This retreat is now online and has a few places available!
24 Apr to 29 Apr 2021
Led by: Smritiratna  Khemasuri  Frankie
Retreat Type: Regulars - Triratna

Seeing the dangers confronting humankind these days, we can feel depressed, demoralised and helpless to avert disaster - or even to talk about such feelings. This retreat provides a space not only to talk but to explore an extraordinary sequence of reflections and communal practices that can rekindle an active hope and vision for humanity.

More information here: https://www.dhanakosa.com/retreat/2021/active-hope-humanity-online

A numer of us had a jolly morning making banners to acompany Sheffield Buddhist Centre members on climate actions.

Apparently we are called  Climate Concern Craftivism Collective!!!

A selection of the Sheffield Triratna sangha joined the DANCE climate action on the 20th September.

Pictures record the event which took place in full sun and was very hot!

Dear friends in the Dharma,

The Triratna Global Climate Emergency Initiative is now underway. If you are at all concerned about the state of things, then please read on!

The main plan is to work together in three broad ways:
1) Changing the institutions and practices of our movement to become more climate-friendly;
2) Encouraging ‘inner practices’ that can be of benefit, such as rituals, mediation etc.
3) Changing the world around us by taking bold steps that will help keep fossil fuels in the ground.

The first thing to do is to build our 'movement' within the movement of Triratna. We need to reach out to others who are interested and organise. The first step towards this possibility is assessing who is game, what skills are available, and where people are located. To this end, we have prepared a short survey. Please fill it in:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8LQFVS8

The survey asks people what they would like to do under the broad headings mentioned above. It also asks for contact details. The idea is to group people together who want to work on similar things, probably with others in similar locations. 

If a lot of people fill out this survey, this will generate a contacts list and the basis for action. The next step after that will be to hold video calls for people interested in working on the same actions. Please could you take the following steps?

1) Complete the survey yourself? (Many thanks if you already have!)

2) Ask as many people as possible in Triratna to complete it as well.
Asking people personally is the most effective way to do this, either in person, over the phone or by email. Ask your friends from your chapter, GFR group, and/ or study group! Ask the friends you work with on Centre projects and events. If you have friends in other parts of the world, please ask them to complete it. 
Do you know anyone who is a Centre Chair, Mitra Convenor, President, member of the International Council etc?
 Get them involved!

Share the link on Facebook: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8LQFVS8

Please could you do this over the coming month? I will be in touch around the end of February to provide an update on how this is going. Don't hestiate to get in touch with any questions, in the meantime.

With metta, gratitude and virya,
Christine
with Tejopala and other aspiring Eco-Sattvas

Some of Sangharakshita's introductory words on sustainability, activism and Buddhism can be found articulated in the final chapter of What is the Sangha? (Chapter 20: A Buddhist View of Current World Problems):

"...there is still... the question of what an individual Buddhist can have to say that is truly relevant to world problems. All I can say for myself is that the work I have engaged in as a Buddhist has arisen...out of the view I take on current world problems. This topic is not of academic or peripheral interest to me. In approaching it, I am in some sense trying to make clear the raison d'être of my own existence as a practical working Buddhist; that is, as a Buddhist not just inwardly, in faith and conviction, but also as far as outward activities are concerned."  (Sangharakshita, 2000. What is the sangha? p. 237)

Earth Metta Sangha is scheduled to re-convene on Wed. 5th October (in the Green Room from 14:00). After checking in, we will discuss Sangharaksita's perspective with relation to this chapter. (Khemasuri insisted that this shouldn't be treated as "study", so I guess that means reading the chapter, reflecting on it, and sharing with each other.)

You may know that there is a (Closed) Facebook group called Triratna Climate Change Action. (Some strong conversations and discussions are happening here, so if you're on FB, I recommend joining!)

Teojapala has just posted a question, which I thought you might be able to contribute to. If you're not on the FB group, please share it below, as it will be of interest to all of us. 

He writes: Help needed, please. 

I'd like to understand the feelings and needs of people in our Order and movement who say they don't want us to make a collective priority of action on climate change. 

In order to do this I'd really like to hear anything to that effect that you've heard people say. Ideally it would be good to hear as close as possible to what people have actually said. 

Any help gratefully received!

On June 26, Sheffield Buddhist Centre will join the international Triratna Buddhist Community to demonstrate our desire for peace, and our opposition to nuclear power. Santasiddhi and Christine will lead the event, which may be akin to a "love-in" as prescribed by  Sangharakshita in his 1984 talk on "Buddhism, World Peace, and Nuclear War" (*).

The meditation will take place in the Great Hall during Summer Fair at 13:15.

