Amida Buddhism Newcastle

Rachel Abel has become an Amida-shu member

On the evening of 1st July 2008 Rachel Abel became a member of the Amida School, Amida-shu at a ceremony held at Amida Sanctuary. She also took the Five Precepts in the Amida-shu form of the Five Prayers of Upasikas.

The celebrant was Rev Sujatin, Bellmaster Sophie Williams and the congregation included Rachel's mother, husband and a friend, regular sangha member Jackie and long-term friend of Amida, David.

News about the Buddhafield Festival

Here's a post about the Buddhafield festival this summer, with links to news coverage. Amida will have a presence there for the third time this year, led by Sr Modgala, with Rachel and Sally, who are presently and previously part of our Amida Newcastle sangha:

The Buddhafield Festival has for some years been the FWBO’s largest event outside India. It’s been held every year since 1996 and has gone from strength to strength, quietly building a loyal following almost entirely by word of mouth. This year they plan to move to a new site – the third since the Festival began – and increase the size slightly, to 3,000.

::read more here

Meditation: the new psychotherapy

The patient sat with his eyes closed, submerged in the rhythm of his own breathing, and after a while noticed that he was thinking about his troubled relationship with his father.

"I was able to be there, present for the pain," he said, when the meditation session ended. "To just let it be what it was, without thinking it through."

The therapist nodded.

"Acceptance is what it was," he continued. "Just letting it be. Not trying to change anything."

"That's it," the therapist said. "That's it, and that's big."

This exercise in focused awareness and mental catch-and-release of emotions has become perhaps the most popular new psychotherapy technique of the past decade.

::read more

Buddha’s teachings significant in troubled times: UN Chief - Vesak messages

New York - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his Vesak Day message said the Buddha’s timeless teachings of peace, compassion and love for all living beings should inspire the efforts to address the broader challenges confronting our world - in peace and security, in development and in the protection of our environment.

Meetings week beginning 19th May 2008

You will find details and locations ::here

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

Changing times of meetings at Amida Sanctuary

The Amida Newcastle meetings at Amida Sanctuary on Tuesday evenings are changing - they will be half an hour earlier, i.e. from 7 - 9 pm from 4 March 2008

Kenneth Tanaka - new patron for Amida Trust

NEW PATRON: KENNETH TANAKA President of the International Association of Shin Buddhist Studies

“ I welcome being included in the growing family of Amida Trust, which, in my view, has successfuly begun to share the message of Pure Land Buddhism in a context not encumbered by traditional institutions, while not rejecting or criticizing them. I appreciate its openness to push the boundaries to ally with like-minded groups and to articulate the teachings in a more accessible manner for us ordinary beings of the 21st century.”

Kenneth Tanaka is President of IASBS, the leading academic association for Pureland Buddhism, author of the book Ocean, and a good friend of Dharmavidya and also of Professor Bloom who is another much valued patron, supporter of Amida Trust, and mentor to Dharmavidya. We are delighted to have these leading authorities from Japan and the West on the Amida team. ::link

Buddhist Chaplaincy at Northumbria University

Sujatin: I'm very happy to have been appointed as a member of the Northumbria University Chaplaincy team on Friday. This Chaplaincy was set up as multi-faith but has only had Christian chaplains to date.  I am a full member of the team, acting as Buddhist Contact person, with responsibility for the needs of Buddhists at the university, for the first year, after which I will be Buddhist Chaplain, with responsibility for the spiritual needs of all students and staff. There is a new site which will deal exclusively with meetings at Northumbria.

I have been Buddhist Chaplain at the other university in the city, Newcastle University, for the past four years