amida courses newsletter

April 2008

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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 CONFERENCE: LAST CHANCE TO BOOK

A final reminder that the Amida Living Buddhism conference will be happening this month. Pre-conference activities start from 26th April with the main conference happenng May 1-4. Details can be found at http://amidatrust.typepad.com/conference2008/

 

ARTS AT THE BUDDHIST HOUSE

The Arts are flourishing in The Buddhist House this year. One aspect of this has been the creation of a new art room in our big attic space - yes we really are artists in our garret now. This space is available for the community or for visitors to use. A present we are just seeing it as open access, but we will be fixing some times when someone will be on hand to welcome people and show them where things are. Tuesday evenings we have a regular Pandramatics session, This involves improvisational drama with an emphasis on developing understanding of our lives,  nature and spirituality. We have also been writing this spring. Dharmavidya has been developing his interest in poetry with over 150 poems this year and has created a very active poetry circle on Facebook. Caroline has been writing and has finished two new books (see below). Our monthly Arts and Spirituality series carries on through the Maitri project. Recently we have had sessions on Story Telling, Poetry, Chanting, Body Awareness, and we will have sessions on Pandramatcs and Visual Arts in the coming months. If you are interested in the arts, don't forget our Arts in France in August. A chance to holiday with likeminded people, join Buddhist practice and be creative. If you like long meals watching the sunset going down and talking about stimulating ideas, come and join us.

 

It is possible to come and stay in the house for personal retreats, therapy retreats or to make use of our study and arts facilities. We have a number of sungle and shared guest rooms,  In addition to our shrine room, we have a comfortable lounge, a wonderful garden, a computer room with internet access and wifi, an extensive library with religious, social and cultural books, and now we have an art room. Meals are taken with the community and are vegetarian.

 

SUMMER IN FRANCE

Dharmavidya's Teachings in France: 10-30 July 2008:

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.

Arts in France: 1 - 20 August 2008
Following last summers Arts Week in France, this year we are offering an extended period of creativity in August 2007. Arts in France will run August 1st – August 20th. Set at the Amida Buddhist centre, it provides an opportunity to join Buddhist practice in a relaxed, holiday environment, while sharing in a wide range of arts activities. With meditation morning and evening, this week makes a gentle holiday retreat in the peaceful surroundings of rural Berry. Suitable for serious artists, families and complete newcomers. You can dabble in new creative techniques, swap ideas, attend arts workshops and have a lot of fun. Last year there was painting, candle making, mosaic, dance, voicework, ikebana, clay modelling, fabric painting, writing, ceremony as well as plenty of time for swimming and walking. http://amidatrust.typepad.com/amidanews/2008/04/spend-the-summe.html

 

MINISTRY AND CHAPLAINCY TRAINING

Our on line ministry training programme has recently been re-vamped. If you are interested in joining vow22 contact us on courses@amidatrust.com. There will be a chaplaincy training block October 30-November 2 Details are still to be arranged and will be posted on the web. For those wishing to make a longer event of it, we are offering a retreat weekend 8-9 November and will offer study time seminars and visits to multi-faith and community groups in Leicester in the intervening days.

 

DISTANCE LEARNING IN BUDDHIST PSYCHOLOGY

Applications can be taken any time from now on for the 2008 Distance Learning in-take. http://www.buddhistpsychology.info/dl.htm

 

NEW BOOKS FOR 2009

Caroline has two new books coming out in 2009: Guilt:an exploration and Listening to the Other. Both will be published by O-Books