GLOBAL SANGHA NEWSLETTER 4: 23rd November 2020

This is going to be a great Bodhi Retreat.  Covid has forced us on-line and we are learning a lot.  It is enabling us to bring in lots of new people with important experiences to share.  There will be discussions about important issues, times for practice together and ceremonies. More than 60 events from more than 30 presenters from five contnents. 

Currently there are 68 tickets issued and more than £1700 raised for the India project. Let's get it to £2000 !

Get tickets at http://www.amidashu.org/Bodhi-2020/

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SOME SAMPLES OF WHAT IS IN THE RETREAT

QI GONG
Angela Romani
12.15 Thursday 10th December &
13.15 Friday 11th December

The word is composed by QI that means energy, vital breath; and Gong that means work, strength. So constant work generates and moves energy.

Qi Gong is a very ancient Chinese practice, probably thousands of years old. It's a complete experience of the body, and it's beneficial in many ways: it opens the energy channels, releases blocks and tensions, harmonizes the body and the mind, and balances the elements. The movements are inspired by nature and connected with the breath. Inhale and exhale! Stretch and relax! That is the work. Qi Gong is based on the idea "Yin and Yang", so it is active and passive, but passive in a receiving way. We receive the energy from the universe and return the energy into the universe.

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TRANSLATING AS A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE
Tineke Osterloh, Annette Tamuly, et al
16.00 Friday 11th December

Translating a Dharma text is a subtle and intense practice: on the one hand, it requires a sensitive resonance with the words of the original text in order to intuitively grasp the wisdom teachings behind them. On the other hand, one is then faced with the task of translating these subtle nuances into another language without reducing a text to its literal translation... Annette Tamuly has translated several of David Brazier’s books into French. We invited her to talk to us about her experiences as a translator. David Brazier will also share with us his perspective as the author of the translated books and he is himself an accomplished translator of Dharma texts. With this session we would also like to provide a forum for all others who are translating either David's texts or other Dharma texts. We would like to get in touch with each other and exchange experiences. All are welcome. Ultimately, in every living Dharma there is a translation work that goes beyond the written text. 

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TALKS ON WORK IN DISASTER ZONES: eg. ”How faith, trust, and the practice of Amida Buddhism has helped me through the “Traumatic Landscapes” as a therapist"
Yaya de Andrade, Retired Psychologist17.00 Friday 11th December

Although I had been a clinical psychologist for more than 40 years, the last half of this time my practice was influenced by Amida Buddhism and I will share some thoughts about my work. Dialogues in psychotherapy are about: symbols, language and experiences.  A model of care I use may reflect a Buddhist practice as its intent is to become aware of reality (internally and externally), accept challenges and obstacles (as the path), develop and enhance compassion, become engaged and fill our lives with meaningful experiences. Therapists help people to realize that trust is essential to change self -regulatory mechanisms and, as Buddhist masters teach us, suffering is impermanent. Hope and faith are also relevant in attempts to fulfill our lives.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH IN LONG TERM ILLNESS 
11.30 Thursday 10th
Jayata will be talking at the retreat about the experience of faith through serious illness.

She writes:
I really like these words that you emailed to me in 2014 which I attached to one of my bird videos
"Problems are endlessly complicated and one can get sucked into them, whereas faith and truth are simple and "empty" and clean Namo Amida Bu!!" Dharmavidya 2014

Here is the video made by Jayata with pictures she took in her garden.
Autumn Garden & Pigeons 2014 with Pureland Chant
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKOE-UuOze0

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TAKING OR RENEWING REFUGE

Taking refuge can be done as a formal act.  This act constitutes entry into the Buddhist community without necessarily implying membership of one particular school of Buddhism.  If you have taken refuge you are a Buddhist.  You might go on to become a member of a particular sangha in due course.  The refuge formula used in Amida Shu is to take refuge in Amida Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha and the Pure land.  If you are inspired by the Buddha’s teachings, you may wish to take refuge. If you have taken refuge before in any school of Buddhism and wish to reaffirm then you can also join in this ceremony.

Currently there are about ten people on the list to take refuge.  If you want to join them you are welcome.

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There are many other events.

Namo Amida Bu
Thank you
Dharmavidya
David

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