11 posts tagged “amida france”

Thinking of my dear friend, Saillie, who died last week. A wonderful, generous, fearless, dancing spirit, who wrote us through her journey with cancer from her home in Canada. Here she is at Amida France:

Saillie

Saillie's spiral

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Details of events and booking information, what to bring with you etc to our wonderful retreat centre in the middle of France.

Susthama and a couple of members from The Buddhist House will go to France in mid-May (2008) to open it up for the summer season. The retreat centre has been closed for the winter period and so there will be alot of work initially; getting the place aired out and clean, digging the garden to get the beds ready for planting, clearing paths for outdoor walking meditation and also to make a way to the meditation hut ready for anybody interested in doing a solitary retreat in the woods.

It's a great time of year to be in France. If you're in need of space, fresh air, and a retreat atmosphere then do come along.

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During the three week period of the July Retreat,
Dharmavidya & Prasada
will give lectures on
Pureland Buddhism and its Application in Society, Culture and the Arts

* 12 lectures over the three week period

There will also be

* periods of Pureland practice
* introductory seminars for the less experienced on the basics of the Pureland approach
* seminars and coaching for the more experienced related to Buddhist chaplaincy and ministry

As usual there will be plenty of opportunities for outdoor life, community living, discussion and sharing with stimulating company, and good vegetarian food, much of it from the centre's own garden.

Sr Modgala and the volunteer team arrived back at The Buddhist House from our lovely retreat centre - Amida France - in the early hours of this morning.
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Even though I don't know what day of the week it is - and have had to retitle this! Today I'm grateful

• That I've written most of the wedding ceremony for Tony and Linda. I need to tidy it a bit and go over some imaginary choreography - think I'll walk it through in the meditation room. I need to know - who stands/walks where, when - who might be in the way - what props should be on what table and how do they get to the right hands at the right time. There's not going to be a rehearsal so I have to be clear about all of this and be able to direct people in a dignified way, with all the 'right moves' written down for the bridesmaid, the Bellmaster and my Jisho (assistant). All without seeing the space, as the wedding is in London and I'm about 300 miles away, although I'll see a plan of it next Wednesday. It'll be lovely!
• That the migraine has almost gone - there's nothing like absence of pain, after lots of it, for the world to look a whole lot better!
• For the telephone. I've been able to talk to Dharmavidya, Prasada and Gareth in France and Modgala and Mudita in Leicester so lots of organising has gone on at a distance and it's lovely to be able to catch up with people I'm so fond of.
• For organic beetroot, pak choi and carrots, which came in my veggie box and were a large part of lunch
• For Pema Chodron books - where to begin?  Here:
  

  When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (Shambhala Classics)

  Pema Chodron

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News of whereabouts and roles of Amida-shu members

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6 - 14 January. Details here

Modgala writes:

Christmas Retreat in Amida France

23 - 27 December

This will be a gentle and celebratory retreat with plenty of time to reflect on the deeper meaning of the Christmas story. All faiths have stories and many embody truths that are common to all. Christians treasure the Christmas story of the birth of Jesus. The birth of a great teacher is a very special event.

On our retreat we will reflect on the teachers we have known in our lives and what we have learnt from them and the gifts we have received. I remember especially two of my teachers in secondary school. Their example lives with me today.

We will also find time to walk and appreciate the countryside of this gentle part of France and see how the earth itself is our teacher.

New Year Retreat in Amida France

29th December - 2nd January

We bring the New Year with a multitude of lights and ringing 108 bells.

In the days preceding the ceremony we will reflect on the past year and its joys and sorrows. We will look at our part in creating these. We will prepare to let go the old and welcome whatever the coming year brings.

Once again we will enjoy the countryside - I remember my last New Year in France when our little group walked round one of the lakes creating haikus (poems) to celebrate the beauty of the winter landscape.

We will welcome the coming year with joy and pray for peace.

Please email  modgala@amidatrust.com if you are interested in joining us.

What's the most drastic change you've ever made to your appearance?
Submitted by Laurie.

This has to be having my head shaved when I took Bodhisattva precepts at Amida France in the summer of 2000. My hair was long in 1996 and by 200 it was jaw length. Modgala and I decided to go for it at the same time. She had such thick black hair. Dharmavidya shaved her head and Prasada mine.

It was, of course, a hard and challenging decision. Hair is so tied with appearance and maybe more so for a woman, though plenty men feel hair loss is distressing. Hair care takes so much time, so much money, it's so tied to our sense of 'self'.One of my sisters thought it was because they are blond and I'm brunette and that I'd always minded (NO!) All of these are part of the point of dealing with the attachment issues.

This summer I grew it about 2"long. But it's such a hassle. So off it came again. I keep it at a number 2 and use a trimmer myself every few weeks - Peter makes sure I don't look too moth eaten. He was so traumatised when he knew I'd shaved it all off. But now he prefers it. And it's so easy, so quick. I wash my head in the shower every morning. You have to be careful with weather - not to get burned in the sun - as I did that first summer when my scalp had never seen the sun - it all peeled. And when I shave in the winter I have to wear a fleece hat outside or I get headaches from my tense, cold neck.

Now people with hair look strange to me, particularly if they 'do' it - they look as though they have wigs!

I'll shave it completely for ceremonies - it's a mark of respect I think. I shaved Dharmavidya's head on Sunday morning before we went to Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey.