Community Audio Archive now live! Here it is at last... S
o pleased the conditions finally arose for this new community webspace and audio archive to happen. It's been in the pipeline for 8 years now, since I first came across the retreat at Glastonbury, reading a flier in the Buddhafields Cafe.Who is it for?In 2012, we made an audio document of the Village. We were looking to create a point of reflection and dialogue for a range of audiences, including:
- Regulars - to reflect, practice, enjoy
- Newcomers - to consider what they are coming to
- The wider Buddhafields > Triratna > Buddhist > world community - with an interest in children and families
- Others wanting to set up or develop their own child-friendly spaces
- Anyone else interested.
RecruitingWe are now looking for others who would like to help give children + parents access to nourishing Dharma + community . If you have any energy, ability or willingness to learn how to record, upload, edit material (audio, video, photographs, words) please get in touch with Libby or Amaragita.
Many thanks to all who helped make it happen and continue to support our online activity, including Candradasa, Amaragita, Graeme Sutherland and Paul Chauncy.
There is a whoooole lot more still to come from 2012 and perhaps more in 2013 and beyond.
Click here to go to Soundcloud, where the first batch are stored. Origins of the ProjectIt followed many years of discussion with Devapriya, Amaragita, Vimalaraja and many many others at the Retreat and within Buddhafields/Triratna. We talked about the evolving place of children, young people, families and (by extension) parents and couples within the Buddhist world. Long conversations about how the retreat community is playing a part in opening that space, and supporting us all to enter the crucible of parenting, of life, consciously. Our first plan was to write a book, but what we have ended up with seems more relevant for now.
HighlightsThere are so many highlights for me. The best bit really was listening to people, streams, birds, the wind in the trees during the 2012 retreat, and then again when we were reviewing the vast amount of material! There was so much of it, from a place I have truly grown to love and see my family and so many others be nourished by. I really appreciated hearing
Vijayadipa talk about how the "inner child" can come out to play, about her three generations on the retreat (still to come), and so many other interviews. I was also delighted to find a segment on FBA of Sangharakshita talking about the hot tubs at Buddhafield, and how much freedom is available to us through such expressions of the Dharma. There were many more.
Perhaps most poignant was making sure Devapriya's perspective was captured while he entered the last stage of life. The Caravan of Love it was. I would bring the days recordings into him, so he had the chance to hear nearly everything, and reflect on his visionary, heroic legacy - in between choofs on his cheroot.Audio specialist and community member Paul Chauncy has kindly offered to weave together a three-minute "trailer" which will give an overview or taste of what happens at Frogsmill.
I wonder what your favourites might be....?
ContextAs Candradasa said in the introduction he wrote... this is "a history of the wonderful Buddhafield Family Retreat, which has been going as a practice community for over 14 years now. Some wonderful and inspiring insights into a strong-hearted communal effort to find a way to engage fully with the Buddha's teaching through family life.
"This first FBA Community Archive, produced in conjunction with the team at Free Buddhist Audio, contains beautiful material, funny material, challenging material. Yet all speaks clearly of the Dharma and of re-imagining the ancient tradition of 'householder practice' in ways that should be of immediate interest to anyone concerned with finding and opening up new paths to the Buddha in the 21st Century."
He says it is a first for Triratna online, and being shared as an example of what communities can do to share how they practice to (re)inspire themselves and others, as well as keeping in touch beyond the time they can physically be together.
What's NextWe will continue to add material as permissions keep coming in along with the 2012 Dharma talks, which are our next priority. If you feel there is a voice or perspective missing, or just want to add your own reflections, ideas, photos, favourite teachings (from FBA or elsewhere) please join this new online space at The Buddhist Centre or get in touch with me libby@egghouseart.com.
At the Village Retreat 2014, we will again by recording Dharma talks and perhaps other material.
With so much gratitude to you all for allowing me to carry that microphone around. I know from my own experience being photographed or recorded can really be uncomfortable and get in the way of being present, and yet I hope you can see how useful it might be to have this archive now. Many thanks also to Candradasa and Amaragita for being such champions for the audio project and helping us create this new online space to gather in.
Click here to go to Soundcloud, where the first batch are stored. NOTE: Click play / pause top left. Select the tracks you want to hear.May these first Sonic Fruits enrich your lives - and help create positive ripples in the world.
