lotusinthemud

towards a buddhist manifesto

Dharmavidya writes:

Assume, if you will, that Buddhists have come to power. The election is over; the new president, Mrs Karuna Prajna, has taken office. Her prime minister, Mr Ananda Navamarga, has selected his cabinet. The PLC (Pure Land Congress) Party has a working majority. The opposition socialist, conservative, nationalist and liberal parties are, for the moment, in eclipse. The hopeful population waits in anticipation.

# What kind of society or culture does the new government want to bring about?
# What kind of actions in the world do they want the nation to undertake?
# What measures might they introduce, and what are the pros and cons of those measures?
# What transitional problems will they face?

Let us assume that the country has a developed economy with the same kind of levels of prosperity and technological sophistication as one sees in Western Europe or North America. Let us also assume that while the population has a fair measure of goodwill for the new government, Mr and Mrs Average have not turned into St Francis and Mother Teresa overnight.

The invitation here is for us to brainstorm what such a government might do.

::join in here, first ::join Friends of Amida

friends of amida social network

If you are interested in the work and activities of Amida Trust and would like to join the associated social network do check out this site and join. Once a member, there are a number of groups you can join, including Buddhist counselling and psychotherapy, Travel, Buddhist arts, Multi-faith discussion. The membership is world-wide and growing...

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.

buddhist psychology - courses up to may 2009

The course blocks for the Amida Psychotherapy training programme for 2008/9 are on the web ::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

book now for '5th living buddhism conference'

::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.

5th living buddhism conference: narborough, leicestershire, uk in april-may 2008

Dates for your diary, contact details and more information about this conference can be found here

Update - please do not contact the author of this weblog for more details but follow the link. Thank you

dharmavidya's latest pastoral letter - safeguarding the domain of bliss

A powerful message that we read and discussed last night at the Amida Newcastle meeting. It spoke strongly in different ways to us all:

Pastoral Letter of 9th October 2007 ::link

Dear Friends

My last pastoral letter focussed primarily upon the fact that our sangha mission seemed to be at a liminal point as we noticed that we are being drawn into a phase of growth and outreach. This prediction has been confirmed by the sequence of events over the six months since that letter was written. Our community at Narborough has grown during this period continuing a trend that started some time previously. Not everything goes perfectly, but we are clearly in a period of rising energy and, what is more important, deepening faith and practice. While what a Pureland Sangha offers may not be immediately popular due to the fact that it does not chime with current fashions either in popular spirituality or secular rationalism, those who take the opportunity to examine what it offers may be impressed with the seriousness and the spirit of love that they find in a communion springing from the earliest traditions of Buddhism and led by Amida’s grace.

Pastoral Letter of 9th October 2007 ::link

lovely 'amida arts in france' photographs

Susthama has put these up here