Kagyu Samye Dzong London News

June 2009

Contents

1. Visit of Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche
2. New Building Update from Lama Zangmo
3. Mindfulness for a Happier Life
4. Can you help with..? Tashi's wishlist
5. Forthcoming Events

News in Brief

1 - Visit of Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche

Here is the full programme for Rinpoche's visit in July. However keep your eyes open for a special email later this month concerning the location of Rinpoche's visit. Suffice to say that it may not be at Manor Place!

SATURDAY 4 JULY

10.00am – 11.00am "Advice from the Heart" from Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche
11.00am – 11.30am Break
11.30am – 12.30pm Faith and Devotion with Lama Zangmo
12.30pm – 13.30pm Lunch Break
13.30pm – 14.30pm Explanation of White Tara Empowerment by Gelong Thubten
14.30pm – 14.45pm Break
14.45pm – 16.00pm White Tara Empowerment

SUNDAY 5 JULY

10.00am – 11.00am Questions and Answers with Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche on the topic "How Compassion Leads to Happiness"
11.00am – 11.30am Break
11.30am – 12.30pm Explanation of Guru Rinpoche Empowerment by Gelong Thubten
12.30pm – 14.00pm Lunch Break
14.00pm – 16.00pm Guru Rinpoche Empowerment

TUESDAY 7 JULY

7pm – 8.30pm Training the Mind: A Public Talk with Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche

WEDNESDAY 8 JULY

7pm – 9pm Chenrezig Empowerment

£55 for the weekend (or £30 per day) and £10 for each of the evening sessions.

To book your place on these courses, contact the office at Manor Place by phone on 020-7708 8969 or by email.

2 - New building update from Lama Zangmo

It is a while since we last updated you on progress of the purchase of a new building.

The good news is we are now ready to sign the final papers, and we are very close to having a permanent home for Kagyu Samye Dzong London. After many years of raising funds, and thanks to the generosity of so many people (and with a loan from the bank), we are now in a position to buy a
beautiful building, which is perfect for our needs.

It has been a slow process which started last summer when we first saw the building for sale and many people have been involved to get to this point. There have been many complicated legal negotiations for the sale of a leasehold of 999 ( a thousand ) years, as well as seemingly endless planning issues. It has at times been frustrating and tiring, but it has also been wonderful to see everything finally come to fruition.

We are now coming to the end of that process, and I look forward to the time when we will open as a Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre for World Peace and Health. Later this month we will be sending you a special email with pictures of the building and information about the location and how to get there. You will also have the opportunity to come and see it for yourself in July, when Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche comes to London.

From July onwards we will be looking for volunteers to help with the renovation work, especially people with building skills and any previous building experience. If you are interested in getting involved in this joyful effort, please contact the office.

3 Mindfulness for a happier life - with Clive Holmes

In his book "Living, dreaming, dying" Rob Nairn writes:

We all want to be happy. Sometimes we are; often we are not. Why haven't we already attained permanent happiness? Because we don't know how. We are trapped in misunderstandings about ourselves, a form of ignorance that causes us to look for happiness in the wrong places.

Ignorance leads us to focus outward. We come to believe that happiness and peace of mind are to be found only "out there", that something has to be added to "me" before I can be happy. This eternal wild goose chase accounts for what most humans are doing - seeking happiness in externals such as a relationship, wealth, power, fame, possessions, beauty, or some ultimate experience. Some people may find temporary satisfaction in these endeavours but never true, deep, lasting happiness and peace of mind. Never the real thing.

What we achieve instead is disempowerment of ourselves. If I believe I can be happy or have peace of mind only if something external is added to my life or myself, the clear implication is that I am lacking. I lack that something; I can't be happy unless I find it. And so the desperate search commences.

This so tragically misses the point. Happiness is not out there; it is in here, in our own heart and mind. The Tibetans have an old saying:

"If your mind is at peace, you will be happy reagardless of outer circumstances.
If your mind is disturbed, you will be unhappy regardless of outer circumstances."

Clive's course...To book your place on this course now, contact the office at Manor Place by phone on 020-7708 8969 or by email.

4 - Can you help with..? Tashi's wishlist

With the prospect of another building to renovate (I'm almost tempted to say "..yet another building"), once again we need a range of equipment to get the work done. On the bright side, at least we shouldn't have to look for somewhere else in the near future!

To come back to the present however, donations of any of the following items on Tashi's wishlist would be a great help to the volunteers who should be getting to grips with our new property from July onwards:

• Beds, futons, bedding, mattresses
• Power tools (inc sanders)
• Telephone answer machine
• Protective clothing
• Ear defenders
• Gloves
• Telescopic rods (for painting)
• Water butts

And for those of you who fancy helping out on the building itself, feel free to check out the volunteer opportunities available.

