Voices ManchesterBuddhistCentre
keepingSanghaconnected
Also in this issue : Munisha leaving I Amitasuri on Chaplaincy I Buddhist Action MonthSangha Retreat I Tribute to Aryamati I and much more! Issue 4
CONTENTS2 Editorial
3 Arthavadin and Suryaka
4 Farewell Munisha
5 Sangharakshita library and tribute to Tony Sumner
6 Commemoration Art for Aryamati
7 Fundraising
8 Sangha update
9 Hola!
10 -11 Sangha Retreat
12 -15 Happy Birthday Bhante
16-17 Poets’ pages
18-19 Amitasuri - Wonder Woman!
20 Triratna Young Buddhist Project
21 Fairtrade at MBC
22 My shrine
23-24 Buddhist Action Month
Manchester Buddhist Centre,16 – 20 Turner Street, Northern Quarter,
Manchester, M4 1DZphone - 0161 834 9232
email - [email protected] - www.manchesterbuddhistcentre.org.uk
Manchester Buddhist Centre is run by the TriratnaBuddhist Community in Manchester,charity registration number 514937
Please note the views and opinions expressed inVoices are those of the individual contributors and are not
necessarily those held by the trustees of Manchester BuddhistCentre or by the Triratna Buddhist Community /Triratna Buddhist
Order in general.
Voices EDITORIAL TEAM
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS EDITION
ArthavadinAmitasuri
Annie BrackenGill Aitken
Helen BrowneChristine Byrne
Anjali ChattopadhyayTom Connolly
Robin EllisMary Griffiths
Barbara MatthewsKate Morrissey
Lydia MorrisMaggie Muir
Isabel PickardRobert Ritchie
SattvadhikaDebbie Sumner
Ivan TrujilloPaul Whitehead
Vishangka
If you’d like to contribute something toVoices email Janet Hill or Vishangka at
You can see a colour version of Voices on theMBC website
Cover photo: Urgyen Sangharakshita
Welcome to thelatest edition of Voices.Here’s a packed edition ofVoices :another mix of sad, happy andnoteworthy news from the pastfew months, plus interestingarticles in this edition.Despite the fact that a greatmany people have been having aholiday, the MBC has still beenbuzzing over the summer, withall kinds of activities. The daily1.00 pm meditation class hasbeen very well attended as hasTuesday’s Buddhist practiceafternoon. Monday’s TriratnaNights have been very popular,and there have been somewonderful talks by both ourown and visiting OrderMembers. Thank you to theTriratna night team for creatingsuch a varied and interestingprogramme.Even in the ‘dog days’ ofsummer, the MBC is vibrantand full of activity.
Bhante Sangharakshita’s 90th
Birthday has been a majorevent during this period. Thereis a display about his life in theMBC, and a special birthdaycelebration evening was heldon Monday 24th August.
In this issue we say goodbye toMunisha, who’s gone to live inSweden, and we also meet Ivan,who has come to join us inManchester from Mexico viaCambridge!
We remember Aryamati oneyear on with an amazing glassart installation which is nowhanging in the Sangharakshitalibrary.
We look back on a fantasticSangha retreat, at Adhistahana.
It has been a great joy todiscover Amitasuri’s passionand how she uses it to help somany ill people who are ingreat distress.
The Engaged Buddhist Kula hasbeen very active and we reporton Buddhist Action Month.
And we remember with greataffection, Tony, our librarianfor many years, who sadlypassed away recently.
And, as usual, lotsmore……..
We hope you enjoy reading thisedition of Voices.
If you’d like to contribute,please email us at
Janet Hill
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Hello
Every year Sara (in her role asfinance manager), the MBCTrustees and I, with supportfrom a local ethical accountingfirm, prepare and agree an An-nual Report for the CharityCommission. As well asproviding details of the moneyraised and spent by the charity(MBC) it provides a fairly com-
prehensive overview of the activities it has undertaken inthe previous year.
Some of the highlights (for me) have been:
● The co-creation of a revised vision for the MBC● The launch of our newsletter ‘Voices’● The increasing participation and ‘ownership’ of the
MBC by sangha members through involvement in anarray of newly formed kulas
● A successful Buddhist Action Month● The introduction of the MBC Arts and Imagination
Festival● The introduction of Triratna Night● The introduction of Monday-Friday (free) lunch-time
meditation ‘drop-in’ classes● The introduction of the Stan Kukalowicz Bursary
Fund to support sangha members on low incomes togo on retreat
● The introduction of a training fund to furtherdevelop order members who teach and lead study atthe MBC
● The introduction of Mitra Convenor assistants(Alokasanna and Aparajita) to support the work ofour Mitra Convenors Arthaketu and Dayanandi
● A shifting emphasis in our shop towards ethicallysourced stock that reflects our ideals
● A change in our constitution to encourage greaterinclusivity in the governance of the MBC.
Recently, many people have approached me and said howthey feel the culture of the MBC is noticeably changingfor the better. I feel this too. The reason is fairlystraightforward: there is more engagement andparticipation by more people more of the time.The MBC is gently buzzing. However, I honestly believethat we have hardly begun to realise our potential as aneffective context for deepening our individual andcollective experience of the Dharma. Looking outwards,we can be a hive of Dharma activity and influence at thevery heart of Manchester.
The MBC is a lovely but challenging and expensive buildingto maintain. As I’ve reported elsewhere, the roof needs tobe replaced (it has been ‘patched up’ for nearly 20 years);the sound and heat insulation is poor; we lack disabledaccess and on some evenings we are hard pressed to findenough spaces for members of our sangha to meet andstudy together. In view of these, as well as other factors,last year I encouraged the Trustees to consider the
possibility of moving the MBC to new premises.
However, don’t despair. Having considered the variouspros and cons I was both pleased, and to some extentrelieved, that we agreed to remain at our current locationon Turner Street.This does mean that over the next few years we are goingto undertake a schedule of works to refurbish and trans-form the MBC so that it increasingly meets our needs andaspirations.Two key aspirations in line with our vision are for theMBC to more explicitly convey our distinctive identity asa Triratna Buddhist Centre (and part of a world-wideTriratna Movement), and we want to create a much moreintimate sense of ‘home’ and belonging for our sangha.This will be expensive but I’m confident that with prudentfinancial management and the continuing generous supportof the sangha we will make it happen.
Do please have a look at the current (and previous) annualreports by Googling charitycommission.gov.uk ,clicking on Find Charities and then typing ManchesterBuddhist Centre in the search box.
Yours in the Dharma
Arthavadin (Chairman)
An overview of the past year by Arthavadin
Good news!!The MBC centre has been successful in its application foran" Awards for All " grant which is funded by theBig Lottery Fund. We have funding to take forward aproject focusing on " Building Better Connections".
Our aim is to build stronger connections within Manchesterespecially with those who work and live in the city centre.We want to reach more people so they can make betteruse of centre and what we have to offer here and in thecommunity. Can we develop what we offer to reach morepeople in the city centre?The funding of £9,600 will be used to buy in professionalsupport from an organisation called " making it happen" , totest out the feasibility of developing our activities, and lookat how as a charity we can run in a more sustainable way.For example we will explore the feasibility of developing asocial enterprise/ Team based right livelihood to supportthe vision of the centre."Making it happen" will also help us look at further grantfunding both for the longer term sustainability of thecharity’s development and effectiveness within this building.This process will take place between Oct 2015 and January2016 through a number of workshops run by "Making ItHappen."We'll keep you posted on how it all goes.I feel really grateful to the Big Lottery Fund that we havebeen successful in our grant application and hope thisproject will open up new opportunities, vision and ideasthat enable us to benefit more and more people inManchester!
Best wishesSuryaka
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Farewell Munisha - we’ll miss youMunisha was born justoff Trafalgar Square,London, in 1962 andlived near London untilshe was 36, when shemoved to Manchester.She had an unusualupbringing as herstepfather was ahistory teacher andhousemaster atHarrow School, a boys’boarding school. Thusshe and her threeyounger half-sistersgrew up in a house with
80 boys, in a school community strong on values andtradition. Someone pointed out to her recently thatshe’d found something similar in Triratna!Her youngest half-sister, Georgiana came to Munisha’sfarewell ceremony at the MBC and stayed in theCommunity.
After training as a painter and art teacher, Munisha gota job in a girls’ school in London, where one day in1991 one of her more daring 15 year-old pupilspropositioned her on behalf of her mother (“as youdo”), who was a member of the Order. She says “I wasa bit surprised!” During their 10-year relationship,Munisha became interested in Buddhism for tworeasons: the five precepts and the friendliness.
Munisha was then ordained at Il Convento di Batignano,a semi-ruined monastery in Tuscany in 2003.Her yidam is Amoghasiddhi, the green Buddha of thenorth, who first attracted her because of his quality offearlessness. Later she was intrigued by his talent formysteriously reconciling irreconcilable opposites. Shesays she’s often found herself stuck between twoequally unacceptable opposites (as when she was tryingto decide whether to live alone or in the community!)Amoghasiddhi is a Nordic magician associated withmidnight sun – “quite appropriate now I live inSweden!”
On being asked when and why she had moved into theCommunity, Munisha said “In 2001 my relationshipbroke up and I was in quite a state. Vidyamala asked ifI’d like to move into the community and I wasn’t quitesure but I thought it might be slightly less awful thanbeing alone! In fact, it was one of the best things I’veever done and I stayed 14 years. I am so grateful to thepeople I lived with in that time, for the companionship,kindness and fun we had. I’d thoroughly recommend itto anyone!”
Munisha worked as Education officer for Clear Visionand towards the end of her 17 years was alsoDirector for four years.
She joined the team in 1998 to help with trainingReligious Education teachers in how to teach Buddhismin the classroom.She says that she found plenty of other creative thingsto do at Clear Vision as well: building on the first foursets of award-winning video materials they’d alreadymade for schools before she arrived, learning to writevideo scripts and teacher’s notes, and helping to make aschool video pack about the MBC called ‘BuddhistCentre in the City’; another one called ‘BuddhistPilgrimage: an Indian Spiritual Journey’, about the MBCpilgrimage of 2002 and featuring music by mitra OliviaMoore; and finally a great set of online materials forteenagers, teaching community cohesion via the FourSangrahavastus – ‘Us and Them: Buddhism andCommunity’. (You can find them all, with free clips, atwww.clearvision.org/Schools/Teachers)
Along the way she also developed the existing schoolvisits service into something quite big, with 2-3,000pupils and students visiting the MBC every year ingroups.Although she didn’t teach all of them, she estimates that30,000 young people came through our doors in hertime - and she booked them all in! Garavachitta doesthat now.
Munisha now works as part of the Development Teamemployed by the Chairs of all the Triratna Centres inEurope to provide certain central functions such asfundraising - and, in her case, Communications andLiaison. In her Communications work she edits TriratnaNews on The Buddhist Centre Online(www.thebuddhistcentre.com), Triratna’s main webplatform, and generally helps keep news circulatingaround Triratna worldwide via that site and Facebook.As Triratna grows bigger and bigger, and as onlinecommunications develop, this becomes more and moreimportant. Just about everything done now has anonline communications element.In her liaison work she represents Triratna at theNetwork of Buddhist Organisations UK(www.nbo.org.uk) and at the European Buddhist Union(europeanbuddhism.org), co-operating with otherBuddhist traditions on projects such as Buddhist ActionMonth, and helping with their websites and Facebookpages.
Munisha says “I’ve loved being part of the Manchestersangha,” and, in typical Munisha style “Please docontribute to Sangharakshita’s 90th birthday collection,for the publication of his Complete Works, atwww.justgiving.com/Bhante90th/” !
Munisha, we shall miss your wit and humour very muchindeed, and the people of Stockholm can regardthemselves as being very fortunate that you have movedto live there! We hope you are very happy in your newlife and that you come and visit us often in Manchester.
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Many of you may know Tony Sumner, our librarian,who died on the 28th June 2015 following a longillness. During the months before his death Barbaraand Maggie, two mitras who have asked for ordination,began "keeping an eye" on the library.
Barbara writes:" We found the library such a lovely, peaceful space towork and so well organised. I have known Tony foraround eight years and he worked so hard as avolunteer. He organised, arranged, catalogued andconsistently developed and maintained theSangharakshita Reference Library. During my Mitrastudies, and now after asking for ordination, I havefound the books an excellent resource, especially forincreasing my knowledge of Sangharakshita'sinterpretation of the Dharma. I will always be gratefulfor Tony's work in making the library happen."
After consultation with the Heart Kula, Barbara andMaggie are pleased to continue in Tony's footsteps andwill subsequently take over responsibility for thelibrary. They have been doing a lot of consulting withthe Heart Kula, adding their own thoughts about itsfuture in relation to the MBC's vision. They wish to:"translate the vision into objectives that inform theiraction," recognising that the MBC "offers a widelyavailable, clear system of Dharma training, in line with
Sangharakshita' s presentation, supporting spiritualgrowth at all levels of involvement."It is agreed that the library has an important role toplay in supporting such spiritual growth. Therefore,the library will change from being for reference onlyinto a lending library open to all Order Members andMitras.We know that Bhante's birthday wish is that his legacyof written Dharma be secure, and that the Dharmacontinues to reach as many people as possible. Wewill open as a lending library on Monday 24th August,the week of Bhante's birthday, as both part of thecelebration and to play our part in fulfilling his wishes.
The process for borrowing a book will be quitesimple. A book is available to record your name,contact e-mail or phone number and title of the bookthat you are borrowing. When you return it, pleaseplace it in the tray provided (please do not put itstraight back on shelves) and enter the date returnednext to your details.
Barbara continues“Maggie and I thought if you have not returned thebook in a month we would contact you with a gentlereminder. We are hoping the lending library will bepopular so we need a good flow of books!”Happy reading!
Sangharakshita Library MBCBarbara Matthews/ Maggie Muir
Tony, a volunteer at the MBC for many years died onSunday 28th June after a long illness with cancer. Tonywas a kind, gentle and very friendly man. He was also avery interesting man who enjoyed a good conversationand had a great sense of joy in his life. He was pivotal incataloguing all the books in the library, which he tendedand took great care of. He created a beautiful place forothers to use.
