Amida Buddhism Newcastle

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Institute for Zen Therapy - Buddhist Psychology

Amida Retreats, Spiritual Practice and Religious Vocation

Sacred Places and Ancient Way - Spiritual journeying

What's happening at Amida France during the summer of 2011

There's a very full and varied programme throughout July, August and into September at our beautiful retreat centre in the middle of France:

Website: Amida France

July 4-8: Anjin Sesshin Retreat

July 11-15: Becoming More Alive through Words & Movement

July 18-22: Teachings: Mindfulness & Pureland Buddhism

July 25-29: Women Together/Familie Week (English/Dutch)

Aug 1-5: Arts & Family Week (English/Dutch/Francais)

Aug 8-12: Buddhist Psychology Summer School

Aug 15-19: Earth to Earth: Facing Grief & Finding Healing in Nature

Aug 22-26: Volunteer Week

Aug 29-Sept 2: Rivers & Forests: Walking retreat (English/Francais)

Sept 5-9: Women, Food & Bodies Week

Why not just stay for the whole summer :-)

Amida Newcastle: May 10, 2011: Continuing the Introduction to Pureland Buddhism course

We'll be continuing the course on Tuesday with a quick overview of lesson 4, then going on to lesson 5:

INTRODUCTION TO PURELAND BUDDHISM

Time: 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Dates: 8 February, 8 March, 12 April
10 May, 14 June

Venue: Amida Newcastle, Amida Sanctuary, 49 Linden Road,

Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 4HA

Find us here

All welcome. No experience necessary. No cost.

We will follow the lesson with discussion of how to live Buddhism in daily life.

This course began in October.

It's possible to have any of the lessons you have missed sent to you by email

Join Kaspalita's May e-course: Eastern Therapeutic Writing

Kaspalita, a Pureland Buddhist priest in the Amida Order, writes about his course:

This course will give you an experience of four different styles of therapeutic writing/journaling, each drawn from eastern spiritual and therapeutic traditions.

Who this course is for:

Anyone who wants to learn more about themselves, and their connection with the world.

Naikan : During the first week we will use a reflective practice developed in Japan to look at our relationships with other people.

Morita : During the second week we will keep a Morita journal. Morita encourages us to contemplate the relationship between actions and feelings, and, as Susan Jeffers said, to Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Waka/Tanka:  The Buddhist monk Saigyo became famous for the poetry he wrote whilst travelling through Japan which was heartfelt and full of feeling. How can we use this form to capture something of our own lives?

Koans: Koan practice has become very formalized in Rinazi Zen, but it began very simply with a reflection upon a spiritual ancestor’s life. How did their troubles mirror our own?  How did they become enlightened?

When and where: The course is four weeks long and will take place online via email and here on the forum in a private group. It will take place between the 2nd and the 29th of May 2011. Cohort sizes will be limited.

Find out more details and book ::here

Amida France - courses, Spring and Summer 2011

Amida France website

SPRING AND SUMMER 2011

Amida France will be open most of the time from late March 2011 and throughout the summer. When there are no programmes, visitors are welcome through much of the spring as working volunteers or for individual retreats or eco-therapy intensives. Contact us on courses@amidatrust.com for details.

The following programme shows events throughout the spring and summer. If you would like to know more about any of these, do email us on courses@amidatrust.com. You may also contact us on this email address to book. At times when the centre is open you can phone us on +33 (0)2 48 60 70 19. It is advisable to book in advance though we can usually fit in latecomers. Hope to see you this summer!

Amida Newcastle: March 8, 2011: Continuing the Introduction to Pureland Buddhism course

We'll look at lesson 4 in the series and follow this with further discussion of Buddhism in Daily Life.

The Introduction to Pureland Buddhism course continues from 8 February 2011

INTRODUCTION TO PURELAND BUDDHISM

Time: 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Dates: 8 February, 8 March, 12 April
10 May, 14 June

Venue: Amida Newcastle, Amida Sanctuary, 49 Linden Road,

Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 4HA

Find us here

All welcome. No experience necessary. No cost.

We will follow the lesson with discussion of how to live Buddhism in daily life.

This course began in October.

It's possible to have any of the lessons you have missed sent to you by email

Introduction to Pureland Buddhism course starts on 12 October 2010

This course on the following Tuesdays is a 'stand alone' course and is also part of our regular Tuesday evening Amida Newcastle sangha meeting programme (note the different time and venue).