Many thanks in advance for any assistance you can give, whether that's time or items on our wishlist.

For any offers of equipment or other help, please contact the office at Manor Place by phone on 020-7708 8969 or by email.

5 - Forthcoming events

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

JUNE

INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION
Tues 2 June – Tues 30 June (5 evenings). 7pm–8.30pm.
£40
Meditation is a skill that anyone can acquire. A regular meditation practice can help combat stress and depression and lead to a more fulfilled life. This course will present comprehensive instructions that are simple yet profound. Ideal for beginners.

ENLIGHTENMENT AND PARANIRVANA OF THE BUDDHA
Sun 7 Jun. 7pm – 8pm.
We will dedicate a Chenrezig Puja to the benefit of all beings on this auspicious day.

INTRODUCTION TO SHRINE ROOM DECORATION:
with Yeshe (Michael) Dorje
Wed 10th Jun – Wed 29 Jul (8 evenings). 6.30pm - 8pm.
£60 (concessions available).
This 8-week class is suitable for beginners as well as experienced artists. We welcome those interested in joining the painting team decorating the shrine rooms at the new centre, along with those who have a general interest in the subject.
The emphasis of this in-depth course will be development of practical skills along with explanations of the methods and materials used by generations of Tibetan artists. Participants will develop confidence and competence in this centuries-old craft.

THE 4 DHARMAS OF GAMPOPA
With Clive Holmes
Wed 10 Jun – Thu 11 Jun, 7pm – 8.30pm.
£20
These four dharmas, or truths, distil immense, universal wisdom into 4 short statements. They are a great help and inspiration for the practice of meditation. We will see the importance of turning our mind to the Dharma. We will also how this basic understanding can change and improve the quality of our meditation.
May my mind follow the Dharma
May the Dharma follow the path
May the path eliminate confusion
May confusion be transformed into wisdom

MINDFULNESS FOR A HAPPIER LIFE
With Clive Holmes
Sat 13 Jun – Sun 14 Jun. 10am - 4pm.
£55
This weekend will focus on dealing with painful mind states like depression, stress or the so-called "ruminative mind". There will be straightforward instructions on how to cultivate mindfulness and compassion so that we can let go of negative mind states and learn to see them in a fresh and different way. We cannot change all the stimuli that come into our minds but we can change our attitudes to them and make them healthy, helpful and wholesome. Bring vegetarian lunch to share.
Clive has received guidance and instruction on Buddhist meditation from teachers of all the main traditions, and has been leading courses and retreats all over the UK and Europe for the last seventeen years. His speciality is teachings in mindfulness and meditation for everyday life. He also has a degree in Western Philosophy.
He is co-editor of the best-selling books "Taming the Tiger" and "Restoring the Balance" by Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche.

MEDICINE BUDDHA PUJA
Sun 14th June. 7pm-8pm.
Free. Everybody welcome.
Please contact us if you would like a dedication made at this puja.

VOLUNTEER DAY
Sat 20 Jun. 10am onwards.
Come and help the centre with a variety of jobs. Have fun and gain lots of good merit! Lunch and plenty of tea will be provided. Please let us know in advance if you can come.

GURU RINPOCHE TSOK PUJA
Sun 28th June, 7pm-8:30pm. Free. Everybody welcome.
Offerings of fruit and flowers for the Tsok Pujas are welcome.

JULY

Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche
Sat 4 July – Sun 5 July 10am – 4pm &
Tue 7 July 7pm – 8.30pm,
Wed 8 July 7pm – 8.30pm
Full details above

MEDICINE BUDDHA PUJA
Sun 12th July. 7pm-8pm. Free. Everybody welcome.
Please contact us if you would like a dedication made at this puja.

VOLUNTEER DAY
Sat 18 Jul. 10am onwards.
Help keep your centre bright, clean and welcoming to all. Join us for a variety of jobs at Manor Place. Lunch will be provided, as will tea and great company. Please let us know in advance if you can come.

TARA PRACTICE DAY
Sat 25 Jul. 10am - 4pm.
This date commemorates the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma and is an auspicious day for practice. Green Tara, representing enlightened activity, helps us overcome obstacles. White Tara represents compassion and long life. This day will be devoted to practice as a way of overcoming obstacles and freeing beings from suffering. The practice will be dedicated to the long life of HH Karmapa, and our lineage masters. There we will not be any instruction. Bring vegetarian lunch to share.

GURU RINPOCHE TSOK PUJA
Sun 26th July, 7pm-8:30pm. Free.
Everybody welcome, as are offerings of fruit and flowers for the Tsok Pujas.

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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