Sunday, December 08, 2013

Online Orientation to Zen Practice


"For over twenty years I had read book after book on the subjects of Zen and Buddhism, but somewhere in the back of my mind I knew all that reading was not enough. I was not DOING. The 'Orientation to Zen Buddhist Practice' course was that huge nudge I needed to get myself truly participating and practicing." - Seishin Susanne Ledingham
Discover the impact that consistent Zen practice can have on and in your life! The Zenwest Buddhist Society (formerly the Victoria Zen Centre) now offers a comprehensive Orientation to Zen Buddhist Practice training package to help you develop a stable Zen practice, no matter where you are.

Once the program has been completed, your knowledge and physical Zen practice should be well established enough for you to begin formal practice with Zenwest, and the experience you gain through practice will also ease your entry into virtually any other Zen or Buddhist group you choose to engage with.   

Online Training Materials
The online course is structured as a gradual and progressive four-week program, utilizing online videos, audio files, and a practice journal. Course materials are available at http://www.zenwest.ca/courses/90-online-orientation-to-zen-course and are free for you to use any time, as often as you like, and to share as widely as you wish to. These resources are made possible through the generous support of Zenwest Members and Associates.

Course Support
In addition to the online materials, we also offer one-to-one Course Support. By registering for support, you will receive a once-weekly, 30-minute Skype support meeting with one of our training guides for each of the four weeks of the Orientation program (for a total of four meetings). These one-to-one sessions provide a forum for discussion of your experiences as you engage in the the program, and an opportunity for support and feedback from experienced practitioners regarding the challenges of establishing a consistent Zen practice.

Participation with a training guide is not required to access the online course materials, but is a requirement for completion of the Orientation to Zen program (a pre-requisite for further training with Zenwest).

To register for Course Support visit http://www.zenwest.ca/courses/90-online-orientation-to-zen-course or email registrar@zenwest.ca.

Practice Assessment
When you have completed the Orientation to Zen program, if you wish to as a next step undertake further training with Zenwest or become a Zenwest Member, you must first complete a formal Practice Assessment. This can be done online, or in person. When you register for a Practice Assessment you will be contacted to arrange a mutually convenient time to conduct your assessment.

To register for a Practice Assessment visit http://www.zenwest.ca/courses/90-online-orientation-to-zen-course or email registrar@zenwest.ca.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013



A week long retreat at the Victoria Shambhala-Buddhist Centre




The practice of sitting meditation slows our torrent of thoughts and distractions and uncovers the stable, clear and potent quality of our mind. Adapted from the month-long Shambhala dathun, the city weekthun is an opportunity for us to connect deeply with meditation while relating it directly with our regular life. Beginners and seasoned meditators, as well as meditation practitioners of any silent tradition, are all welcome.
The week will include meetings with meditation instructors, short talks, contemplative lunches, and plenty of time to let your mind rest from the hectic pace of life. Full participation in the program will count toward the dathun requirement for Enlightened Society Assembly. Two consecutive sessions per day can be counted as the requirement for Shambhala Guides. To receive credit toward your dathun you must register for this program and attend all three sessions all seven days.
Practitioners of all levels are invited to join in this week of spacious mind, for the entire week or one or more full days. Please, no partial days.
Daily schedule: Friday, December 27, 7:00 – 9:00 PM; and Saturday, December 28 – Friday, January 3:
  • 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Opening chants and meditation
  • 12:00 – 1:30 PM: Lunch
  • 1:30 – 4:30 PM: Meditation
  • 4:30 – 5:00 PM: Tea
  • 5:00 – 7:00 PM: Meditation and closing chants
Suggested price: $300.00. Generosity Policy applies by prearrangement.
Questions ? contact: Chris Bauman at:  breathinglady@gmail.com

Sunday, October 06, 2013


Weekend teaching with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche in Victoria

