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Buddhism and the Climate Crisis ~ a Bright Earth Newsletter

Kaspalita writes:

At the beginning of the week the IPPC released its sixth report. You’ve probably seen the headlines in newspapers and on the radio and television. The headline from the IPPC press release is: climate change: rapid, widespread and intensifying.

This is a longer newsletter than usual. But it's an important topic to address. Perhaps the most pressing issue of the day. I also wanted to share with you the video from last Saturday's practice session, which included our first refuge ceremony since the temple's change of name: Practice, Sh*t, and refuge.

Over the past few weeks the news has been full of flooding in Europe and wildfires around the world, in Turkey, Greece, California, Siberia and so on.  The fire in California now covers 724 square miles. There have always been forest fires there, but the climate crisis means they are bigger, more damaging and more unmanageable.

On Monday morning I sat and watched the beginning of the live-streamed press conference from the IPCC. I listened to a couple of speakers and then I couldn’t listen any more. I stood up and decided to get on with the day’s work. I went into the bedroom to change into my painting clothes, collapsed onto the bed and sobbed.

After a minute or so I picked myself up, got changed and carried on with my day. Throughout the morning the grief and upset sat just behind my other thoughts and feelings.

Bright Earth Buddhist Temple

Kaspa and Satya write:

The new name for Amida Mandala is... BRIGHT EARTH.

After stepping back from the Amida Order in November, Kaspa & Satya will continue to run the Malvern temple with a changed name to reflect our heart values.

'Bright' to signify Amitabha's golden light, streaming all over everything. To remind us that this light is always present, whether we are able to open our eyes to it or not. To help us to see the world around us as illuminated. 

'Earth' to remind us of our dependence on this magnificent, beautiful planet. To encourage us to practice outside and in the temple garden. More than anything, to inspire us to take courageous action for the Earth's behalf - as eco-activists, as individual consumers, speaking up for her, mobilising with others, and living on her as gently as we can. 

As we move forwards with our new name, lots of things will stay the same. We'll still offer Buddhist practice twice a week, offer other events and do ministry in the community. We will still be financially and legally supported by the Amida Trust. We will still have the nembutsu as the heart of our practice.

In other ways, we will be very different. We are no longer members of the Amida Order. Instead we have joined with other Pureland Buddhist teachers to form the Amitabha Fellowship, where we will receive both support and accountability. Our Buddhist practice sessions are simpler. We want to become more accessible, and for it to be easier for people from different walks of life to feel welcome. We feel more able to bring more of ourselves into our work, and into serving our fellow fallible humans. 

We hope that you'll come along with us. Whether you read these emails, or join us on Zoom, or practice in the temple garden with us, or come and stay in our guest room, we hope that we can continue to reflect some of the light that has been beamed at us over the years. We remain grateful for our time with the Order, and we are excited about a new chapter. 

Namo Amitabha,
Satya & Kaspa & all the temple animals

***
Blessed by Amitabha's light
May we care for all living things
And the holy Earth

What Keeps Buddhist Activists Sane?

Satya writes:

In January, I co-facilitated a weekend retreat for Buddhists from different traditions who are involved in eco-activism. Various themes and questions emerged during our time together. There were questions about how arising anger could be used in the service of activism, and how this fitted with Buddhist ethics. There was frustration about Buddhist colleagues who were in denial about the climate and ecological crises, and how they might be skilfully influenced. There was a lot of despair and grief.

One of the themes that arose repeatedly was the immensity of the task ahead and the inadequacy of our efforts. One colleague came up with a beautiful metaphor for this. He described himself as a drop of water, surveying a vast lake. The lake had been whipped up into fierce waves and he was trying to decide exactly where to add his drop of water in order to calm the whole thing.

