Kagyu Samye Dzong London News

March 2010

Contents

1. Proposed visit of His Holiness
   17th Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje,
   to the UK in June 2010
2. Learning to meditate at Samye Dzong London
3. Forthcoming Events

News in Brief

1 - Proposed visit of His Holiness 17th Karmapa to the UK in June 2010

Under the umbrella name of Ten Directions Ltd, 17 Dharma organisations have requested His Holiness 17th Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje, to give talks and teachings in London in June 2010 as part of a wider European tour.

FULL PROGRAMME OF UK PUBLIC EVENTS

LONDON

Friday evening June 18th:
The Power of Peace - Meditation and Happiness

Saturday all day June 19th:
Facing the Challenges of the 21st Century

Sunday morning June 20th:
Kagyu Samye Dzong London
Public Talk: The Power of Compassion
Chenrezig Empowerment
Official opening ceremony of the new Centre.
Tickets for this event are not yet available. As soon as they are, we will announce it in the newsletter.

Sunday afternoon June 20th:
Blessing the Tibetan Peace Garden 3 pm and talk at 3:45pm
Tibetan Peace Garden, Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park (next to Imperial War Museum),
St George's Road, London SE1 6ER

EDINBURGH

Friday 25th June
The Key to Happiness
Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH1 2EA
For more information contact Samye Ling

DUMFRIESSHIRE

Samye Ling Programme:

Saturday 26th June
Welcoming Celebration in Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery.
Kagyu Samye Ling residents and extended community, friends and local dignitaries join together to welcome His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa with a traditional Scottish Pipe Band and entertainments.

Sunday 27th June
The Light of Hope in a Dark Age
Kagyu Samye Ling requests His Holiness to give a day of teaching on Guru Rinpoche to explain which form of practice is the most appropriate to our place and time, and how ordinary human beings can discriminate between false teachings and true ones.

Monday 28th June
Empowerment in Kagyu Samye Ling
His Holiness confers the Guru Rinpoche initiation.

To join the special mailing list to receive information about His Holiness's visit to Samye Ling please send an email.

2 - Learning to meditate at Samye Dzong London

Bernard Mordan writes "What is it like to come and learn about meditation at the Centre? The January group attending the 'Introduction to Meditation' classes that run each week in the Centre agreed to meet on the sofa after the last class and talk about their experiences.

"My mind was becoming very cluttered, I was becoming someone I didn't really know, and I didn't like it. My body was moving without my body following, I was doing quite mundane things, like washing dishes, but I kept dropping things, my mind wasn't present in the activity. My job was getting on top of me. So I had to build space into my life and I knew that meditation was the way to do that."

Chatting in our group we found that we all came to the class for different reasons and found ourselves looking for different things.

"One reason I started this course on meditation, was because of all the evidence I had read surrounding how helpful meditation is for stress, depression, anxiety and all those sorts of things. I've read enough now to think OK, now I'm ready to give it a shot. Having now tried for over three and a half months, the first few weeks were quite forced, but I kept going. Now I've noticed with myself, just meditating 5 - 10 minutes a day, that some of the changes within me have been quite fundamental in the way I relate to the world."

"I hoped it wasn't going to be too boring because I've done meditation before, but it wasn't it was really engaging. I felt happy to ask questions. The group was nice it was quite discursive. I enjoyed the openness of the sessions and I felt free to ask questions. I got far more out of it than I expected, the teacher touched on such far ranging subjects."

One thing that everyone acknowledged was being in a class made a difference.

"I've been meditating every day for about 20 minutes, but I felt I was not progressing I was stagnating. When you learn a new thing like a musical instrument, there is an initial enthusiasm, then a period when it is a bit flat. I think that is where I am, so that's why I think a community, and courses are quite important for me at the moment. From this course I feel opened up to new ways of progressing my meditation. For example integrating mindfulness more with everyday events, like riding on the tube, or using delay's or queuing as an opportunity to practice."

"I have attended a course on Buddhism at another Centre which lasted for about 6 weeks. But most of the classes went over my head, it was all very strange, but I enjoyed being there. I got a great feeling from the group in the room. After the course I had this sense of loss and missed not meditating. Coming to the Centre here there is an instant calmness. I found a real context to the practice. I want to keep practicing but you know how life can easily get in the way. It is great knowing the open sessions at the Centre are there. Meditating with the group is a different experience to meditating on your own."

Then the obvious questions came around, what had everyone got out of the classes?

"Its becoming a constant thing in my life, just on the bus or whatever constantly raising my awareness; how am I feeling, how am I responding. So if I know I'm going to be dealing with someone irritating I can see myself becoming tense. Self-checking that's the thing I'm getting from mindfulness training."