Please note that this event is over 70% sold out at this time. Please register soon to take advantage of this unique opportunity.
It is with great pleasure that Geshe YongDong and Sherab Chamma Ling announce that they will be hosting Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche to present a weekend Teaching Retreat.  The event will take place in Victoria, B.C. Canada on December 6, 7 & 8th.
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche is the founding director of Ligmincha Institute. In his more than 20 years of living and teaching in the West, he has become renowned for his ability to convey the ancient wisdom of Bön Buddhism in a way that is highly relevant to Western students.
Bön is Tibet’s oldest spiritual tradition and the indigenous source of Tibetan culture. Followers of Bön receive teachings and transmissions from teachers in unbroken lineages from ancient times to the present day.  Bön retains the richness and flavor of its pre-Buddhist roots. Its teachings range from harmonizing our body, speech and mind with the elemental energies of nature to the Great Perfection teachings of Dzogchen.
Topics for the weekend are Awakening the Luminous Mind and Awakening the Sacred Body.  Join Bön Buddhist meditation master Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche as he invites you to engage in the practice of meditation and reflection, to look intimately within and discover the jewel that is hidden in your ordinary experiences.
For more information and registration please contact:
 www.sherabchammaling.com, or email: chamma@telus.net

Saturday, October 05, 2013


Buddhist Film Festival at the Vic Theatre
808 Humboldt St,

The Vic Theatre is holding a Buddhist Film Fest from  October 8th -12th.  19h00 each night.


·       October 8th:  Digital Dharma:  American E. Gene Smith made it his life mission to rescue the written legacy of the Tibetan culture by organizing a project to digitize and translate 20,000 volumes of Tibetan literature, on everything from medicine and history to poetry and Buddhist texts.
·      October 9th: Shugendo Now:  A very spiritual and physical practice, Shugendo Practitioners are deeply committed to protecting nature and the environment. Their love and dedication will inspire you. The scenery will take your breath away.
·      October 10th: Amongst White Clouds: Filmed on location in China, this film allows us an intimate peek into the lives of China's Buddhist hermit monks. Burger presents their tradition, their wisdom and the hardship and joy of their everyday lives among the clouds.
·      October 11th: Crazy Wisdom: Explore the life of the late Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, a pivotal figure in bringing Tibetan Buddhism to the West. Ever enigmatic, he remain a mystery, even to his wife of 17 years. Thomas Merton wanted to write a book with him; Joni Mitchell wrote a song about him. Trungpa taught Buddhism as though it were a matter of life and death.
·      October 12th: When the Iron Bird Flies: As Buddhism manifests in the West, this film asks the vital question "In these increasingly chaotic modern times, can these age old teaching help us to find genuine happiness and create a saner, more compassionate 21st century world?"

When the Iron Bird Flies weaves an intricate tapestry using interviews with contemporary Tibetan Buddhist teachers, stories of western practitioners, archival footage and images of modern life that illuminate and make accessible the Buddha's core teachings.


Sunday, September 22, 2013

Zenwest: October workshops & courses


Zenwest is offering a special workshop on compassionate communication in October, as well as two courses:

Compassionate Communication
with Ven. Daitetsu Hull

Saturday, October 5, 9:00-4:00 PM
Kokizan-ji (Red Flag Mountain Temple) in Sooke
Open to all
Bring a bag lunch. The cost is $75 for the day. Nobody will be turned away for lack of funds. Please contact registrar@zenwest.ca to register.
Speaking Freely
It’s easy to feel frustrated about communication in your relationships with family, partner, friends, and co-workers. For many of us, no matter how carefully we try to speak we find we still encounter conflicts and misunderstandings.
This workshop will offer a different way to communicate, based on the tools of Compassionate Communication (also called Non-Violent Communication, or NVC). This approach is effective and open hearted, direct and compassionate. Each of us will be challenged to be honest, open, and courageous. You don’t have to be a genius to attend this workshop, but you do have to be brave.
The day will include an overview of the work, some teaching, and then a chance to practice with real live challenges drawn from the participants lives. We can only learn so much by understanding concepts. When we actually experience something directly for ourselves we can deeply know and integrate it.
In the workshop you will:
  • Learn an effective, compassionate, and direct way of communicating.
  • Begin to transform your inner dialogue from one of judgment and blame to one of understanding and connection.
  • Enjoy a safe space to work with issues in your relationships and see them in a new way.
  • Gain insight about how meditation practice can support you in creating more peace and connection in your relationships.
Ven. Daitetsu’s Bio:
Daitetsu Hull graduated Lewis & Clark College with a BA in Psychology in 1994. He spent the next six years travelling overseas, teaching English in both Venezuela and Japan. In 2000 he entered residential training with Chozen and Hogen Bays, and was ordained as a Zen priest in 2003. Daitetsu lived and trained at Great Vow Zen Monastery under these two teachers from September of 2000 through September 2013. Daitetsu has been attending meditation retreats with the Zen teacher Genjo Marinello, Osho in Seattle since 2009. In addition to his Zen practice, Daitetsu has a passion for tools that maintain psychological health and skillful communication. To that end he has been receiving training in Compassionate Communication (also called Non-Violent Communication or NVC) since 2003 and in Voice Dialogue since 2005.


