lotusinthemud

LIVE 8 - from Sir Bob Geldof

Hello,

                

By being part of the Make Poverty History campaign you've done a lot over the last six months to create the golden opportunity to change the world that is in our grasp now.                  

That's why I wanted to tell you about Live 8 myself.

Buddhist Peace Fellowship - Seattle - June

These announcements are sent to youcourtesy of the
Buddhist Peace Fellowship-Seattle. (BPF-S). This post lists
events and actions that we believe will be of interest to
Buddhist social activists and our friends.
Events are also listed and continuously
updated on our web page: http://www.bpf-seattle.org

1. Sunday, June 5th: BPF Monthly Gathering- Creating Fertile Ground for
Social Engagement
2. Monday, June 6th: Core/Communication planning/business meeting.

Brian's 4th anniversary of starting his 24/7 protest for peace and justice

Brian Haw has been protesting opposite Parliament against the UK
government's devastating foreign policy towards Iraq for 4 years now.
He will begin his 5th year this week.
From Emma

Can you bare it for art's sake?

SpencerTunick Art installation at the Baltic - volunteers wanted for 17th July
For those who missed the chance to be made into a wire figure by Gormley
or even if you did, here is another participatory art event at the
Baltic, Gateshead:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/05_may/20/sp
encer.shtml
and http://www.balticprojects.org/tunick/

I hope it's going to be warm!

June 4: Fleet Maull presenting at Buddhist-Christian Conference in Los Angeles

Prison Dharma Network founder Fleet Maull is presenting at the
Seventh International Conference of the Society of Buddhist-Christian
Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles on
Saturday June 4^th from 7 – 9 pm.   Fleet will be engaging in a
dialogue with a Christian minister on the subject of prison ministry. 
For more information please visit the following website: 
http://www.lmu.edu/pages/3.asp?EventID=308 

Sewing for my friends......

Today I've been sewing wagesas ('little kesas' - robes) for Sally and Colin, who will be joining the Amida School soon. I've also printed out instructions so that they can embroider the setting sun with whisps of cloud across it, which is our 'logo', on a square which will sit at the back of the neck. Sally is proficient at embroidery - together we will help Colin. During other summers I've sat under the trees in France helping a number of sangha with this.

This afternoon I've been looking for travel and accommodation information for Ching-Ying, who will be coming to Amida France in July, and booking Formule 1 accomodation in Paris for myself  both for my outward and return journeys at the ends of June and July respectively.  Now it's time to organise the meditation hall and to continue recording a guided meditation tape for the university staff before the Amida Newcastle group arrive for our meeting at 7:30 pm.

Hang onto your hat

The Pure Land Gardeners have been working in the wind. Every week there's another development down on t' allotment.

A stitch in time...

Today is another sewing day - for the last couple of days I've been making myself a couple of Chinese-type tunic jackets to wear when red civvies are too little and robe is too much for the occasion. And I've been listening, on my iPod, while sewing, to Pat Metheny, Joni Mitchell, Jan Garbarek and k.d.lang. All great chill out music to balance the speed of the sewing machine.

The Wise Man Is Not Shaken

Even as a great rock is not shaken
by the wind, the wise man is not
shaken by praise or blame.

~ The Buddha

I'm afraid I have to own up to being a little bit pleased by praise and rather more shaken by blame - both much less than I would have been in the past but I can't own up to unshakable rock-like qualities. But then, I consider myself a foolish being and rather a long way from the wisdom of which the Buddha speaks.

Collecting Pieces of Information

We should not merely expend all our energy
collecting pieces of information, but make
an effort to experience their validity through
insight in our daily life.

-Geshe Rabten, in Advice From a Spiritual Friend