Dear Sangha Friends,
As winter wraps its cool embrace around us, I find myself reflecting on the warmth of our spiritual connections and the joy of shared practice.
A Day of Connection and Celebration
Recently, many of us gathered at the Cambridge Buddhist Centre for Sangha Day – a truly heart-warming occasion that brought together friends from across our extended Buddhist family. The day was made especially meaningful as we witnessed four of our sangha members take the significant step of becoming mitras in a beautiful ceremony. Sharing lunch and celebration with our friends from Cambridge, Luton, Letchworth, Peterborough, and Milton Keynes reminded me of how our individual spiritual journeys are enriched by these wider connections. Our relationship with the extended Cambridge sangha feels like a precious gift, one that continues to nurture and inspire our practice.
Looking Ahead – Our Winter Journey
As we approach the festive season and new year, we have some wonderful opportunities to deepen our practice together:
December 10th: An evening with Srigarbha
December 17th: Our joyful Sangha Soirée
December 24th & 31st: No class (time for family and reflection)
January 7th: Launch of our “Life with Full Attention” 8-week course
Celebrating Our Creative Spirit
Our Sangha Soirée on December 17th promises to be a heartfelt celebration of creativity and connection. Whether you sing, dance, play music, read poetry, share visual arts, or just watch – all expressions are welcome in our supportive space. Unlike certain TV talent shows, our evening is about joy, not judgment! If you’d like to participate, please let me know soon. And yes, there may well be cake!
Festive Season Practice
While we pause our regular Tuesday meetings for the holiday weeks, the London Buddhist Centre offers 4 day retreats throughout the festive period – a wonderful way to maintain your practice during this busy time.
New Horizons: Spring Retreat
Mark your calendars: March 21st-23rd, we’ll be joining the Bury St Edmunds Group for a weekend retreat at Vajrasana. This is an open retreat and it offers a perfect opportunity to deepen your practice in beautiful surroundings.
Supporting Your Daily Practice
Though our lunchtime in-person sessions are finishing on 18th Dec, our online meditation community continues to thrive. Charlotte has started offering Zoom meditations at 6am (Monday-Friday), and Zoom meditations from thebuddhistcentre.com are at 7:30am, and 1pm (Monday-Saturday). Details at hertfordbuddhistgroup.co.uk/zoommeditations/. These shared moments of practice have become a meaningful part of many people’s days, offering connection and depth to our individual journeys. I have been joining some of these, and often find it a warmer, deeper experience than meditating on my own.
For those embracing technology in their practice, the Insight Timer app for our phones offers another way to connect. If you log into it, search for our Hertford group, and you can join it, and friend us there. It allows us to meditate together virtually, share encouragement, and maintain practice streaks. While technology isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, it’s there if you find it helpful.
A New Year, A New Beginning
I’m particularly excited about our upcoming “Life with Full Attention” course starting January 7th. Last offered by us just before the pandemic in 2020, this transformative course, based on Maitreyabandhu’s excellent book, offers practical tools for bringing mindfulness into every aspect of life. I highly recommend getting the book and companion phone app to enhance your journey.
As we move through these darkening days toward the winter solstice, may we remember that our practice, like the sun, continues its cycle of renewal. Whether you’re celebrating or quietly reflecting this season, know that your sangha is here, holding space for your journey.
With warmth and metta,
Keith