INTRODUCTION TO PURELAND BUDDHISM
Time: 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Dates: 12 October, 9 November 2010

Venue: Newcastle University Chaplaincy, 19/20 Windsor Terrace  

behind the Robinson Library

No 39 at the right hand side of the campus map

Please ring the Chaplaincy bell. It won't be possible to let you in after 6:15pm.

******

and then

Time: 7:00 - 9:00 pm

Dates: 11 January, 8 February, 8 March
10 May, 14 June 2011

Venue: Amida Newcastle at Amida Sanctuary

All welcome. No experience necessary.

No cost. You may make a small donation towards our projects.

Updated 9 November 2010

Buddhist Psychology - Course Programme September 2010

COURSES NEWS

September 2010

 

October Registrations

New Course Handbook

Distance Learning

Welcome to New Staff

Eco-Therapy

France

Somatic Therapy

New writing

Travels and Talks

Conferences

 

Welcome to the Amida Courses News Letter. This newsletter comes at the end of a busy summer in France, in which we have run more events than ever before. A full seven weeks of five day events has brought a variety of experiences: Buddhist retreats and teachings, non-violent communication, Other-Centred Psychotherapy, ecotherapy, bio-dance and theatre. We are already looking forward to a similar, and probably extended programme next year.

 

This week, however, we are also looking forward to the new academic year. We have a good number of applications for therapy training programmes already in process. New applications are coming in daily for both attendence based and distance learning programmes. If you are interested in applying, or simply want to know more, this newsletter will keep you updated. If you need any more information on anything in it, please feel free to contact me or Susthama on courses@amidatrust.com.

- Caroline Brazier (course leader)

 

Dates for Meditation For Relaxation and Introduction to Buddhism at Newcastle and Northumbria Universities 2010/11

Dates for Meditation For Relaxation and Introduction to Buddhism

are here (Newcastle University)

and here (Northumbria University)

All meetings are open to all students and staff at either university.

No experience necessary. No cost.

The Feeling Buddha

Dharmavidya David Brazier talks about the humanity of the Buddha. For more information about Buddhism or to book a place on the Feeling Buddha retreat - see http://www.amidatrust.com

Amida Newcastle, March 31st 2009 - watching some of the films from the Ojo Retreat

This evening, following our practice, we will watch some of the short films on the Friends of Amida site from the Ojo Retreat. I'm watching them again myself, feeling very moved by them and wanting to share the experience with the sangha. For those who cannot be with us, join the Friends of Amida network and then join the Ojo Retreat group Part way down the page you will find 'Discussion Forum'  - select 'View All' and you can link to the films, which are between 4 and 6 minutes long, and the exercises

Exploring eating issues: a month long course

We (Amida Trust) are launching a month long course looking at attitudes to food, eating and body image. The programme includes exploratory exercises, guided meditations, and theoretical material based on the insights derived from Buddhist psychology. Participants join a supported peer group. Enrolment will be ongoing, with the first participants starting after Christmas.

This month long programme helps you to look at your eating behaviour and your relationship with your body in new ways. Through daily activities and reflections it helps you to understand some of the factors behind compulsive or restricted patterns of eating and to develop strategies to change your behaviour around food.

The multi-media course uses meditations, work charts, guided fantasy exercises and practical experiments. It also contains theoretical and inspirational material related to the subject. Participants join an on-line support group and are given access to many resources. They remain registered after completion of the programme thus having access to an ongoing community of peers.

Check out details and register through the web page on:
http://www.buddhistpsychology.info/eatingonline.html

Please pass this message on to your friends or groups

Thank you -- www.amidatrust.com

Introduction To Buddhism Course starts in September 2008

During our regular Tuesday meetings (7 - 9pm) at Amida Sanctuary we will be running an Introduction to Buddhism course during the Autumn of 2008, on the following dates:

September 16, 30
October 14, 28
November 11, 25

We will also hold meetings, during which we will include readings, talks in person or on CD, on the following dates:

September 9, 23
October 7, 21
November 4, 18

All meetings will include Buddhist practice - both Pureland chanting and sitting meditation - discussion and time for personal catching up.

Update - Note: If you would like to join the Introduction to Buddhism course after it has begun, email me - sujatin(at)gmail(dot)com - and I will send you notes for the lessons you have missed.