This struck me very deeply as I have been wrestling with a similar dilemma. My life is already quite full. I run a Buddhist temple with my husband, which involves wearing various hats: landlord, celebrant, marketing executive, accountant, gardener. I work as a psychotherapist to earn my living, and I make space for writing books as a way to feed my soul. How can I fit my new role as an eco-activist into this busy schedule without overloading myself and becoming useless as a holder-of-space and as a guide for others. In the precious time I do have available, exactly what should I be doing? The fate we are facing is so terrifying, I also wonder why I don’t just relinquish all of my other roles, as some of my friends have done, and sign up for full-time work with Extinction Rebellion.

We sat with these questions as they swirled inside us. It was helpful to know that others sat with them too. It was also helpful to study a beautiful text by Akuppa* on how to be a Shambhala warrior, with sage advice for Buddhist eco-activists including simplifying our lives, remembering we can’t save the world on our own, and balancing outer activity with inner sustenance. Still, I was left feeling daunted and overwhelmed by the task ahead.

On the second morning I offered a piece of our liturgy to the group. As a Pureland Buddhist, my primary relationship is with Amitabha Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light. Amitabha (or Amida) is flanked by two attendant bodhisattvas—Quan Shi Yin, also known as Guanyin, Avalokiteshvara, or Kannon, and Tai Shi Chih, also known as Mahasthamaprapta. The piece I shared was the Tai Shi Chih Prayer, written by our teacher Dharmavidya David Brazier, and set to a very simple melody.**

Sound of Silence ~ Satya

Satya says:

I got to do this very cool thing....

"Sound of Silence #podcast episode 49 is out now featuring special guest Satyavani Robyn, an author, psychotherapist & Buddhist Priest who runs the Amida Mandala temple. Recorded in Malvern, UK. Listen via (link: http://www.soundofsilence.org.uk) soundofsilence.org.uk (link in biog) or on itunes."

 

 

 

 

Nembutsu: a Simple Home Practice ~ Satya and Kaspa

If you want to explore Amida Shu Buddhism, why not start by trying our simple practice?

The nembutsu is the core practice for Pureland Buddhists across the world. It is a way of aligning ourselves with the wholesome energy of Amida Buddha, the Buddha of Infinite Light. We do this by saying ‘I entrust myself to Amida Buddha’ in different languages, most often using the phrase: Namo Amida Bu.

In order to start the practice, you don’t need a clear idea of exactly what Amida is or how nembutsu works. To begin with you can see Amida an unfolding wholesome energy, as the spirit that moved the Buddha to live a good life, or as unconditional love. We would encourage you to try it for a week or for 30 days [a free online course is coming soon] and to pay attention to any changes in your mood or in your daily life. If it works for you, keep going!

Nembutsu is a simple practice and it requires no special equipment or specialist knowledge. It doesn’t require the practitioner to study long texts or sign up to any dogmas. It is suitable for those with busy lives, and for those who are struggling with self-destructive habits or with feelings of despondency, anger, sadness or confusion. Nembutsu practice also connects us with the beauty in the world, with gratitude for all we receive and with a more meaningful way of life.

Whispers From The Bamboo Grove, Amida News #44 February 22 2017: Amida Shu Home Groups

Introducing Amida Shu Home Groups

We have a new offering for people who would like to practice and study Amida Shu Buddhism in their local area - Amida Shu Home Groups. 

These are local groups which can be run by anyone who is interested in our form of Buddhism. Group leaders will be offered ongoing support from an Amida Shu mentor and a pack of resources, including a suggested script to make setting a group up nice and easy. 

If you are interested in starting one of these groups you can have a look at the resources here. 

These include:

:: How to run a Home Group

:: Home Groups Introduction

:: Home Groups welcome

:: and more
 

We are hoping that this will be a new way of spreading the wonderful seeds of Amida Shu Buddhism, and bringing Amida's grace to people through Dharmavidya's teachings and through this wonderful sangha. 
If you have any questions or would like to ask for a mentor
do contact Satya

Namo Amida Bu
*****
Amida Academy
This is the on-line academic platform which delivers distance learning programmes: 
:: link

Amida Newsletter #43, announcing a retreat in the UK

Summer Retreat - Dwelling in Entrustment

13th - 18th August in Holland House, Worcestershire, UK



A residential retreat

Spend a week learning to trust, 'lean in' and be held on this Pureland Buddhist retreat led by priests with the Amida Order:
 Rev. Kaspalita, Rev. Jnanamati and Rev. Satyavani.