He would often sit in the Buddhist Centre tea area in arelaxed, easy way, eating his sandwiches and ready andopen to chat with whoever would join him.Tony was knowledgeable about many subjects, and Ihave lots of memories of our Monday morning meetingsin which we would talk about our love of culture. Ourfriendship went deep. We would talk about how ourchildhood and adult experiences had affected our lives,and we would both laugh and cry together. We werethere for each other through difficult times.
Tony had a charitable and determined nature. He gotthings done! He was always ready to speak up forinjustice and could be very passionate when necessary.
His heart was always open and even when he was ill inthe hospice Tony was warm and welcoming and eager totalk with me.
He will be greatly missed.
Tony Sumner by Sattvadhika
Tony in hisbeloved library
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Commemoration Art for AryamatiAnjali Chattopadhyay, Gill Aitkin, Robin Ellis
It is the first anniversary of the passing away of ourfriend Aryamati, who died suddenly and unexpectedlyfollowing a road accident in 2014. The glass art pieceshown in the picture was commissioned as a permanentinstallation by the Red Lotus Kula in January this year tocelebrate Aryamati’s legacy to the Centre and sangha.Her friendship, her donations, and her time to teachwere indeed generous, and many people benefited fromher loving kindness.
The quality of spiritual friendship that Aryamatiepitomised resonated so deeply with Anjali that she hasimmense gratitude to Aryamati for providing her withwelcoming friendship when she first joined theManchester sangha. This gratitude inspired her todevelop her idea for a commemorative arts piece and inconversation with Gill Aitkin and Robin Ellis, two otherwomen in the ordination process, it was agreed tocreate this project.
What if it all ends?
Let it end - let the sand win
Sky and Earth go on.
The poem chosen to be the centrepiece of the workwas chosen by Aryamati’s poetry group because it wasimportant that as many friends as possible had theopportunity to share this commemorative experience.Difficult emotions arose from the shock of her tragicdeath, and asking them was partly to support all thesangha in working with those emotions. It was also tohelp all of us refresh and remember the positiveemotions of our loving friendship with Aryamati, alongwith her quirky character. These were more to her life’sstory than her passing away.
Reflecting Aryamati’s close friendships in Spain, a reliefof the poem was created in Spanish within the fabric ofthe main frame. Letiticia in Manchester sangha andParamacitta in Valencia sangha were asked to translatethe poem.
Aryamati has been described by people who knew her asa charismatic and eccentric woman with a burning desireto ease the suffering she witnessed in the world. In thepiece it was intended to convey the impression of theflow of Aryamati’s life; the elegance with which shecarried herself; the conditions which created her life as ahuman being and her passing away from this life. Thispassionate spiritual conviction is organically infusedthroughout the glass art, with the red and other boldcolouring, and the imagery.Thus, the teachings of the six elements, thelife-characteristic of Insubstantiality, and of Sunyata (orthe ripeness of Potential) are all represented in the mainframe of the piece.Most of the imagery here was influenced by the work ofJoan Miro, the Barcelona based artist.
It was her life as a Dharma-farer and the friendships thatevolved within that life that made it possible forAryamati to continue her determination to put spiritualfriendship into action, despite her own severe pain andmany operations. As well as organising assistance for herfriends, Aryamati’s passion for justice saw her marchingthe streets of Manchester for the Climate Changeprotest, and organising film nights for AmnestyInternational. The trust and confidence she had in theThree Jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, areportrayed in the illumination of the first letter of eachline with the three jewel colours.
We would like to express our thanks to ManchesterFraming, the MBC Centre team and in particular toSteve, for the depth of communication andunderstanding that has been shared in helping thisproject to be realised. It has been hung with such careand beauty in the Manchester Buddhist Centre library.
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What we offer is unique not just in Manchesterbut in the World, Universe! AND .......... it costs£700 a day to keep your Buddhist Centre openand vibrant!Money is an essential for the centre to exist andthrive!As a registered Charity, the Manchester BuddhistCentre does not receive any external funding todeliver its rich programmes of meditation andBuddhism classes, courses and events.Many events are offered free of charge - dailylunchtime meditation 'drops ins',Tools for Livingyour Life, a Meditation and Buddhist drop inworkshop on Saturdays, Study Groups and festivaldays. Let’s not forget that we are a publicbuilding opening our doors to anyone who wishesto pop in for a look around , use the shrinerooms, the reference library, sit in a beautifulshrine room to reflect or meditate and of coursehelp yourself to a cuppa too! We also have thefabulous Bodywise natural health centre basedhere, Earth Cafe, Breathworks - running coursesfor those living with pain and illness, and the ClearVision Trust producing Buddhist educationalmaterials for schools and contributing significantlyto the recording of talks and events in the widerTriratna community.
What we offer is unique not just in Manchesterbut in the world... universe..!We have 30,000 people per year coming throughour doors! but it could be more!Our main income streams come from paidcourses and events, regular Standing Orders,rents from the communities and businesses andfund raising events such as the Shrine Sale and therecent Tara walk which raised money for thebursary fund, and of course from Dana,generously donated by the Sangha, Centreregulars and visitors.
To enable us to continue to develop meditationand Buddhism activities, maintain and improve thefabric of the building, and also fund the excitingrefurbishment of the ground floor, a FundraisingKula has been set up to develop a FundraisingStrategy and to identify creative ways to generateincome for the Centre.The Kula has already highlighted areas in whichwe can strengthen some of our existing incomestreams and we are also exploring some excitingnew opportunities! Suryaka and Robert recentlyattended some external workshops to learn moreabout sustainable ways to fund raise and accessfunding. In September, Amalavajra, from theTriratna Development fund raising Team will bevisiting the Manchester Buddhist Centre to delivertwo workshops - 'Money Awakening', and'Developing a Fundraising Strategy.' Very shortly,we will be announcing our 'Sponsor a Blanket'initiative, to raise money to replace our longserving blue shrine blankets.The very best way to support your centrefinancially is to take out a regular standing order.Have you got a standing order? or would youconsider increasing your standing order?Here's a thought.........!If 30 new people took out a standing order for£20 per month ( £4.60 per week!) we canimmediately increase our income by £7, 200 peryear If the 160 people who currently have astanding order could increase by £5 per month( £1.15 per week) we can increase our income by£9,600Grand total £16, 800 per year plus possible giftaid £4704 = £21, 505All your money goes to the on-going creationand care of this place we call our Buddhist centre!Our unique contribution to Manchester and theWorld!Pick up a standing order form today or downloadonehttp://www.manchesterbuddhistcentre.org.uk/general-info/giving
If you would like to find out more about thefundraising kula, or get involved or want to chatabout standing orders please contact Suryaka
Fundraising Kula - help! Robert Ritchie and Suryaka
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Day for women in training for OrdinationThis day was led by the Mitra Convening Kula - Dayanandi, Alokasana, Amoghalila, Sumnadipa andTaravandana. The focus was the five stages of the spiritual life ie. integration, positive emotion, spiritual receptivity,spiritual death and spiritual rebirth. These were seen as a mandala with spiritual receptivity in the centre, and as anupward spiral of spiritual receptivity.Integration is about developing ourselves in a ‘wholeness’ of knowing ourselves, identifying what may be blockingour spiritual progress and ‘coming together. This in turn leads to the development of a concentrated positiveemotion involving faith and ethics which in turn leads to a ‘spiritual death’ that allows us to let go of what isholding us back; see things clearly - recognising layers of habit and delusion, and gaining insight. When this arises,something new happens - a spiritual rebirth - and we begin to be open to the transcendental, where we areallowing ourselves just to ‘be’, ‘swimming in a sea of spiritual receptivity’, in an upwards spiral. It was aboutdeveloping authenticity.We were invited to question ourselves eg What do we do when we with what we find in ourselves as we becomemore aware? What do we do when faced with aversion? How do we become resilient and ‘bounce back’ fromadversity? How do we connect with our Buddha mind?