"I felt my mind was clearer. I felt it after the third class. I was not so affected by what was going on. I was able to observe my colleges and their stress, and not get involved with it. The classes made me think of all the times I've been like that, the impact that I've had on the people around me. When you are agitated, you come across more annoying people!"

"I started to become aware of the local Buddhist Centres around me like Kagyu Samye Dzong London. I've been living in Kennington for about 10 years, but only in the last 3 years have I really become aware of these Buddhist Centres! I got far more out of the course than I ever expected."

The classes that run each week at the Centre are as much about giving you the opportunity to experience meditation as they are an opportunity to learn traditional exercises and receive authentic instruction. Whilst meditation is something you can learn, to really understand its nature you have to experience it for yourself. "

The next Introduction to Meditation class runs on 4 Thursday evenings from 4th -25th March, £30. There is also a Meditation Weekend with Lama Zangmo on Saturday and Sunday 20th-21st March, 10.00-4.00 pm. £55. There will be some instruction but the emphasis will be on meditation.
Book your place on either of these events now by phone on 020-7708 8969 or by email.

3 - Forthcoming events

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

MARCH 2010

INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION
Thu 4 Mar - Thu 25 Mar (4 evenings), 7pm -8.30pm.
£30
Evidence shows that a regular meditation practice can bring great benefit in our everyday life. It can help to reduce depression, anxiety and stress and lead to a happier and more peaceful life. This course will offer simple yet profound instructions and is ideal for beginners. This event takes place at Manor Place Samye Dzong

TIBETAN LANGUAGE FOR BEGINNERS
With Lama Zangmo
Wed 3 Mar - Wed 14 Apr (8 evenings), 7pm -8.30pm.
£55
This course for complete beginners will focus on learning the Tibetan Alphabet and how to spell, read and write. Elements of Tibetan grammar and vocabulary will also be introduced. Bring pen and paper. It is essential to book in advance. The course will only run if there are enough participants. This event takes place at Manor Place Samye Dzong

VOLUNTEER DAY
Sun 7 Mar. 10am onwards
Come and join us in some jobs around the centre, work with some nice people and gain some merit! Lunch included. Please let us know in advance if you can come. This event takes place at Manor Place Samye Dzong

MEDITATION WEEKEND
With Lama Zangmo
Sat 20 Mar - Sun 21 Mar, 10am - 4pm.
£55
A wonderful opportunity to leave everyday pressures behind and devote two days to meditation with Lama Zangmo. There will be instruction throughout the weekend but the emphasis will be on meditation. This weekend is perfect for both beginners and more experienced meditators and would be especially beneficial for those who have attended one of our Introduction to Meditation courses.

APRIL 2010

INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION
Thu 1 Apr – Thu 15 Apr (3 evenings), 7pm - 8.30pm.
£25
Meditation is one of the greatest skills we can learn to help us lead happier and more peaceful lives. This course will provide instructions that are simple yet profound and powerful. Perfect for beginners.

GREEN TARA WEEKEND
Sat 3 Apr – Sun 4 Apr, 10am – 4pm.
Donations welcome.
Green Tara is the embodiment of compassion and swift activity. which helps us to overcome inner and outer obstacles. Join us for two days of intensive practice. There will be no instruction, it is purely a practice weekend. Please bring your own texts (also available from the shop.) Newcomers are welcome to sit in on the practice.

VOLUNTEER WEEKEND
Sat 17 Apr – Sun 18 Apr, 10am onwards.
Help with spring-cleaning around the Manor Place centre or painting and decorating at the new centre in Spa Road. Please let us know in advance if you can come.

STRESS REDUCTION BASED ON COMPASSION
with Clive Holmes
Wed 21 Apr – Thu 22 Apr, 7pm – 8.30pm.
£20
Stress may seem to arise due to external factors, but circumstances will always be sometimes favourable, sometimes unfavourable. We need to see that it is our mind that creates our world and to learn to be comfortable with whatever arises. Compassion is at the heart of this process. This course will include a number of stress reduction exercises.

COMPASSION, ACCEPTANCE AND LETTING GO
with Clive Holmes
Sat 24 Apr – Sun 25 Apr, 10am – 4pm.
£55
In order to improve our lives and let go of old wounds we need to direct compassion towards ourselves as well as others. We need to cultivate a mindful, kind and unconditional acceptance. This weekend will teach practices firmly based in the Buddhist tradition. Suitable for all. Clive Holmes has received instruction on Buddhist meditation from teachers of all the main traditions, and has been leading courses and retreats for the last seventeen years.

70TH BIRTHDAY OF CHOJE AKONG TULKU RINPOCHE
Wed 28 Apr
On this day Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche will celebrate his 70th birthday. Lama Zangmo, Ani Samten, Tashi and others are planning to travel to Samye Ling, Scotland for this very special occasion. If you would like to join the group, please contact the office.

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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