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Tag: Bristol Buddhist Centre

Bristol Buddhist Centre
Bristol Buddhist Centre

Day 1: Integration - Bristol Rains Retreat 2020: 'The Dynamic Mandala'

By FB-Jay on Mon, 30 Mar, 2020 - 10:26

Day 1: Integration - Bristol Rains Retreat 2020: 'The Dynamic Mandala'

By FB-Jay on Mon, 30 Mar, 2020 - 10:26

About 50 of us gathered (online) for the start of the 2020 Bristol Sangha Rains Retreat for Order Members and Mitras this morning.  Tejananda had been due to be at the Centre this week to lead the Rains, but as that wasn’t possible, due to Covid-19, he’s generously offered to run 5 x 2 hour sessions over five mornings covering the same material - ‘The Dynamic Mandala’. 

After a general introduction we did a short exercise to...
Free Buddhist Audio
Free Buddhist Audio

Dharmabyte: The Vajra: Two Meanings in One

By Sadayasihi on Mon, 9 Mar, 2020 - 13:00

We often get ideas about the symbolism of the vajra as being tight and wilful. The language of determination can do that!

Jvalamalini looks at the importance of clarity of purpose for simplicity and meaning in life, and the powerful symbol of the vajra. This diamond-thunderbolt symbol is really more about integration then it is about powering through obstacles regardless of what the rest of our being is up to.

From the talk entitled Vajra: Symbol of Integration given at...
Community Highlights
Community Highlights

Complete Recordings from the Bristol Buddhist Centre Rains Retreat 2019

By Sadayasihi on Fri, 3 May, 2019 - 10:52

The 2019 Bristol Buddhist Centre’s Rains Retreat was called “Pathways to a Beautiful Mind”. Led by Vajradevi, the retreat explored ways of cultivating a beautiful mind by using the framework of the Satipatthana Sutta as well as the five spiritual faculties.

You can now listen to the complete recordings - which include led meditations and pujas as well as Dharma talks - and take part in your very own rains season retreat at your leisure! A...
Bristol Buddhist Centre
Bristol Buddhist Centre

Day 6: Pathways to a Beautiful Mind

By Satyalila on Thu, 2 May, 2019 - 15:49

  • Bhadra, the Chair of...

    Bhadra, the Chair of the Bristol Buddhist Centre

  • Bhadra rejoicing in...

    Bhadra rejoicing in Vajradevi

  • Khemajoti tidying the...

    Khemajoti tidying the shrine

  • Farewells

    Farewells

  • Vajradevi leaving

    Vajradevi leaving
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Day 6: Pathways to a Beautiful Mind

By Satyalila on Thu, 2 May, 2019 - 15:49

Day 6 - the final day! The 2019 Rains Retreat is now over. Here are some final photos - Bhadra, the Chair of the Bristol Buddhist Centre, thanking and rejoicing in Vajradevi, and then the inevitable dismantling of the shrine and farewells.

***
Listen to the audio recordings from day 6 on Soundcloud

Early Morning Meditation Session

Exploring Our Momentum with Mindfulness + Closing Ritual

Listen to the whole series on Free Buddhist Audio
...
Bristol Buddhist Centre
Bristol Buddhist Centre

Day 5: Pathways to a Beautiful Mind

By Satyalila on Thu, 2 May, 2019 - 11:31

  • Conversations during...

    Conversations during the tea break

  • More sofa practice!

    More sofa practice!

  • The assembled company -...

    The assembled company - part 1

  • The assembled company -...

    The assembled company - part 2

  • The assembled company -...

    The assembled company - part 3

  • Panorama of the entire...

    Panorama of the entire assembled company

  • Vajradevi

    Vajradevi

  • Shrine for the 'Hermit...