Thank you all for such a wonderful, challenging and inspiring day.
New Order Members
CONGRATULATIONS!
Sarasavanna
Silabodhi
A big welcome to our new Mitras
Congratulations to:
Nichola BarlowDebbie LeftwichHeidi JensenMaria KellyZsuzsanna GondiLen DillonSteve Hornby
Gill AitkenKatherineEntwistle
Women’s Mitra Convening Kula
Dayanandi Alokasana Amoghalila Sumnadipa Taravandana
Invited for Ordination
Katherine and Gill have beeninvited to Akarshavana in Spain inSeptember for a two monthordination retreat. We lookforward to welcoming them backas new Order Members.
Sangha Update
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Bring in used stamps forAmnesty International
Catherine PlattWe are just at the end of the postcard season and com-ing up to the Christmas season (it won't be long untilwe're counting the days and talking about the nightsdrawing in!) So this is, I hope, a timely reminder to askyou to collect any used stamps you might get. Just tearthem off the envelope so there's a margin of about1/2cm round and pop them into the envelope on thenotice board. I send them off to Amnesty International.It's a way that sangha members can give without it cost-ing them anything, except a little awareness.
My name is Ivan. I became involved with Triratna at the age of 16 in 2004 in Mexico City, where I was born.In 2009 I moved to Cambridge to joinWindhorse Evolution, looking for moresupportive conditions for the ordinationprocess.In July, after 6 years in Cambridge, I moved toManchester to join Clear Vision. I’ll be workingat the third floor of theManchester Buddhist Centre. Hopefully, I’ll alsobe creating a lot of good videos.I’m pretty excited about joining theManchester Sangha; and I’m full of enthusiasmand have a willingness to participate insupporting the Sangha as well as going deeper(whatever that means).I’m particularly interested in two areas that Iwould like to help develop around thecentre, and I would love to hear yourresponses.These are:Residential CommunityCurrently there is just one men’s communityand one women’s community, and I believethat there is scope for more, so I want to makethat happen. I hope to create a new communitysoon. I was living in a community in Cambridgeand for the last six years it has given me considerable support. I think communities areincredibly worthwhile projects. They don’t just make sense for environmental and financial reasons; they’re agreat context for the development of spiritual friendship.Ideally a community is far more than a shared house. It is a place you can actually call home, where you can beyourself and have your own space, and yet expand the idea of relating deeper and deeper with your fellowcommunity members and engaging in community activities and the wider Sangha.So if you’re interested or curious about this topic please just contact me and let’s have a chat! I’d love that.Sub 35 and “Young Buddhists” ActivitiesI mentioned I got involved when I was 16. I’ve grown up as a Young Buddhist, so this whole area is relevant andimportant for me. I’m now 27 and I’ve been helping young Buddhist activities at the Cambridge Buddhist Centreand with Cambridge University.I know you can have a lot of fun and be a bit irreverent, yet be very interested and passionate about seriousand important issues. I have had the great fortune of having friends with whom I can be exactly that - both funand serious. For example, we talk about Super-heros and about the Dharma in relation to one another!I look forward to meeting you all.
Hola! Ivan Trujillo
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The Great TurningThis year the MBC Sangha retreat, led by Sona andSaddhanandi, was held at Adhisthana - home ofSangarakshita and main Triratna centre.For many of the seventy of us who attended it was ourfirst visit to Adhisthana.
After a long, tiring journey we arrived at a peaceful,sunny haven filled with birdsong, surrounded by lushgreen fields with a backdrop of the lovely Malvern Hills.The atmosphere of Adhisthana was so welcoming thateveryone lost the tense, stressful effects of the journeyand relaxed into the wonderful calm of the place.For some of us it was amazing to be able to see BhanteSangharakshita sitting peacefully in the conservatoryattached to his annexe. Sona gave a guided tour of thenew Sangharakshita library, the lovely shrine room, theamazing wet land sewage system and the bio-massboilers that provide all the hot water and heating.
The theme of the retreat, ‘The Great Turning’, wasbased on a poem by Christine Fry.During the first talk, Saddhanandi introduced us to theidea of ‘turning towards’ – how the poem describes theprocess of awareness, and the positive effects it bringsto both our lives as individuals and to the sangha.She explained how we can work against ourconditioning and the culture around us that has taughtus from infancy, with actions that are louder thanwords, to resist what is really going on and to ‘turnaway’ from our experiences. Adults send messages suchas “Don’t look”, “Don’t go there,” to us as childrenfrom which we develop ideas about ourselves and theworld. Through the processes of craving and aversionwe either take exclusive possession of our experiencesto build on this conditioned self- image or ourconditioned views, or we develop an aversion to thosethat don’t reconcile with our preconceived ideas.
Saddhanandi identified craving and aversion as our two‘ugly sisters’. She quoted Bhante, “ .. we end up seeingthe world as ourselves, not as it is.”Saddhanandi continued her talk by suggesting ways thatwe could sit back from these ugly sisters, develop morepositive, skilful states; how we could nourish ourexperience and develop “inner wealth and richness”.
Sona’s talk told us a little about the way both he andhis partner Vidyamala had turned their own livesaround by turning towards their suffering and acceptingit; and that their work in Breathworks was abouthelping people to come to terms with and accept theirsuffering, training them to flourish, and then teachingthem how to live well with their flourishing.He talked about the Spiral Path, about turning towardslife and how mindfulness and positive states of mindlead us towards our higher selves. This, in turn, leadsus to start living our spiritual life for others, not justourselves and this is what builds sangha. He explainedhow we unite with the spiritual community and beginto exemplify the ideal of the Bodhisattva; giving as ourguidelines the four Sangrahavastus. Thus, ourrelationship with the world becomes different. Wechange the way that we and others see the world,becoming active rather than passive - having ‘turned’from the influences that formerly held us so strongly -and so become more powerful than our surroundings.Together we turn, and start to build a Buddha Land.
Workshops led to us identifying our ‘wrong views’ andthe ways that we block ourselves from movingforwards on our spiritual paths, and on our last daySaddhanandi and Sona led a puja. This was followed bya ritual burning of our ‘wrong views’ or ‘blockages.’