2008 1-8 Dec: BODHI RETREAT

At The Buddhist House, 12 Coventry Road, Narborough, Leicestershire, LE19 2GR, UK. amida@amidatrust.com

Always the most important and exuberant event in the Amida annual calendar, the Bodhi Retreat has grown in significance as the Amida-shu and the Amida Order have developed. It is traditional to hold a retreat at this time of year in memory of the enlightenment of Shakyamuni Buddha on 8th December. The retreat includes teachings, seminars, formal and informal gatherings, nembutsu practice, beautiful and affecting ceremonies, and opportunities for personal sharing and making friends. This is also the retreat at which ordinations, commitment ceremonies and renewals of refuge, membership and precepts take place. There will be school, order and ministry meetings. If you are a present or intending member of Amida-shu, do make every effort to attend. If you are contemplating an advance in your commitment, please arrange to discuss this ahead of the retreat with one of the teachers at The Buddhist House. The retreat commences with a session of “prayer unceasing” in the 24 hour nembutsu chanting 1-2 December. The actual chanting continues from noon to noon. Preliminary events and gatherings commence with brunch at 9.00am Monday. If you wish to immerse yourself in the Amida culture in a wonderful way, this is it.

::link to more information

::staying at The Buddhist House

::travel directions

::Amida Home Page

Amida France Retreat Centre - Events Summer 2008

Details of events and booking information, what to bring with you etc to our wonderful retreat centre in the middle of France.

Amida Courses Newsletter

April 2008

---

 

Welcome to our Amida Courses Newsletter. This spring has been a busy and creative time at The Buddhist House, with a lot of fun and enthusiasm being expressed in various Amida ventures. This newsletter is just intended to give you a flavour of what is on offer. More detail of most things listed can be found on our web sites at www.amidatrust.com and www.buddhistpsychology.info or you can email us at courses@amidatrust.com

 

2008/9 PSYCHOTHERAPY COURSES

Our course callendar for 2008/9 is now on the web at http://www.buddhistpsychology.info/calendar%2004to05.htm If you wish to apply for any of our courses, please do send your applications in good time as it takes a while to arrange references. The is still time to join the programme at the next course block in May/June, though we would only advise joining at this particular course if you have some prior experience. Contact us if you have questions about this.

amida france is opening in may + news of dharmavidya's teachings, 10 - 30 july

Susthama and a couple of members from The Buddhist House will go to France in mid-May (2008) to open it up for the summer season. The retreat centre has been closed for the winter period and so there will be alot of work initially; getting the place aired out and clean, digging the garden to get the beds ready for planting, clearing paths for outdoor walking meditation and also to make a way to the meditation hut ready for anybody interested in doing a solitary retreat in the woods.

It's a great time of year to be in France. If you're in need of space, fresh air, and a retreat atmosphere then do come along.

::link

During the three week period of the July Retreat,
Dharmavidya & Prasada
will give lectures on
Pureland Buddhism and its Application in Society, Culture and the Arts

* 12 lectures over the three week period

There will also be

* periods of Pureland practice
* introductory seminars for the less experienced on the basics of the Pureland approach
* seminars and coaching for the more experienced related to Buddhist chaplaincy and ministry

As usual there will be plenty of opportunities for outdoor life, community living, discussion and sharing with stimulating company, and good vegetarian food, much of it from the centre's own garden.

::link

5th Living Buddhism Conference - book now

::follow the link to book now to secure a place at the
5th Living Buddhism Conference
(Narborough, Leicestershire, UK in April-May 2008)
using the pdf booking form

5th living buddhism conference - an update

The 5th Living Buddhism Conference

"Breaking the Mould: Buddhism Comes West & Gets Engaged"

Narborough, Leicestershire, UK in April - May 2008

• 26 - 27 April: Pre-Conference Gathering: Practice, Discussions, Gatherings

• 28 - 30 April: Pre-Conference Events: Monday Outing; Tuesday & Wednesday Mini-conferences "Buddhism & Arts", "Amida Around the World", "Buddhism in a Multi-Faith World", "Buddhist Education".

• 1 - 4 May: Conference Proper: Keynote Speakers, Plenary Sessions, Presentations, Workshops, Exhibitions, Bookshop, Entertainment.

• 5 May: Post Conference Meeting: "Buddhism in Organisation Development"

Website - http://amidatrust.typepad.com/conference2008/

A message from Susthama:

Dear Friends,

With the Amida conference approaching fast we need your help to get the word out. If you would like to help, please circulate information on any networks you know, put notices on notice boards, and, above all, tell people. Word of mouth is what helps most. If you can distribute publicity material please do and if you need more, please let Mudita or me know.