Kagyu Samye Dzong aims to provide a place
of peace and tranquillity for all in central
London, with the shrine room available for
individuals to come and sit during the day. For
full details of the Centres,
including the programme of evening
meditations and forthcoming events, visit the
website at: www.samye.org/london
You may have noticed an emphasis on fundraising in the last couple of newsletters that's not been there before. There are three powerful reasons for this:
The massive commitment and effort being put in by the four cyclists who will be pedalling from Samye Dzong London to Samye Ling deserves a corresponding effort from us to support them.
The Centre at Carlisle Lane will be closing in September. There is no more room for manoeuvre.
We have started negotiations to buy a wonderful building in South East London and the need to generate funds is now more immediate and urgent. It is still early days and we will keep you fully informed as the situation develops.
Ultimately this is about securing a long-term base for Samye Dzong London so that we can continue to provide a place of peace and tranquility for all who live and work in the busy, hectic atmosphere that is London today - something I'm sure you can connect with from your own experience.
..and now for the rest of the newsletter.
1 - Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche blesses our Fab Four
On the weekend of the 28th-29th June Lama Yeshe gave his last teachings at Carlisle Lane before it closes in September (click here to see the slideshow). During the weekend he threw his full support behind our cyclists, blessing the bikes and promising a warm welcome on their arrival at Samye Ling. In his own words:
"Firstly let me say how impressed I am at your commitment to London Samye Dzong - see. That you are really willing to do what you can, physically its not going to be always comfortable, is it. Cycling from here all the way to Samye Ling, not easy. This commitment you give for fundraising makes me think there is a future here in Europe that Buddhism will flourish. The growth of Buddhism in parts of the world you can see involves everyone’s participation. Sometimes you think its just monks, nuns, Lamas, but it is lay Sangha that help by establishing a flow of resources acting like a back up, so I think this is very good. So I want to thank all of you, and we pray for your safe journey, I will make sure that when you arrive it is to the sounds of Jalings (Traditional ritual instruments used in Tibetan Buddhism).
Lama Yeshe blessing the bikes
All of you people here, you should each connect up with as many people as possible and ask them to help by sponsoring this bike ride. We really do want to have a permanent Centre here for the people of London. Lots of people complained that "we can’t come to Samye Ling, it's too far away, we would really like to have something in London". When I first came here, ten years ago, this place was all boarded up no potential, no hope. But I found hope, you can see how beautiful it is, through Lama Zangmo working very hard. You see, I have an idea, then other people have to do all the work! People have benefitted from Samye Dzong for ten years, they are able to come here whenever they are free.. ..Samye Ling is really planting such beautiful seeds. So we will have a beautiful Centre, with everyone participating."
Here is the second of our video interviews with our four cyclists. This time Neil talks about planning the route, his hopes and fears for the ride, and why doing it is so important. If you are unable to view this video from within your email, just click here.
To support Neil's efforts on the journey from Samye Dzong London to Samye Ling in Scotland, just go to http://www.justgiving.com/bikingforbuddhism in order to make your donation and leave a message.
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
JULY
JULY
TIBETAN LANGUAGE CLASS
Saturday 12 July 2 - 5pm
£15
This afternoon class is for people who can already read Tibetan. We will go through the meaning of a text, word for word, including some grammar and practice in spelling and reading aloud. This course must be booked in advance.
SILENT RETREAT DAY
Saturday 19 July 10am - 4pm
£30
A day devoted to the instruction and practice of Shinay meditation. The day will start with brief instructions in meditation and the emphasis will be on the practice itself. The main part of the day will be spent in silence. Lunch included. Please note: The Centre will only be open to the public after 4pm.
VOLUNTEER DAY
Sunday 20 July 9.30am onwards
An opportunity to do some work outdoors, gaining lots of merit and a tan at the same time. Lunch and plenty of tea provided. Please let us know in advance if you can come.
GREEN TARA WEEKEND
with Ani Kunzang
Saturday 26 - Sunday 27 July, 10am - 4pm
£55
The female deity Green Tara embodies all the perfect qualities of the body, speech and mind of all the Buddhas, and the practice is generally used to overcome obstacles. For those who wish to get more familiar with the Green Tara sadhana, this weekend will cover a general explanation of the practice, the mudras and the music. There will also be time for the actual meditation. Bring own lunch.
INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION
Tuesday 8 and 15 July 7 - 8.30pm
£18
This course will provide a foundation for beginning a meditation practice. There will be instructions on posture and breathing with time for meditation practice and addressing any potential difficulties which arise during meditation.
CULTIVATING KINDNESS AND COMPASSION
with Lama Zangmo
Sunday 20 July 10am - 4pm
£30
At the core of spiritual development is the generation of compassion and loving kindness and the unconditional intention to help all beings become free of suffering. It is vital on our spiritual path to become familiar with the training of letting go of our own selfish interests, and to learn to put the interests of others first. The day will consist of teaching sessions on mind training with time for meditation.
BUDDHISM IN A NUTSHELL
with Lama Zangmo
Tuesday 22 and 29 July 7 - 8.30pm
£18
This is an opportunity for anyone interested to learn more about the Buddhist philosophy and how to apply the teachings to everyday life.
AUGUST
AUGUST
Summer closure from 1st to 19th August
RESIDENTIAL RETREAT
with Lama Zangmo
Saturday 23 - Monday 25 August
£75
A weekend retreat suited to those who have attended the introductory meditation courses at Samye Dzong, as well as longer term practitioners. The weekend will provide an opportunity to integrate the instructions and get more experience of practice. There will be a combination of teaching, sitting and walking meditation over the weekend, as well as time for questions. Meals and accommodation will be provided. Please book early.
VOLUNTEER DAY
Saturday 30 August 9.30am onwards
A day for volunteering your time and skills at the Centre. Lunch and plenty of tea provided. Please let us know in advance if you can come.
VIDEO TEACHING on The Heart Sutra
by Khentin Tai Situpa Rinpoche
Sunday 31 August 2pm - 5pm
By Donation
These excellent teachings on the Prajnaparamita, the teachings on emptiness, were given by His Eminence Tai Situpa in Samye Ling in the early 1980's.
Summer closure from 1st to 19th August
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 weeksBeing 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.