Very many thanks to Saddhanandi and Sona, as well asto the Heart Kula and Mahabodhi who all led parts ofthe retreat and helped to make it a resoundingsuccess. Sangha members left the peace and tranquillityof Adhisthana to return to the hustle and bustle ofManchester greatly refreshed, but also with greatreluctance.
Manchester Buddhist Centre Sangha RetreatAdhisthana May 2015
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Happy 90th Birthday Bhante
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Sangharakshita – A Life in PicturesVishangka
Over the past few monthsDayamala and I have beenworking on a project to showSangharakshita’s life in a seriesof photographs - to exhibit inthe MBC, and marking his 90thbirthday. I’ve really enjoyedworking on this project, and it’shelped me to reflect on whoSangharakshita is and how weget to know him.
Firstly, it’s important toremember that Sangharakshita
has given us so much throughout his long life. I recentlysent an email to the sangha about the events we arrangedto mark his birthday. I ended the email saying that Man-chester Buddhist Centre wouldn’t be here without him.I reflected afterwards that, of course, this is true, but Ialso thought that it’s actually hard to really take that inand that it requires quite a leap of imagination to reallyunderstand that. But without Sangharakshita we wouldn’thave this Centre; we wouldn’t have the introductorycourses and taster classes that we’ve all gone to at somepoint in our lives; we wouldn’t have those contexts forour friendships we may have - the study groups,Chapters or Going for Refuge groups we may be part of;in short we wouldn’t have this Order and this Buddhistmovement without all that Bhante has done in his life forus.
It was more sobering to think that I very probablywouldn’t have gone for refuge without Sangharakshita. Ofcourse, I’m not sure about that, but somehow I doubt it.I think Sangharakshita has translated the Dharma in a waythat I can relate to well, and I’m not sure that otherBuddhist traditions would have spoken to me in the sameway. The Manchester Centre has also given me a contextof work and friendship to practice within which has madeall the difference for me.
Thinking about Bhante made me also think about how dowe get to know him these days – particularly for peoplelike myself who weren’t around at a time when it waspossible to spend time with him like it was in the earlydays of the movement. So, how do we get to know himnow?
The main way we get to know him is through his words.We study his books and lectures, we listen to his talks,or we watch old video footage of him. And there aremany, many words he’s passed on to us. There is somuch clarity in those words, as well as so much breadthand depth in them too. I’d recommend reading andre-reading those words. But I also know that noteveryone finds his words that easy! I sometimes hear inthe study group I lead or from others around the Centrethat they are finding a particular text by Bhante hardgoing! I know that it’s not always easy to get to knowBhante through his words. It can be a bit off putting.
So how else can we get to know him? Well there’sanother form of words from him to which we can go to– his poems. These show another side to him. Bhante haswritten poetry all his life, and he has said that his poems
‘…constitute a sort of spiritual autobiography…revealingaspects of (his) life that would not otherwise be known...’
You definitely see Bhante in a particular way through hispoems – you very clearly see his appreciation of beauty,his deep compassion for others, his vibrant energy, andhis deep faith in the three jewels. I also think that in hispoems you see him as a deeply emotional man. It feltmportant to include one of his poems in the exhibition.We chose the poem ‘Secret Wings’ – an exhortation tobe bigger than we are, to go beyond who we think wecan be - as this is one of the central messages that Bhantehas given us throughout his life.
So these are some of the ways that we can get to knowhim. But it’s been interesting putting the exhibitiontogether and getting to know Bhante in another way –through pictures not words. We’ve had to look at a lotof photos from Bhante’s life and seen many aspects of it.
We’ve seen Bhante as a child, as a teenager, and in thearmy. We’ve seen him as a homeless wanderer, at hismonastic ordination, and during his time in Kalimpong.We’ve seen him writing or giving lectures. We’ve seenhim performing the first ordinations into the WesternBuddhist Order, or chatting with the some of its earlymembers. We’ve seen him with other Buddhist figures-Alan Ginsberg, the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh. We’veseen him visiting India in the 1980s, visiting the US in the1990s, and opening the current Manchester BuddhistCentre in 1996. We’ve seen him with faces we knowfrom Manchester – Ratnasagara, Ratnaguna, Arthapriya,Sona (all looking incredibly young!). And we’ve seen himas an old man at Madyamaloka and Adhisthana.
We’ve also seen that he’s lived his life during quiteremarkable times for Buddhism in both the East andWest – a time of Dr Ambedkar and the massconversions to Buddhism of the ex-untouchables in India;a time of the Tibetan diaspora to India in the 1950s; anda time of dramatic cultural changes in western society inthe 1960s and 1970s – a time that was ripe for amovement like the FWBO to emerge.
From these pictures you get a sense of the partSangharakshita has played in it all. You really get thesense of how full and active his life has been, and of allthat he has done. More than anything, by looking atthese pictures you get the sense that his is a Dharma Life– a life lived to communicate the Dharma in a newsituation and in new times. You get a sense that his is alife well lived.
I’d really encourage you to look closely at these photosas they remain in the MBC reception and then as theyare sited more permanently within the Centre. I’dencourage you to keep looking at them, again and again,and take in Sangharakshita’s rich and full life and theexample he has given us all.
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Bhante’s Birthday Celebrations at the MBC in pictures
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Given
Savouring
and puckering
we each taste
our life’s bowl
of sweet and sour
Shirley Percy
Folded between
the pages of the days,
tiny notes.
with indecipherable clues,
suddenly
at time’s turning
begin to speak volumes.
Before the Dharma
Swimming on dry landeach strokescraping epidermis.Dry birthno balm of warm liquidto float inlike the foetuscushioned, buoyant.Hockney’s still lifewithout water.
Debbie Sumner
Gifts
Living whilst dying.Endings are everywhere.
Focused on each moment.
I feel nourished by life. Birdsong plunges me into now. Clarity saturates my senses. Ignited with life force.
Walking in the park Freesias bestowenticing scents and beauty. A water fall bursts with song. Intense gratitude floods my soul. Nature's generosity here for all.
Christine Byrne
On Retreat
It’s always the sameThere’s always oneYou don’t like the look of,Presses your buttons,Doesn’t like you.
Time passesThe Buddha’s silencechanges thingsTo a new brief story.
This timePouring rainOutdoor walkway to the shrine.She waits for youUmbrella upYou rush to join herYou wrap your arms roundone anotherAnd run laughing to shelter, like children inthe playground,Firm friends in this fragile moment
You sit on the cushionGentle tearsJoining the judgeless rain
Mary Griffiths
Quartet
Their bloom spent for another SpringDid this opening chorus of brightness go amiss?Did I sing along to the joy of the unwrapping-of virgin delicacy, the butter of optimism?
I will climb into SummerIts trees with green arms outstretchedOpal skies with rare drifting guestsTheir shining blooms echo the world below.
I will rejoice in AutumnIts warm shroud of premature darknessFlames and smoke stream into the sensesGhosts of heat and frigid conquerors.
I will breathe in all of WinterAcres of Time’s bare bonesThe world stripped of the pastAs the inner emptiness seeps out.