The perfect opportunity to deepen your connection the sacred. Dharmavidya is not running any retreats in France this year, so come and join us at this beautiful location in the UK. 

This retreat will include silent contemplation, chanting, personal enquiry through the creative process (including writing, poetry and visual art), group sharing and dharma talks. The retreat is open to all - Pure Land Buddhists, Buddhists from other traditions or other spiritual practitioners interested in learning experientially about the Pure Land way and a more faith-based tradition of Buddhism. 

This retreat is an opportunity to enter more deeply into the Pure Land practices. Dharmavidya has referred to Pure Land Buddhism as refuge Buddhism, and explains that rather than being a tradition that encourages the cultivation of practice Pure Land invites us, over time, to deepen our refuge. The various practices we engage in are devotional and are in this context ways of deepening our refuge in Amida Buddha. They are also ways of opening to the grace of tariki or Other Power of the Buddhas.

Venue: The retreat will be held at Holland House near Evesham in Worcestershire, a beautiful retreat centre with lovely gardens with a great kitchen. The cost includes all accomodation, delicious food and dana for the retreat leaders.

Cost: A £40 deposit is required to book your space - this deposit is non-refundable. The earlybird fee (until end Feb 2017) is £365, after this the fee £395. Unwaged fee £345. Payment by installments is also an option. For details of how to pay your deposit and secure your place, contact Satya: [email protected] 
Phone 01684 572444. 

You can read more about the retreat leaders below, read more about the Amida-Shu school of Buddhism at www.amidashu.org, or more about the Amida Mandala temple at www.amidamandala.com. 

Namo Amida Bu

The Retreat Leaders
Rev. Kaspalita runs the Amida Mandala Buddhist Temple in Malvern with his wife Satya. He is a practising psychotherapist and offers mindfulness classes as a part of Mindfully Whole. He co-runs Writing Our Way Home, a mindful writing company, with Satya. 

Rev. Jnanamati is a Pureland Buddhist Priest with the Amida Order. He works as an art therapist and also does chaplaincy work in health care settings. He is the Amida-Shu representative for the Worcestershire Interfaith Network. 

Rev. Satyavani is a Pureland Buddhist Priest, psychotherapist in private practice and a writer. She co-authored 'Just As You Are: Buddhism for Foolish Beings' with Kaspa and has written several novels.

See the Facebook event or get in touch for more information.

:: link

Meet Poppet, The Newly Three-Legged Temple Bunny

:: Satya, of Amida Mandala, writes:

Meet Poppet, our newly three-legged bunny.

Kaspa and I enjoyed our two week break and at the end of our first day back, a busy volunteer day, I went to feed the much-loved temple bunnies with 3 year old Felix.

It took me a while to notice that Poppet wasn’t coming out of the hutch. When I looked closer I saw the blood, and that her back leg was at a horrible angle underneath her. I won’t go into details but when I picked her up it was a traumatic sight. We think she caught her leg in a slatted chair – I still can’t understand how she broke it so badly.

Felix was amazing and ran to get a grown-up as fast as he could. We rushed off to the emergency out-of-hours vet in Worcester, trying to balance speed with not bumping her around too much. I couldn’t imagine how much pain she was in. The vet said she’d keep her comfortable overnight and then we could take her to our own vet in the morning.

Rabbits are more difficult to treat medically, both because of their size and digestive systems, and because vets don’t get as much experience as they do with cats and dogs. We did some hasty Googling that evening and I spent the night worrying. Would she survive the shock? The anaesthetic? Would they save her leg? What would happen if not?

The next day we said goodbye to her at 10am and waited. It was 3.30pm when the vet called. She’d made it through the op, was eating well, and by 5pm we were asked to come and pick her up.

