Due to inclement weather tonight's meeting is cancelled. Please see the following adjusted schedule.
March 14 CANCELLED 21 Avalokiteshvara mantra practice Special guest speaker: Ven. Amy Miller 28 The Four Immeasurables: Equanimity April 4 Introduction to meditation 11 The Four Foundations of Mindfulness: Body 18 The Four Foundations of Mindfulness: Feelings 25 Vajrasattva mantra practice Speaker: Susan Wagner May 2 Introduction to meditation 9 The Four Foundations of Mindfulness: Mind 16 Tara mantra practice Special guest speaker: Ven. Amy Miller 23 The Four Foundations of Mindfulness: Dharma
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We have a lot going on for the next three months. First, we'll explore the positive role the Four Immeasurables play in our lives. Michael Caroll, author of Awake at Work, will teach a special night of Formless Meditation. Ven. Amy Miller will join us for some traditional mantra practices, specifically Avalokiteshvara and Tara. Susan Wagner will revisit the Vajrasattva mantra practice. And, in the spring, we'll start a series on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.
We hope you can join us at Swarthmore Friends Meetinghouse. Feb 7 Introduction to meditation 14 The Four Immeasurables: Lovingkindness 21 The Four Immeasurables: Compassion 28 The Four Immeasurables: Rejoicing March 7 The Buddhist Practice of Formless Meditation Special guest speaker: Michael Carroll 14 The Four Immeasurables: Equanimity 21 Avalokiteshvara mantra practice Special guest speaker: Ven. Amy Miller 28 The Four Foundations of Mindfulness: Body April 4 Introduction to meditation 11 The Four Foundations of Mindfulness: Feelings 18 Vajrasattva mantra practice Speaker: Susan Wagner 25 The Four Foundations of Mindfulness: Mind May 2 Introduction to meditation 9 The Four Foundations of Mindfulness: Dharma 16 Tara mantra practice Special guest speaker: Ven. Amy Miller Please join us next year as we continue to practice together. This is just a quick update of our schedule.
We're looking forward to January 17th when Venerable Amy Miller will lead us in a Buddhist purification called Vajrasattva Practice. This is a traditional teaching that can, and is, done daily by practitioners throughout the world. Throughout January, we'll continue to discuss Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche's book Our Pristine Mind. And in February, we'll explore Lovingkindness meditation on Valentine's Day. Date Subject Jan 3 Introduction to meditation Jan 10 Love and compassion from Our Pristine Mind, pages 129 – 146 Jan 17 Special night: Vajrasattva mantra with Amy Miller Jan 24 Rejoicing and impartiality from Our Pristine Mind, page147– 160 Jan 31 Four stages of awakening from Our Pristine Mind, page163- 194 Feb 7 Introduction to meditation Feb 14 Special night: Lovingkindness Please join us this Fall as we discuss Our Pristine Mind by Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche. Rinpoche's topic is uncovering our inherent Buddhanature, something he strives to clearly show in as straightforward a manner as possible. While Orgyen Chowang is a meditation master in the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, his prose is plain spoken and practical. Discussion this winter will revolve around readings from the book.
Date Subject Pages Oct 4 Introduction to meditation Oct 11 Beauty of Pristine Mind xi – 14 Oct 18 Eclipse of Pristine Mind 15– 29 Oct 25 From discontent to fulfillment 30 – 39 Nov 1 Introduction to meditation Nov 8 Who we really are 43– 52 Nov 15 Who we are not 53– 67 Nov 22 Special night: Gratitude Nov 29 Illusion and realization 68 – 82 Dec 6 Introduction to meditation Dec 13 Going beyond mindfulness 85– 101 Dec 20 Experiences and obstacles 102 – 113 Dec 27 Benefits of meditation 114– 125 Jan 3 Introduction to meditation Jan 10 Special night: Vajrasattva mantra with Amy Miller Jan 17 Love and compassion 129 – 146 Jan 24 Rejoicing and impartiality 147– 160 Jan 31 Four stages of awakening 163- 194 Feb 7 Introduction to meditation Feb 14 Special night: Lovingkindness In addition to Our Pristine Mind, we will also explore the nature of gratitude the week of Thanksgiving; Venerable Amy Miller will lead us in a Buddhist purification practice in the New Year; and we will examine the nature of love on Valentine's Day. Next month, Ven. Amy Miller will explore karma and the arising of suffering in two talks starting on September 13th and ending on September 20th. Ven. Lobsang Chodren grew up in Springfield PA before encountering Tibetan Buddhism in 1987 in Nepal. She has since spent a great deal of time in meditation retreats, study, and teaching. Her teaching style emphasizes a practical approach to mindfulness and Buddhist philosophy. More information is available at her website at amymiller.com. Please join us at Swarthmore Friends Tuesdays at 7:30pm. Open to all levels. How Karma Works (9/13) Explore the meaning of this word that is often bantered around, yet misunderstood. Learn the essential facts about the law of cause and effect. Explore more effective ways to gain better control over your life and, therefore, create a brighter future. The Chains that Bind You: the 12 Links of Dependent Arising (9/20) The Buddha expressed the 12 Links of Dependent Arising very simply: "This is, because that is. This is not, because that is not." In Buddhism, one way to understand the suffering nature of samsara is to read, study, and understand this profound teaching and meditate on the gradual evolution of the twelve links. Suffering is not a topic in which most people are at all interested. Yet by understanding how you suffer and what makes you suffer, you are then able to dismantle the root mechanism that causes it. The 12 Links are fundamental in this process. Join us and explore how this philosophy can impact your own life. Our Basic Buddhist summer is about halfway done. Thank you everyone for the lively questions and inspiring and practical answers.