Tom Connolly
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Breathe in experience, breathe out poetry’Muriel Rukeyser
I joined the Manchester Buddhist Centre Poetry Groupa few years ago around the time I became a Mitra .It wasfounded in 2008 by Aryamati, - passionate Buddhist,poet ,and activist.’ The aim’, says Alan Spencer one ofits original members, ‘ was to‘ provide critical feedbackto our own poems and share other poems we foundstimulating and inspiring’. Aryamati also had a passion tosupport and encourage poets in their creativity.Creativity as an aspect of spiritual development is what Iwant to touch on in this brief article with specificreference to the Five Precepts and my experience ofwriting poetry within this poetry group: Kindness. It is an act of kindness to want to support someone inwriting the best poem they can. Every poem is anexpression of aspects of self and can feel quite exposing.Therefore metta is essential in building an atmosphere oftrust and receptivity. Listening to other’s sharingthemselves in words helps develop empathy, as we opento the feelings and experiences of another withacceptance.Writing poetry can also be seen as an act of metta tooneself- inferring that your voice is valid, what you cre-ate has value and deserves to be heard.GenerosityIt is an act of generosity to listen to someone’s wordswith a receptive heart and be generous enough togive authentic criticism . This is Sangha at its best –co-operation rather than envy and competition.(Though I admit to moments of Poem envy and of think-ing ‘Damn, I wish I had written that’.) Sharing poetry canhelp heal our illusion of separateness and loneliness.The poet doesn’t just speak for themselves but often
about the human condition - thus encouraging feelingsof inter-connectivityStillness, simplicity and contentment -These are qualities one tries to inhabit for creativity toflourish. The process, like childbirth, can be arduousand painful but ultimately there can be a sense ofsatisfaction and even joy at the poem’s safe arrival. Inaddition, poetry can be a way of processing difficult life’sexperiences- from reactivity to creativity, turningarrows into flowers.Truthful communicationThere are two challenges within the group. Firstly, towrite from your authentic self -express what you trulyfeel in your work- rather than craving audienceapproval. ( I notice that the poems of mine that trulytouch people have been written from my heart and gut.)Secondly, there is the challenge of truthful and skilfulspeech in giving constructive feedback. You try toremember that the poem is someone’s offspring. Youdon’t want to be looking in the pram and saying ‘ Whatan ugly baby!’Mindfulness - the core of Buddhism.To write you have to put everything else aside andexist in the moment of possibility before creation. Thisinvolves the use of the imagination, as in meditation. Inreading, writing and listening to poetry we can gaininsight and awareness not just of our own thoughts,feelings etc but of universal truths. Thus, gaining wisdomthat transcends our small self, just as studying theDharma does. Poetry can make you think, feel andchange. As Manjusvara says;Just as meditation is the art of staying alert to the endlessplay of the mind,So too is poetry’.
Dedicated to Aryamati who died tragically in 2014 . Thegroup thrives in her memory.
POETRY AS A SPIRITUAL PRACTICEBy Debbie Sumner
The teacher
For me to enterYou opened the tall iron gate.Quietly I walked along the path.Upon a deep large lake I cameSurrounded by tall, powerful trees.In the calm, clear waterI saw an endless blue sky.And in the skyThe setting sunA pool of liquid golden lightWhere beings like you bathe,And become immortal.
Isabel Pickard
Off CourseSome things throw you off courseFor years.Perhaps for the rest of your life.Beating the driving windIn a direction one never wanted to go.The tiller helpless in your handWay off courseBut travelling so fast and easily it seems right.Only, early one morning do you awakeTo find yourself beachedOn a totally alien shore.
Anon
LightTake me by the hand
Through the thunderous silenceAnd shine the light
Helen Browne
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Spotlight on Sangha members:
Amitasuri – “Wonder Woman!”
“I was so totally exhausted, yet still felt likeWonder Woman, having swum in four individual eventsand a team relay before going on to complete(actually jogging!) the 3km Donor Run. Yes, I cried tohear that I'd won a medal for each of my races. I’mamazed - I did it! I took every massage goingafter that!”
This was Amitasuri, Buddhist Chaplain atManchester Royal Infirmary, on Facebook only a shorttime ago. She’d been competing at the British trans-plant Games in Newcastle, Gateshead andSunderland 2015 as a member of the ManchesterTransplant Team.
After Amitasuri was Ordained eight years ago shebecame very sick with kidney failure, eventually needinga transplant. When she was in her 20’s she had a brainhaemorrhage and nearly died. This was connected tothe kidney disease, and she still has an ongoing healthcondition connected to the kidney failure which is life-threatening. It does not stop this amazing woman fromembracing all that life has to offer, and her taking partin the Transplant games with such gusto is testamentto her determination to live life to the full.
She woke up from a coma after the haemorrhageknowing that she had nearly died, but that she wasn’tyet ready to do so. She woke with an energy that shedescribes as ‘metta’, which lifted her up, knowing thereason she was still alive was “to help as many peopleas possible realise their potential.” At the time she hadno idea how she could do that because she couldn’tspeak, and had residual brain damage, but she knewthat she would spend the rest of her life working outhow to do it.
She said “I was a 20 something lassie from Glasgow,brought up on Rangers and fish and chips, and I knewmy life would never be the same again – so I needed totravel and explore.”She left Glasgow and kept finding herself in Buddhistcountries. Being drawn over and over to meditation,the dharma and friendship, she eventually realised shewas a Buddhist herself. It was roughly twenty years ago,after working for Greenpeace and living in the Vijay-aloka Community outside Sydney, Australia that sheknew shewanted to give her life to the dharma, and moved toDublin in Ireland to work for the team based right live-lihood Evolution where she could be a part of the 3 C’s(Community, Co-op, Centre).
Amitasuri has always been interested in person centredtherapies and Homeopathic Medicine, and studied thisat university in India, where it is widely practiced. Sheloves India, and was able to live there on a long visa,thanks to her studies, for nearly 2 years. She’s stillslightly involved with a project she worked on in Bodh-gaya, India, called the ‘3 Jewels’ project.Study also brought her to Manchester from Dublin, andat one time she worked with Vidyamala andOsadhi on a “Peace of Mind” project which eventuallybecame Breathworks.
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Immediately after Ordination Amitasuri’s progressivekidney disease took a firm hold and she became very ill.This meant that, due also to the connected braincondition she has been in and out of hospital, both asan in- patient and out- patient for many years. Becauseof the opportunity to spend a lot of time in hospital,she has been able to connect with people in allsituations in the hospitals – patients, family membersand staff, including doctors and surgeons. This has beenan amazing context for her dharma practice. She hasdeeply connected with her experiences, and hasdiscovered a willingness in herself to be vulnerable,communicative and open to other people’s kindnesswhich she communicates to others to help them, sayingthat the wonderful generosity shown to her by thesangha and the Women’s Community when she wasvery ill showed her the way.
“Giving, and the receiving of it- it’s mutual. Throughopenness to receiving – then I can give. It’s throughreceiving my new kidney from my donor, and throughher willingness to give it, that I’m here now to let lifeand love flow through me; and I’m living in gratitude.”She describes ‘living in gratitude’ as one of her mainstayqualities.