She’s currently in a temporary pen in the living room with her friend Peter for company (I just went in to check on them – Peter is licking Poppet’s head, and Fatty our old cat is hanging out nearby). She’s already managing to hop around remarkably well, and the prognosis is good.

Whilst waiting for the news I couldn’t concentrate on anything and so I had lots of time to look at the beautiful blue sky and contemplate. Life is so short and unpredictable. Most (all?) of the discomfort I experienced from the time we found Poppet injured was because I wanted thing to be different than they were, and I wanted to be in control. I wasn’t in control of how far away the vets were, or whether or not she was going to stop breathing on the journey. I wasn’t in control of whether she came round after her operation. Of course, I manipulated the situation as much as I could – barking orders at poor Kaspa, interrogating the vet about her surgical skills, beating myself up for leaving the chair in the rabbit’s enclosure – but none of these things made any substantial difference to the outcome.

By the grace of the Buddhas, Poppet has been allowed some more time alive – to flop over and roll in the sunshine, to race up and down the grass, and to snuggle under Peter’s belly.

It’s often in the midst of crisis that we realise how much we take refuge in the things we can’t control. Remembering this, I might do better during the next crisis, but I probably won’t. Instead I can relax, knowing that the Buddhas accept me just as I am, and give thanks. Thanks to the overnight emergency nurse who found & fed Poppet dandelion leaves. Thanks to our vet for her kindness. Thanks to the insurance company for paying most of the £750 it cost. Thanks to Felix for staying calm. Thanks to the supportive friends, the car, the Chinese takeaway we had at the end of a long day, the people who grew the carrot Poppet just munched…

And thank you to you, for reading and for caring. Namo Amida Bu.

:: link

The Amida Nien Fo Book Audio Recordings ~ Satyavani

Huge thanks to Satya for these:

Nien Fo Book: The service book of the Amida Order

• Summary of Faith and Practice p1
• The Scripture of Quan Shi Yin p2
• Offering Verse p3
• Dawn Prayers p4
• Prayer of all Lineages p4
• Buddha Chant (morning service) p6
• Confirmation of Great Vows p9
• Eihi Koso Hotsugan Mon p10
• Sukhavati Prayer p10
• Afternoon service p11
• Ippens Hymn p12
• Nargajuna’s Hymn p12
• Evening Service p13
• Sandokai p15
• The Most Excellent Mirror Samadhi p16
• Tai Shi Chih Prayer p18
• Quan Shi Yin Litany p19
• Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra p20
• Quan Shi Yin Sadhana p21
• The Heart Sutra (Japanese) p22
• The Eight Verses p23
• Guru Lama Prayer p24
• Enlightened Compassionate p25
• Hymn of Homage p25
• Great Mangala Sutta p26
• Live in Peace p26
• Infinite Light (Hymn) p26
• Maitreya Buddha p24
• One Family p24
• Vulture Peak p24
• Soar Heart Soar p25
• Mandala p25
• Gate Gate p25
• Who Shall Conquer p26
• Awaken Bodhichitta p26
• Perfect Refuge p27
• Right Meditation p27
• Waking Bell Verse p28
• Mealtime Verses p28
• Nyorai Do Closing Ceremony p29
• Sange Mon p30
• Vajrasattva Dharani p30

Additional chants

• Evening Walking Nembutsu
• In the Tathagatha
• Namo Amida Bu (Prostrations chant)
• Namo Omito Fo
• Namo Quan Shi Yin Bosat
• Om Ami Dewa Hrih
• Om Mani Padme Hum Hrih
• Om Shakyamuni Buddha
• Sunset Chant

:: link

Whispers from the Bamboo Grove #34: 'Just As You Are: Buddhism for Foolish Beings'

'Just As You Are:
Buddhism for Foolish Beings'

"Just As You Are: Buddhism for Foolish Beings' is for anyone who wants to live a good life but is tired of endlessly trying to perfect themselves. 