Intensive Preparation

Saturday mornings, 9:00-11:30 AM
October 12 & 19, 2013
Kokizan-ji (Red Flag Mountain Temple) in Sooke
Open to Zenwest Members who have completed the free online Orientation to Zen and a practice assessment.

If you have successfully developed a stable daily practice of Zen meditation, and are wondering how to go further with our Sangha, this course is your next step. Participants will be introduced to the subtleties and differences involved in intensive training, and will receive an orientation to, and experience of, practices that are specific to intensive training in the Zen tradition. The Intensive Preparation course is the gateway to deepening your practice.

For Full members of Zenwest, the course fee is included as part of membership dues. For Basic and Distance members the course fee is $95. Course fees includes a course manual and materials.

For more information, or to register, please visit the Intensive Preparation course page.

Fundamentals of Zen Practice

Wednesday evenings, 7:30-9:30 PM
October 2, 9, 23, and 30, 2013 (no class Oct 16)
Kokizan-ji (Red Flag Mountain Temple) in Sooke
Open to Zenwest Members who have completed the free online Orientation to Zen and a practice assessment.

Building on the foundation of training established through the Orientation to Zen, you will be introduced to some of the fundamental teachings of Zen Buddhism. Group activities and training assignments ask that we take these teachings out of our head and engage them in the day to day unfolding of our lives.

This course also provides you with the opportunity to explore the ceremony of Jukai, which is commonly considered formally “becoming Buddhist”. The Jukai Ceremony consists of four distinct aspects, each of which is introduced and discussed in an intimate environment of friendship and community. The four aspects are:
  1. Sange (repentance/purification).
  2. Taking the Threefold Refuge.
  3. Receiving the Five Sila (precepts).
  4. The Four Bodhisattva Vows.

For Full members of Zenwest, the course fee is included as part of membership dues. For Basic and Distance members the course fee is $295. Course fees includes a course manual.

For more information, or to register, please visit the Fundamentals of Zen course page.

