Hi everybody,
I have recently got back from a week-long retreat at Padmaloka, near Norwich – and I have some personal news. On the last day, I was handed a note inviting me to be ordained in July. After many years of preparation, I was overjoyed.
While I was there, a friend who used to work for the RSPB took me birdwatching around the local nature reserve. At one point, he spotted something in the distance and said, “Marsh Harrier.”
I could just see a random bird, but he explained how he could tell from its distinctive flight – low and slow, with a few lazy wingbeats followed by a long glide, holding its wings in a V-shape.
It struck me that someone who knows what to look for can spot things the rest of us would miss. That’s one of the things I value about sangha – people who can see what we can’t see yet, and we learn from each other.
Tonight is the final session of our current meditation course. I’ll be leading with Srigarbha, and Maisie will be giving a short talk. Do come along if you can. It doesn’t matter if you’ve missed previous weeks, or if this is your first time – we always give full instructions. From next week onwards we continue with our drop-in classes, so just come whenever you can.
And if you’d like to go deeper, we have a day retreat coming up:
Meditation Day Retreat
Sunday 22nd Feb, 10am-4pm, Place House Hall
Led by Samudraghosha
Meditation is a path of inner transformation centred upon two qualities: awareness and kindness. Through cultivating these qualities we become increasingly comfortable to open to our experience in each moment, whatever it may be – to be with ourselves just as we are, free from inner conflict. At the same time, we learn that our experience of the moment cannot define us, and that there are hidden potentialities of calm, open-heartedness, confidence and joy waiting to be revealed and to manifest in our lives.
On this day retreat, we’ll be doing periods of meditation and related exercises based around the Mindfulness of Breathing and the Metta Bhavana (the cultivation of metta or loving-kindness). There will be teaching and time to explore our experience in pairs or small groups, as well as ample opportunity for questions.
The day is open to all adults, regardless of previous experience. Please bring food to share for a vegetarian/vegan lunch.
There is no charge (donations on the day will be welcome). Please book by emailing hertsbuddhistmeditation@gmail.com. The booking deadline is 12pm on Friday 20 Feb.
With warmth,
Keith