In receiving, Amitasuri has discovered first-hand howcompassionate action is so healing and supportive. Shehas developed strength in her faith and experience andthe possibility of connecting with love whatever theuncertainty of trauma and pain. It’s about being shownthat glimmer of light. She said “Amitabha’s warmth,love and radiance are present for me in the loving, kindactions. I was doing Chaplaincy (or Spiritual Care)before I knew what it was. I instinctively know what aperson’s need requires. There’s something about
openness – I can see the effect it has – people initiatethe conversation themselves”
So, a natural progression and her interest in helpingothers with severe illness led her to a course inHealthcare Chaplaincy run by the Buddhist ChaplaincySupport Group. The course provided a context for her,and a framework in which to practice. Amitasuridefined the framework as identifying the qualities of aspiritual friend and working within those parameters.Her enthusiasm helped her along and she started goingto events, meeting others who were working in thefield and networking.Because of her own experiences, Amitasuri believes itis vitally important for her to be with and give supportto people who are suffering. She says she is “in mettawith the patients.” She describes being with a patient inan Intensive Care ward as a great honour, and shetakes with her a sense of joy. “Something in me justknows what is OK.” She has shared meditation,Mantras, music, poetry and songs at the bedsides ofsick patients.
She believes her role as a Chaplain is to work as part ofa team who aim to help all people who need it –patients, staff and families. She says we all experiencesickness at some time in our lives, and she sees helpingthe sick as part of the Bodhisattva Ideal, drawingattention to the verses of the Bodhicaryavatara ‘May Iallay all the suffering of every living being; May I bemedicine for the sick ….’.Her final words were a quote from Roger Keyes’spoem Hokasai Says – ‘Hokasai says it matters that youlet life live through you.’
Amitasuri’s work is her passion and she gave awonderful talk about it at the Buddhist Centre whereshe described it as ‘Living what we love.’ You can findthis talk on the MBC website.
Amitasuri’s name, given to her by Maitreyi, meansBoundless (or limitless) Heroine.
ORGAN DONATIONAmitasuri is also passionate about raisingawareness of organ donation for transplant. Shesays “When we die other people can live.”If you are aged 16-30 you can donate stem cells.Look at doing this through the Anthony NolanTrust.If you want to donate other organs go towww.organdonation.nhs.uk/.No one is too old. Amitasuri asks you to re-member to tell your family that you want to do-nate organs so that when the time comes, whenit is necessary, they are prepared.
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The Triratna Young Buddhists Project:why is it here?!? Lydia Morris
National Young Buddhist’s Retreat at Adhisthana Retreat Centre (2014)
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I’m going to start by laying my cards on the table; Ithink that the Triratna Young Buddhists’ project isgreat. However, for the first few years that thisproject was running I was much less convinced.Although I didn’t see anything wrong with it, I couldn’tquite see why there needed to be something just foryoung people. I felt happy with Mitra study, day eventsand the other activities I was involved in.I became involved with Triratna (then FWBO); when Iwas 22. This was about 3-years before YoungBuddhists’ events started, and it was a couple of yearsbefore these events began to really grow. I attendedsome events, which I appreciated, but it was only inthe last few years that I became really, really convincedof the value of this project. This was when I went ona retreat at Tiratanaloka Retreat Centre and therewere 6-7 other younger women. This was arevelation for me as I’d got used to often being theonly person under 40 on retreat (or with possibly oneor two other under 40s). This highlighted to me thatthe Young Buddhists’ project was really supportingmore young adults to practice.For me, one of the most important things is that theDharma and Triratna are accessible to everyone. Idon't see why young people should miss out onsomething that can be such a positive force within allof our lives. I've benefited hugely from the Mettapractice and friendships by themselves! Also statisticaland anecdotal evidence suggests that Triratna isn’talone in having a minority of young attenders, inrecent years.
When I was newer to Triratna, I can remember someawkward encounters with Order Members
considerably older than me where I felt like a shy 13-year old again! Having said that, I don't believe agedifferences preclude forming very strong friendships.But I think that can be an ease of connection that issometimes experienced more naturally with those of asimilar age; for example, certain 'life-style’ questionscan be more pressing (whether to have a family, builda career etc). Having become much more involved inthe Young Buddhists’ project, it has made a differenceto me being able to develop deeper friendships withthose of a similar age. The informality of youngpeople’s activities have helped me feel more confidentto be ‘at the front’; also its been helpful to see moreyounger people, including younger Order Members,exemplifying this by giving talks, leading events etc.I’m certainly not alone in benefiting from the project.In February 2014 Singhamati undertook some research[3 focus groups, 5 interviews and an online survey of250 young adults (18-35) who have had some contactwith Triratna]. Some of the results included: 90% ofthose surveyed saying that they felt they had gonedeeper because of the project; 90% expressed that ithad contributed to them committing to the Dharma.Also 90% attended both Young Buddhist and otherSangha activities; this seems important, as the projectdoes not detract from the value of all Sangha activitiesand of developing friendships with people of all ages.
So many thanks to those involved (historically orcurrently) in this project locally, nationally andinternationally. Thanks also to those at the Centrewho support the project in various ways.
The 1840 group meets every third Friday of themonth, see MBC website for more details.
When I think about the things that have had the biggest impact on my spiritual life, I don’t think of blissful dhyanaI’ve experienced whilst on retreat; nor do I think of flashes of insight that have arisen whilst reading a Buddhist text- partly because my experience in these areas is pretty limited! Instead, what often comes to mind, is spending timewith my friends in the sangha: to organise an event, to study together on a Thursday night, or to support anintroductory class. It’s when I’ve been with friends in the Sangha, working towards a common aim, that I’ve felt thedeepest sense of living a fully integrated Buddhist life; of putting my ethics into practice; and of doing somethinggenuinely meaningful for myself and others. Our Buddhist Centre was built by volunteers, and since then, hundredsmore have given time, skills and money to help the centre communicate Buddhist teachings and meditation tothousands of people. I’m inspired by this, and feel passionate about giving people an opportunity to be transformedthrough the practice of working with others. It’s for this reason that I would like to start a regular cleaning andmeditation afternoon on a Tuesday. You don’t need to attend everything, nor come every week, and there’s noneed to book: you just need to have completed a Buddhism Level 2 course* and turn up a few minutes before12.00pm.
12.00pm – 1.00pm – Clean the centre and care for the Shrine Rooms
1.00pm – 2.00pm – Have lunch or attend the lunch time drop in meditation (or carry on cleaning!)
2.30pm – 4.00pm – Attend the Buddhist Meditation Practice Afternoon.
