Bodhi Garden News
See the weekend retreats page for booking instructions and contact details.
NEWSFLASH: Tuesday 9th March - A talk by Amchi Tsewang Smanla, a 7th generation doctor & traditional healer from the remote Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh. He is visiting the UK for a week, where he will be seeing patients & sharing the timeless wisdom of these unique healing techniques that combine both the ancient shamanic & Tantric Buddhist practices of Tibet with Indian Ayuvedic/Chinese & Persian influences. For more info contact 07771646575..................................
& coming Wednesday 21st April 7.30 - 9.30:- ......................
Teachings with Tibetan teacher Pema Dorgee
Venerable Ananda said to the Buddha,
“Half of this holy life, Lord, is good and noble friends, companionship with the good, association with the good.”
“Do not say that, Ananda. It is the whole of this holy life, this friendship, companionship and association with the good” - replied the Buddha.
I am feeling excited and looking forward to the New Year programme. In addition to more regular retreats we have the return of Chan teacher Ken Jones on 10th January. A new format to Dharma weekend workshops is being offered in February by Martin Aylward and in March and April by Rory Singer. For these to take place pre-booking will be required. We have a new group starting for young people (16 – 25) on the last Sunday of the month with Jake Dartington, experienced with young people and retreats offering a young persons retreat in February.
The wonderful thing about the Bodhi Garden for me is its ability to offer such a wide variety of authentic teachings, bringing and welcoming all to the Buddha dharma. Please believe me, whoever you are you are truly welcome at the Bodhi Garden. All we ask is that you are able to abide while you are there with the five main Precepts of the Buddha; not to intentionally kill or harm any living being; only to take that which has been freely given; to respect others by not being provocative sexually or in other ways; being careful with your speech so as not to harm anyone through harshness, lying or gossip and
to have a mind clear from intoxicants such as alcohol and pleasure seeking drugs.
I look forward to seeing you there in 2010
Peace, joy and a happy new year
Rosie (programme manager)
Visit of his Eminence Gongkar Dorje Dhenpa Rinpoche
Some reflections on the 11th March vist by Chris Dornan
The Bodhi garden was full for the occasion with just enough space so that everyone was out of the corridor and with enough space around Rinpoche so that he wasn't crowded, otherwise pretty much every square inch accounted for. The stillness in the centre in the 10-15 minutes before Rinpoche arrived was impressive.
I hadn't properly appreciated what a coup this was until Rinpoche was formally introducedwe had one of the highest lamas in Tibetan Buddhism in the centre. He had brought the two most senior lamas from his monastery with him the abbot and master of ceremonies. We were truly blessed.
So much for the formalities. As the evening wore on it became clear that we indeed had an extraordinary lama. It was his first visit to the west so Rinpoche was orienting himself. It started with him reading a prepared statement, cooked up with the assistance of the English monk responsible for the visit (Khyentse-la or Kassapo). In the end Khyense-la pretty-much read it and then the questions and answers started. And here we were in for a surprise. It turns out that Rinpoche had an alcoholic and abusive father, and much of the evening circled around how he dealt with his father, with the audience closely questioning Rinpoche. It was engrossing and very moving, and, as far as I am aware quite unprecedented in a high Tibetan lama. Rinpoche had started to share his experiences recently on an Asian tour with Khyentse-la, who encouraged Rinpoche to talk about his experiences. (Traditionally this is just not the done thing.)
Rinpoche's presence was exquisite and I felt he had quite a knack in setting up a strong emotional bond with his audience and giving them high teachings (on pure perception, for example) while grounded in the practicalities, such as how to get your alcoholic father from your family and what kind of relationship you have with him afterwards.
Rinpoche also has spondylosis a degenerating arthritic health problem with his spine - where the vertebrate become welded together. He must be in fairly continuous discomfort but nevertheless Rinpoche seemed to radiate peace and happiness.
If you get the chance to listen to this lama I highly recommend it.
We have invited Rinpoche to return, and for Khyentese-la to return and lead a retreat.