Pureland Buddhism takes a realistic view of our foolish natures as human beings, and offers us an alternative to the ‘do it yourself’ self-help movement. With anecdotes of temple life and instructions for simple Pureland practices, the authors introduce us to this ancient and unique tradition of Buddhism and show us how it can make a powerful difference to our everyday lives. 

Covering topics such as trust, overcoming suffering, grace, being kind and self-care, the book also contains the voices of different Pureland Buddhists speaking of their own diverse experiences. This book shows us how we are all loveable just as we are, and that understanding this is the key to deep and lasting change. 

"This book will not give you a do-it-by-numbers self-help, pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-effort ladder to climb. Here two good people have written a lovely book about faith and practice, which explains their own journey and many aspects of Pureland Buddhism in terms that are easy to understand. It will remind you of the love that is already there and the refuge that is already at hand. It will invite you to celebrate it and to do so in company with others similarly inspired. In doing so, it will welcome you home to a place of peace where all is completely assured. A wonderful contribution to the growth of the Buddhist community." 

~ Dharmavidya David Brazier 

***

To buy

Kindle and Paperback UK:
http://bit.ly/justasyouareuk

Kindle US http://bit.ly/justasyouareus
Paperback US http://bit.ly/justasyouarepbkus

http://bit.ly/justasyouareca in Canada (or your own local Amazon...)

:: Facebook page for the book

***

Reviews

"What the authors have done in this book is show the way toward attentive compassion - compassion towards others but also, and maybe more importantly, towards oneself. I laughed out loud at the idea of the validation of our foolish, bombu nature. 

The introduction to daily practice is succinct and blessedly clear. The book uses the upaya of personal experience to draw one in to the value and meaning of spiritual experience, and then lays out the actual day-to-day practice itself so that a reader will know exactly what they are getting into and why. This is so useful. 

I have a statue of the seated Buddha on my altar. In his left hand he holds the fire of the Dharma, as though to say atta dipa, you are the light itself. His right hand is raised, palm out, in the universal gesture of peace, saying don’t be afraid. The authors also hold up their hands, palms out, saying to readers, don’t be afraid. It’s okay. There is no distance between us." 

~ Terrance Keenan, Zen Monk, Artist and Writer

"This is a lovely, gentle introduction to a lesser known (in the west) Buddhist tradition. It gives a user friendly outline of what Pureland Buddhism is and a realistic insight into the lifestyle of devotional religion. The authors use their experience to carry a message of compassion and a deep insight into Human nature as foundational aspects of a revolutionary way of life. An essential read for the Buddhist who wants to look beyond the dogma to the heart of the teaching. Namo Amida Bu!"
~ Adam Dunsby

"An enjoyable and understandable read. Very open, honest, and realistic. Covering day to day temple life and daily experiences, and shared moments of real insight.
Both writers and contributors capture the essence of what is unique in Pureland Buddhism and explain simply the various methods of practice.
A very positive and helpful book with a feeling of real gratitude running throughout." 
~ Stan

"This is a very accessible introduction to Pureland Buddhism and an open account of life in a temple. Factual information is clear and never dry, and this alternates with personal experiences which are always honest. The overall impression is of warmth and acceptance - a must read for Buddhists, non Buddhists and the spiritually curious."
~ Amazon customer

"Great introduction to the lesser known Pureland Buddhist tradition. Warm words for the longing soul. If you are a seeker and curious about the different and rich approaches Buddhism offer, this one is for you. "
~ Amazon customer
 

***

Reverend Kaspalita and Reverend Satyavani
are ordained Priests with the Amida-Shu and they run a Pureland temple in Malvern in the UK.

:: Amida Mandala

They both work as psychotherapists and are interested in building local community and in teaching Buddhism that improves the lives of ordinary people like you and me.

***

Vicky Chesterton

We have heard the sad news that Vicky has died. She was living with her son in Vienna. She stayed alongside the Amida community when they were based at The Buddhist House in Narborough. Loving memories from all who knew her.

***

:: link

NAMO AMIDA BU

 

Previous Whispers from the Bamboo Grove newsletters are here