The cold weather is really starting to kick in, and a sense is rising of the calm before the storm (i.e. Christmas!).
Our meditation course is now complete, and we will have a bit more Buddhist content in our Tuesday night classes and another course starting early January.
No need to wait for that though, newcomers and beginners are always welcome, and will always be given full meditation instruction.
The photo above is of the Hertford Sangha at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre Sangha Day in 2019
Coming up:
09 November 2021 Mangala
16 November 2021 Amber
23 November 2021 Padmajata
30 November 2021 Paramajyoti
07 December 2021 Keith
There is no news yet about when we will start in person classes again. Just waiting to see what happens with the covid (and flu) data.
Also coming up on the afternoon of Sunday 21st November (2pm to 5.30pm) is Sangha Day at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre. This just comes once a year, and is always a very heart warming event.
We have some fantastic news which is that Katey and Meridith from our Hertford Sangha are going to become mitras then, as well as at least three other people from other locations.
It is a hybrid event (in person and also zoom). You have to book if you are coming in person, and there are not many places. it is suitable for regulars and sangha members. https://www.cambridgebuddhistcentre.com/sanghaday .
That is all for now.
Warm wishes
Keith
p.s. Excerpt from one of my favourite books: “Buddhism: Tools for Living Your Life” by Vajragupta © Windhorse Publications
5 Right livelihood:
Chopping wood, fetching water
Water to draw
brushwood to cut
greens to pick –
all in moments when
morning showers let up.
When they encounter Buddhism and meditation for the first time, some people feel it rekindles something deep within them, something that may have been lying dormant for a very long time. In the busyness of everyday affairs we can lose contact with that deeper sense of ourselves and the potential creativity of our lives. But the inner spaciousness we discover in meditation brings back the feeling of dwelling in possibility. We may feel we have rediscovered something precious that we don’t want lose sight of again.
But then we wonder whether, with our current life and responsibilities, it is possible to stay in touch with all this. Can we fully implement Buddhist ideals and really change ourselves? Can we really make significant progress in the midst of bringing up a family, or a busy job, or both? Can we do it in a world driven by consumerism, which seems intent on distracting us? Or is serious practice only for those who can gonad live in the mountains, far away from worldly concerns?
exercise – is it really possible for me?
Take a few moments to sit quietly and consider the above questions, and unravel your feelings and beliefs as to whether the path of self-transformation is possible for you. Try to be just as honest in acknowledging your underlying attitudes, regardless of whether they express doubt or confidence. You might find they are a mixture of the two.
Another question that might help you to think about this is, ‘What prevents me from practising more fully? What holds me back from making more progress in meditation, ethics, and the process of self-transformation?’
Make notes about your responses to these questions.
It is important to know because, if we are subconsciously telling ourselves it is not possible, this will obviously influence the effectiveness of our practice!