In 2016, parliament will vote whether to replace and modernise the UK's nuclear weapons system called Trident. It's made up of four submarines – one of which is on patrol at all times - carrying up to 40 nuclear warheads on board. Each of these warheads is eight times more powerful than the atomic bomb which was dropped on Hiroshima.

The government is in favour of replacing Trident at a cost of around £100 billion. This money would be enough to fully fund A&E services for 40 years, employ 150,000 new nurses, build 1.5 million affordable homes, build 30,000 new primary schools, or cover tuition fees for 4 million students. For more information, see the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

(*) In his talk on Buddhism, World Peace, and Nuclear War (1984) Sangharakshita said: “Full-scale nuclear war means fire-storms and `black rain’. It means the destruction of the ecosphere. It means the death of the earth. It means the suicide of humanity.” Because the issue is so serious, he calls on us to act:

“Pressure can also be brought to bear by the persistent lobbying of members of parliament, by the presentation of petitions, by public meetings, marches, and demonstrations, by fasts and solemn vigils - even by `love-ins’ and `be-ins’. By these and similar means the government should be left in no doubt as to what the wishes of the electorate really are. If it remains unresponsive to those wishes, or not sufficiently responsive - and the situation is one of extreme urgency, where every day is precious - then more serious measures should be taken and pressure brought to bear on the government by means of mass civil disobedience along Gandhian lines.”

What a great day: thanks to everyone who came along on our BAM litter pick! After a dedication ceremony at the Centre, before a shrine to Avalokitesvara, we went to Ponderosa for a few hours of mindful litter picking. Some of the top finds included an office chair (Tansel), music speakers (Tom), a towel (water-logged and very heavy) (John), a large gym bag (Christine), and even a big wheelie bin!

Buddhist Action Month began for some members of the Sheffield sangha on Sunday May 29, with Work that Reconnects in a wonderful woodland setting. It was the first proper event hosted by Kuladitya and Cecilie in their woodland (and gorgeous yurt!), which they are slowly but surely restoring from Pine plantation to Oak woodland. Whereas only a few months ago the ground was covered by Bracken and Brambles, now it was dappled with Bluebells, Stichwort, and more delicate Lady Ferns. Well done, to all who helped with this back-breaking work!

Some of the intentions emerging from the day included spending more time in nature; eating at least one meal/ day outdoors; recalling the inspiration gained from observing a busy Wood Ant mound; being less afraid of insects; building more faith in humanity and our capacity to "get it right".

Many thanks to Kuladitya, Cecilie, Khemasuri and Dhiragita for organising everything and offering us all a very memorable day!

Buddhist Action Month (BAM!) at Sheffield Buddhist Centre will feature:
Sun. 29 May: Work that Reconnects > Natural Dharma
Sat 11 June: Film night > BAM! Dharma Film Club
Sat. 18 June: Litter pick afternoon
Sun. 19 June: Day of reflection > Rejoicing in our efforts so far

In addition, Sheffield's busy sangha night, which takes on the theme of The Way to the Beyond will reflect BAM throughout the month of June. Every Tuesday from 19:30.

In the lead up to June, I'm ruminating on some of the new green precepts I might take on. Please let us know what you are thinking about, too!

Currently, I find reflection to be meaningful in this context, because it adds weight and meaning to what I may choose to undertake.  Failure is always disheartening, but this can be avoided through advance thought. Since preparation is crucial to the success and quality of any undertaking (including meditation, sports, gardening, etc.), in the case of BAM preparation is essential to the experiences we gain by taking on a 'green precept' that is meaningful to us. 

Some of the things I'm thinking about:

- to reduce my plastic consumption > by taking this reflection with me when I go shopping, I realise what a big shift this will pose to my behaviour, if only due to packaging! Nevertheless, this has also revealed how and where I can get the things I need.

- conserving (hot) water > another training exercise in behaviour shift. Basically, when I'm using water from a tap, I question whether it actually needs to be hot? If I'm not using enough water to warrant heating it up (via the hidden boiler), can I do with cold water? 

- picking up a bit of litter every day > I failed this precept last year because I wasn't organised enough to have a little bag associated with my jacket/ shoes!

Now in its 5th year, June 2016 will be Buddhist Action Month (BAM!) for practicing Buddhists around the world, of all traditions. In the UK, the Network of Buddhist Organisations (NBO) inititated BAM as an annual "festival" encouraging engagement with beneficial activities that transform self and world, with emphasis on social-change and care for all. Compared with other Buddhist groups within NBO, Triratna took BAM on board straight away and is the most active!

Natural Dharma

To begin the  UK Buddhist Action Month in Sheffield we are offering a cycle of the ‘Work that Reconnects.’