    Shrine for the 'Hermit Puja'

  • Milarepa

    Milarepa
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Day 5: Pathways to a Beautiful Mind

By Satyalila on Thu, 2 May, 2019 - 11:31

Day five - the last full day - of our Bristol Rains Retreat 2019 saw us beginning with a led meditation in which we were watching our minds, including noticing how awareness arises with the object of awareness.  Vajradevi followed this with a full exploration of the poison of moha (delusion), which she described as the most illusive of the three poisons.  We looked a bit more at how we can use our sense faculties...
Bristol Buddhist Centre
Bristol Buddhist Centre

Day 4: Pathways to a Beautiful Mind

By Satyalila on Wed, 1 May, 2019 - 12:27

  • Naravira leading the puja

    Naravira leading the puja
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Day 4: Pathways to a Beautiful Mind

By Satyalila on Wed, 1 May, 2019 - 12:27

The morning of the fourth day of our rains retreat saw us diving into the ‘dangerous neighbourhood’ of our minds where the kleshas (poisons) hang out. With Vajradevi as a fearless guide, we explored both aversion and craving. With a skilful use of personal examples, she helped us venture into the territory with the companionship of mindfulness, helping us to distinguish the ‘knowing mind’ from the ‘known mind’.

Our afternoon session was devoted to exploring two very...
Bristol Buddhist Centre
Bristol Buddhist Centre

Day 3: Pathways to a Beautiful Mind

By Satyalila on Tue, 30 Apr, 2019 - 12:24

  • Flower offerings

    Flower offerings

  • Green Tara shrine

    Green Tara shrine

  • A reading from...

    A reading from Charlotte Joko Beck

  • Satyalila leading...

    Satyalila leading Vessantara's 'Midnight Star' Tara puja

  • Making offerings

    Making offerings
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Day 3: Pathways to a Beautiful Mind

By Satyalila on Tue, 30 Apr, 2019 - 12:24

On the third full day of the Bristol Rains Retreat Vajradevi continued the exploration of mindfulness with a talk on working with thinking, followed by a sitting meditation  in which we became aware of ‘thoughts as thoughts’ by the practice of gently ‘labelling’ what arose.  After tea, a led walking meditation provided the opportunity to carry that ‘thread of mindfulness’ from sitting into walking; this was followed by the exploration of ‘mood’ as a major conditioning factor of our experience...
Bristol Buddhist Centre
Bristol Buddhist Centre

Day 2: Pathways to a Beautiful Mind

By Satyalila on Mon, 29 Apr, 2019 - 12:40

  • The 'sofa practice'!

    The 'sofa practice'!

  • Khemajoti leading a...

    Khemajoti leading a session
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Day 2: Pathways to a Beautiful Mind

By Satyalila on Mon, 29 Apr, 2019 - 12:40

In this second full day of our rains retreat on the Satipatthana Vajradevi explored the faculties of wisdom (prajna or panna)  and energy (viriya) in relation to mindfulness.  In the morning about 40 of us took part in a (very mindful!) led walking meditation round the shrineroom. 

During the day there were also opportunities to do the ‘sofa practice’! This a Bristol invention…  a term Khemajoti coined on one of our early Rains retreats 5-6 years ago when Lisa,...
Bristol Buddhist Centre
Bristol Buddhist Centre

Day 1: Pathways to a Beautiful Mind

By Satyalila on Sun, 28 Apr, 2019 - 09:31

  • Vajradevi is leading...

    Vajradevi is leading this year's Bristol Buddhist Centre's Rains Retreat
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Day 1: Pathways to a Beautiful Mind

By Satyalila on Sun, 28 Apr, 2019 - 09:31

Our Bristol Rains Retreat 2019 had a rich first day with about 40 Order Members and Mitras taking part through the day.  Vajradevi gave us a great overview of mindfulness and awareness and skilfully wove what she’s learned of the practice in Burma with Bhante Sangharakshita’s teachings on the five spiritual faculties (drawing on the Essential Sangharakshita, What is the Dharma? and A Survey of Buddhism.)

In the evening we had a 45-minute Mindfulness of Breathing followed by the...
Buddhist Centre Features
Buddhist Centre Features

Pathways to the Beautiful Mind: Bristol Rains Retreat 2019

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 27 Apr, 2019 - 13:55

Pathways to the Beautiful Mind: Bristol Rains Retreat 2019

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 27 Apr, 2019 - 13:55

The 2019 Bristol Rains Retreat is now underway! This year’s theme is ‘Pathways to the Beautiful Mind’ which will be using the framework of the Satipatthana Sutta and the 5 spiritual faculties to cultivate receptivity to beauty and truth, while allowing the whole range of our experience to be known. The retreat is being led by Vajradevi who will be exploring the theme through the ‘pathways’ of meditation, reflection, input, discussion and ritual.

We will be sharing the talks from this retreat as it happens over...

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