation of calm abiding. The day will start with brief instructions and the emphasis will be on the meditation itself with the main part of the day spent in silent retreat. Bring own lunch. Not suitable for total beginners. The Centre will only be open to the public for the evening puja at 7pm.
The Centre will be closed to the general public from Monday 17 Dec. till 2pm, 2 Jan.
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INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION
Tue 11th December 7 - 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.
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