The central teaching of the Buddha, pratitya-samutpada, means we never act in isolation; our actions will always have consequences.

Drawing on the Dharma, the Work that Reconnects strengthens our capacity to see those connections and to act effectively and sustainably in a deeply troubled world. 

This is the first Sheffield event to take place in Kuladitya and Cecilia’s yurt and woodland in the Peak District, fantastic!

29th May  9.30am to 5.30pm 

More details  to follow!

Earth Metta – A Buddhist Response to Environmental Issues

With Sahajatara & Amalaketu

March 18 - 20 | £155/135

"The gift you carry for others, is not an attempt to save the world but to fully belong to it. It is not possible to save the world by trying to save it. You need to find what is genuinely yours to offer to the world, before you make it a better place." - Bill Plotkin

Although at the time of the Buddha there were none of the environmental issues now facing us, the Dharma offers us a spiritual response. Buddhist principles are based on loving-kindness, non-violence and truth. These values offer a path of transformation, for us as individuals and as part of our community. During the weekend we will be exploring social, political and ecological themes. Learning to accept the challenges facing us we can offer service to the Earth as aspiring ‘Eco-Sattvas’. With meditation, puja, talks, eco-workshops and optional Earth Chi-Gung each morning.

“Sacred activism is available to all of us today and is as simple as taking a first breath in mindfulness, listening deeply to those around us, or fully seeing whatever is present before us. Mindfulness helps us heal from our personal fragmentation so that we can approach our community fragmentation with an open and courageous heart, effecting social change from a place of love and understanding of ourselves, of the communities we serve, and of those we are used to calling enemies.”

This inspiring article was written by a community activist who discovered the transformative power of mindfulness and the magic of compassion for easing the suffering in engaging with important issues of social injustice.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marisela-b-gomez/sacred-activism-mindfulne_b_8080444.html

This Dharma talk explores collective dislocation, naming colonial devastation and the movement towards tenderness. One of the resources from the Eco-Sattva Training course.

http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/178/talk/27138/

Thanissara, a practitioner since 1975, was a Theravada nun for 12 years in the tradition of Ajahn Chah and has taught internationally the last 20 years. She is co-founder and director of Dharmagiri Hermitage and Outreach in South Africa and spends time between there and the US. She has an MA in Mindfulness Psychotherapy Practice from Karuna Institute and Middx University UK and is currently co-facilitator of the Community Dharma Leader at Spirit Rock. 

...Kindness is a quality we can consciously develop, especially through the basic dharma trainings of ethics and meditation. If we want to step into effective action for social and ecological wellbeing, we will need to work with others. If we want to collaborate effectively with others we’d do well to make training in kindness our radical priority. 

Join the EcoSattva training course, from Sept 13th:

"In the face of catastrophic climate change, we as a Buddhist/mindfulness community have the opportunity to creatively define for ourselves appropriate response: response that is wise, compassionate, transformative, resolute and equanimous. To realize this potential, the community needs leaders of all kinds at all levels. This is the path of the EcoSattva.

Building on a series of five online “Mindfulness and Climate Action” conversations in the fall of 2014, One Earth Sangha is offering a series of eight online sessions to support aspiring EcoSattvas in a diverse and powerful body of response, tailored to their aspirations and abilities and grounded in the demands of their local situations. Specifically, the course will endeavor to:

1) Root Action on Climate in Dharma Practice
2) Develop Sangha by Connecting EcoSattvas with Each Other and Outside Partners
3) Inspire and Inform “Appropriate Response”

The course unites a powerful collection of teachers, activists and experts with the aim of developing our collective capacity to effectively engage on climate change and other ecological challenges. Hosted by Thanissara, One Earth Sangha and Maestro Conversations.

We’re very pleased to offer a special screening of “Planetary” on June 13th at Sheffield Buddhist Centre, courtesy of the director, Steve Kennedy. The film is concurrently being shown at Sheffield Doc Fest (June 5-10). 

PLANETARY is a provocative and breathtaking wakeup call – a cinematic journey that explores our cosmic origins and our future as a species. It is a poetic and humbling reminder that now is the time to shift our perspective, to reconsider our relationship with ourselves, with each other and with the world around us.

Steve is interested in the meeting point between Buddhism, science, and nature and welcomes feedback on the film from practicing Buddhists.

http://weareplanetary.com

After a dedication ritual at the Buddhist Centre, we strolled down to Ponderosa Park and spent 2 hours collecting litter from the wooded section of the park, which includes the road-way. Once we'd finished, we found a sweet spot for the rupa, transferred our merits, and left the place nicer than when we'd found it.