We hope you can join us for some of the upcoming talks. These include some of the big ideas in Buddhism including Impermanence, Not self, Nirvana and Karma. Date Topic 8/9 The Eight-fold path, Right Livelihood – The Dharma of Money 8/16 The 3 Dharma seals part I, Impermanence – Engaging with the simplicity of life 8/23 The 3 Dharma seals part II, Not self – Things are not what they seem 8/30 The 3 Dharma seals part III, Nirvana – Life as an enlightened Mandala 9/6 Intro to Meditation 9/13 How Karma Works – Explore the meaning of this word that is often bantered around, yet misunderstood. Guest Speaker: Amy Miller 9/20 The Chains that Bind You, the 12 Links of Dependent Arising. Guest Speaker: Amy Miller 9/27 10 Wholesome actions, What Buddhists do What do Buddhists believe? The Buddha himself taught for 40 years and there have been many enlightened teachers in the 2500 years since the time of Siddhartha Gautama. This vast, living tradition, means there isn't a Buddhist equivalent of the Book of Moses or the Nicene Creed. Nonetheless, there are basic ideas common to all Buddhist traditions that have appeared over the centuries.
Join us as we explore some of these this summer. Bring your personal questions about Karma, Impermanence, Emptiness and Nirvana and find out what Buddhists believe. Date Topic 6/28 The Four Noble Truths part I, Shenpa – Biting the Hook 7/5 Intro to Meditation 7/12 The Four Noble Truths part II, Happiness – Joy 7/19 The Eight-fold path, Right View – What Buddhists believe 7/26 The Eight-fold path, Right Intention 8/2 Intro to Meditation 8/9 The Eight-fold path, Right Livelihood – The Dharma of Money 8/16 The 3 Dharma seals part I, Impermanence – Engaging with the simplicity of life 8/23 The 3 Dharma seals part II, Not self – Things are not what they seem 8/30 The 3 Dharma seals part III, Nirvana – Life as an enlightened Mandela 9/6 Intro to Meditation 9/13 How Karma Works – Explore the meaning of this word that is often bantered around, yet misunderstood. Guest Speaker: Amy Miller 9/20 The Chains that Bind You, the 12 Links of Dependent Arising. Guest Speaker: Amy Miller 9/27 10 Wholesome actions, What Buddhists do The 9th chapter of Shantideva’s A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life is dedicated to the perfection of wisdom, specifically the Buddhist concept of Emptiness. While confusing to beginners, Emptiness is simply the logical result of the interdependent co-arising of everything. Cars are only cars when all their parts come together to make a complete car, but a car is not found in its individual parts such as the steering wheel, a door or an internal combustion engine. Similarly, bodies, feelings and minds are also not found in their parts (Ch 9, v102):
The mind is not located in the sense faculties, nor in form and other sense-objects, nor in between them. The mind is also not found inside, nor outside, nor anywhere else. On June 14th, we will have the benefit of Ven. Amy Miller to help solidify this important teaching in our own lives. We hope you can join us. The Swarthmore Buddhadharma Group is please to announce a workshop with Dr. Alexander deVaron this Tuesday, May 10, 7:30-9pm.
The act of singing engages all aspects of our being, frees up energy in our body, and offers us access to a wide range of emotions. When we bring mindfulness to our singing, we experience these and other effects in a direct and personal way. And perhaps most important, singing is just plain fun! All are welcome to attend, no singing experience or skill is required. During this session we will sing some of the songs of realization composed by the great meditation teachers and yogis of Tibet. Dr. Alexander deVaron has been teaching mindfulness meditation since 1986. He is Assistant Professor of Music at Temple University, and has taught stress management for the University of Pennsylvania's Center forMindfulness. He is a Shastri, senior teacher, at the Philadephia Shambhala Center. Most recently he has been focusing on the transformative and healing power of the human voice. This Tuesday, April 26 at 7:30, Ven. Amy Miller will give a talk based on Chapter 6 of Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life.
Even if it were the nature of the childish To cause harm to other beings, It would still be incorrect to be angry with them. For this would be like begrudging fire for having the nature to burn. Shantideva, Chapter 6, Verse 39 |
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