*If you haven’t completed a Buddhism Level 2 course, but are a regular at Tools for Living your Life and drop insessions then please talk to me if you would like to volunteer”
If you have any queries, or you would like to discuss volunteering opportunities at the centre , thenplease contact Paul Whitehead on 0161 834 9232 or [email protected]
On 17th July 2015, Manchester Buddhist Centre was awarded the status of a Fairtrade Temple, followingan application I made to the Fairtrade Foundation. In order to gain this status we’ve had to make somepledges. These are to:
▪ Serve Fairtrade tea and coffee for all meetings and events (for which we have responsibility)▪ Move forward on using other Fairtrade products such as sugar, biscuits and fruit▪ Promote Fairtrade during Fairtrade Fortnight and during the year through events, worship and
other activities whenever possible
Trying to make ethical consumer choices is undoubtedly complex, difficult, and has many areas of grey.However, this commitment from the centre team definitely feels like a step in the right direction. Weare very lucky in that we have lots of generous people who donate teas, coffees, soya milk and sugar tous on a regular basis: this is hugely appreciated and long may it continue! I think we would all agree thatwe want Manchester Buddhist Centre to reduce suffering and be a positive force for good in the world.Therefore, it would be fantastic if people really got behind Manchester Buddhist Centre’s status as a FairTrade Temple, and extended their generosity to the farmers of the developing world by buying, bringingand sharing fairly traded products where possible (the Co-op does a good range of tea, coffee and sugarat a very reasonable price!)
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Fairtrade at the MBC
Clean up Tuesdays Paul WhiteheadPaul’s Page
My shrine is in my bedroom. I move things around and change items quite frequently, but the Buddha rupa is“permanent!’ This is a reclining figure, usually considered to represent the historical Buddha during his last illness,about to ‘enter’ Paranirvana. I find this figure very peaceful.
I always have some flowers and candles, but no incense, as I don’t really like the smell. Instead, I burn differentessential oils, according to the season. Currently I have just a few carnations in a small vase decorated with a Yin
/Yang design and four tea lights on small glass platesetched with lotus designs, a gift from my daughter, Emma.There is also, at the moment, a card from her given to meyears ago in which she has written a poem about myhesitant first steps at writing poetry. It is a muchtreasured rejoicing in my merits! I love having thingswhich have been given to me on the shrine. It reminds meof people’s kindness and generosity. There is also adelightful little golden frog , sitting in a meditationposture. This was a recent gift from my friend Bridie andmakes me smile.
There are bells, which we use for meditation during ourGlossop Sangha meetings. I am so fortunate to have ourlocal Sangha in my home. We always welcome newmembers! There are always a few family photographs on
the shrine and, at the moment, I have two photos of my children when they were small and one of mygranddaughter. There is also collage of photos of my parents andgrandparents. I have just put a dish on the shrine containing stonescollected from different places, all of which bring back happy memories egsmall rounded green pebbles from a beach in New Zealand. Sometimes Iwrite out a passage from a book which inspires me and keep it on theshrine.
Above the shrine is a collection of artwork relating to Buddhist themes.One of my favourites is a version of the Metta Sutta printed over a golddrawing of the Buddha, made by an old friend of mine in Wales. Anothergift from this same friend is an illustrated card with a quote from LongChen Pa.’Since everything is none other than exactly as it is- one may as well breakout in laughter. ‘I have an Antony Gormly print, the name of which I can’t remember, but Ithink it suggests the ‘fuzziness’ of self boundaries.
It is strange to think that many years ago when I first met the Dharma, Ithought shrines would never be my ‘thing’. I love my shrine and find it awonderful source of solace and inspiration.
Sangha Members’ Shrines Mary Griffiths
We would love to hear about your shrine. If you’d like to contribute to this page, please email Janet or [email protected]
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Buddhist Action MonthKate Morrissey
June saw various events happening around the centrefor Buddhist Action Month. The 'Why Vegan?' eventwas well attended with around 50 people dropping inat different points for cooking demonstrations, foodsampling, a metta bhavana for animals and discussion.We also had lots of leaflets for people to take, vegancookery books to tantalise the taste buds and nutri-tional wall-charts on sale to show how easy it is to bea healthy vegan in Manchester. We had various healthyand happy vegans on hand to answer any questions andgive advice on where those wanting to pursue a moreethical and compassionate diet can buy food and eatout.
Highlights included the informative and well organised'What to do with tofu?' cooking demonstrations byBritta and Emil who work at Unicorn Grocery, Carrotand Chickpea Pitta Pockets by Simon H and hisglamourous assistants/sous chefs and of courseUpekshapriya's flamboyantly executed 'Ridiculouslysimple veggie burger' where he artistically estimatedthe measurements required! Claire Morris led aheartfelt Metta Bhavana for animals and Simon B gave astimulating and impassioned talk. We split into groups afterwards to discuss ourreasons for being/not being vegan and whatsupport people might need to make morecommitment towards a cruelty free diet.
Various peoplecalled in to trysome food. Somepeople who hadbeen at Tools forLiving your Lifeand theIntroduction tomeditation daystayed around tojoin in.One womancommentedenthusiastically(and through a
mouthful of food) "I only came in for some incense!".Needless to say, no-one left hungry or empty handedthat day. Simon B even went out to hand out theremaining pasties to homeless people, ensuring thatmore people got to benefit from the event and thatnothing was wasted.Thanks to all the people who came, helped out andmade food for the event. Watch this space for futurevegan events....
Many people were impressed by the vegan quiche onoffer (kindly made by my friend Beth) and severalasked for the recipe.
I tested it out myself (see photo). It was surprisinglysimple to make and went down a storm with myfriends. Voila!
Mushroom and Red Onion Quiche
Ingredients:
Shortcrust pastry to fit a quiche tin1 tbsp olive oil1 large red onion, chopped2 tbsp vegan margarine1lb/450g field mushrooms, chopped4oz/110g vegan 'cheese', grated4 tbsp chopped fresh chives250ml carton soya creamVegan parmesan (optional- I didn't bother!)
1. Fry the onion in the oil till beginning to brown. Setaside.2. Cook the chopped mushrooms in the margarineover medium heat till they begin to release their ownjuices.3. Turn up the heat and cook to near-dryness.4. Mix together the onion, mushrooms, 2/3 of the'cheese' and the chives and fill into the pastry case,smoothing down evenly to the edges.5. Top with the remaining 'cheese' then pour the soyacream over the filling carefully, ensuring that it fills thegaps evenly.6. Top with the Parmesan and bake for 25 minutes at200°C.
ENJOY!
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Flashmob for Peace
On June 4th, as part of Buddhist Action Month, Sangha members met with supporters of the Friends of ManchesterPeace Garden for a Flash Mob Meditation outside the Central Library in St. Peter’s Square, close to the site of thenow demolished Peace Garden. Various groups carried banners, and there was a life-size cardboard replica of themain statue which used to stand in the Garden. The Friends, of which I am a member as an EBK representative,campaign for the reinstatement of the Peace Garden, with the statues and plaques it originally contained, in order toagain provide a quiet space in the city for individual reflection and appropriate peace gatherings andcommemorations. The Garden was lost in the re-development of the tram network in St. Peter’s Square, and it’soriginal position is now occupied by the re-sited War Memorial; sadly, no plans were made or funding set aside forre-instating the Garden elsewhere. Supporters gave out leaflets containing background information while wemeditated, and everyone involved seemed to find it a very positive experience. The Friends group is very grateful forthe support of MBC, and asked me to pass on thanks to all those taking part.
Annie Bracken
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