Questions? Email registrar@zenwest.ca

Wednesday, September 11, 2013




Daoist Qigong Levels 1, 2 and 3
with Eva Wong
October 5th—October 13th
   
Room: Nanaimo and Victoria

The Victoria Shambhala Centre and the Canadian Tai Chi Academy, Nanaimo Branch are pleased to sponsor this teaching visit by Eva Wong. Eva will teach Daoist Qigong Levels 1 and 2 in Nanaimo on October 5–6 and Level 3 at the Victoria Shambhala Centre on October 11–13. The program in Nanaimo is open to all—no previous experience is necessary.
Cultivate strength of body and calmness of mind through the healing Taoist practice of qigong. Take this rare opportunity to receive instruction in two unique lineages, the Pre-celestial Limitless Gate School (Xiantianwujimen) and the Yiquan School, neither of which have previously been fully transmitted to students in the West.
Xiantianwujimen was founded in the Song dynasty (circa 10th to 12th centuries) by Taoist sage Chen Xiyi, who is recognized as “the father of qigong.” This lineage specializes in using qigong techniques to build the foundation for sitting meditation.
The Yiquan School was founded by Wang Xiangzhai in the early 20th century. Yiquan is most well-known for its standing qigong postures called Zhangzhuan, which are designed to still the mind while simultaneously gathering and circulating internal energy.
In Level 1, students will be in instructed in various techniques of outer and inner qigong. Outer qigong is concerned with strengthening the muscular-skeletal system—joints, muscles, tendons, bones, and spinal column. It includes techniques of tendon changing, marrow washing, self-massage, and calisthenics. Inner qigong is concerned with nourishing the internal organs and cultivating qi, or internal energy. Students will learn Chen Xiyi’s sleeping and walking qigong and Wang Xiangzhai’s standing qigong.
In Level 2, students will learn the Nine Self-Massage Technique and the Twelve Devas Tendon-changing system in their entirety. The Self-Massage Technique focuses on stimulating the meridians and acupuncture points and the Twelve Devas forms focus on recovering flexibility, strength, and softness in the tendons and muscles. In addition, students will continue to learn new forms of Wang Xiangzhai’s standing qigong that are designed to preserve, gather, and circulate internal energy.
In Level 3 students will learn:
  Hua Tu’s Five Animals Calisthenics and tendon-changing Techniques. The five animal forms covered are tiger, bear, deer, monkey, and bird. The tiger form trains tendon strength, the bear form trains bone strength, the deer form focuses on preserving generative energy, the monkey form trains agility, and the bird form trains balance.

  Part 1 of the Immortals’ Guide to Self Massage and Breath regulation. This system combines self-massage and breath control to facilitate the conservation and circulation of internal energy.
  Part 1 of Chen Xiyi’s Red Phoenix Calisthenics System. This system combines tendon-changing, calisthenics, self-massage, and breath regulation. Originated in the 11th century, the Red Phoenix Calisthenics is unique to Xiantianwujimen qigong. 
Both sets are used to familiarize the practitioner with different forms of breath control to open blockages in the meridians, align the spinal column for circulation of qi from the base of the spine to the crown of the head, and enhance tendon, bone, and muscular strength. Both forms have not been taught outside of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China.
  Four more standing qigong postures from Wang Xiangzhai’s Yiquan System
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites for Level 1, the prerequisite for Level 2 is completion of Level 1, and taking both Levels 1 and 2 is recommended. The prerequisite for Level 3 is completion of Levels 1 and 2. Students are also expected to understand that they should not teach any form of Xiantianwujimen or Yiquan Qigong without permission from Eva Wong.
Schedule:
  Level 1 in Nanaimo: Saturday, October 5, 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
  Level 2 in Nanaimo: Sunday, October 6, 9:00 AM –  6:00 PM
  Level 3 in Victoria: Thursday, October 10, 7:00 – 8:00 PM (refresher); Friday, October 11, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM (opening talk); Saturday, October 12, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM, and 7:30 – 9:30 PM (mandatory evening session—required text: Nourishing the Essence of Life: The Outer, Inner, and Secret Teachings of Taoism, by Eva Wong); and Sunday, October 13, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Required reading: Nourishing the Essence of Life: The Outer, Inner, and Secret Teachings of Taoism, by Eva Wong. Copies will be available at the programs.
Prices: $200.00 for either program; $300.00 for both programs ($150.00 for each); half price for students repeating the programs. A 50% deposit is requested to hold a place in a program.
About Eva Wong: Eva Wong is author and translator of 13 books on the Taoist arts of health, meditation and qigong. She is the 19th-generation lineage carrier of Xiantianwujimen Taoism (Pre-celestial Limitless Gate School of Taoism) and 3rd-generation student of Wang Xiangzhai, founder of Yiquan martial arts and Zhangzhuan (standing qigong). Eva is also a lineage holder of the Hsüan-k’ung (Mysterious Subtleties) school of traditional Chinese feng-shui as well as a practitioner of the San-yüan (Three Periods) and San-ho (Three Combinations) schools. She is offering these programs at Shambhala Centres at the request of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.
Registration:
To register for Levels 1 and 2, please send registration information and payment to: Canadian Tai Chi Academy, Nanaimo Branch, 1555 Scarlet Hill Rd, Nanaimo, BC V9T 1J2. Click here to learn more.
To register for Level 3, please use the “Click Here to Register” button below, or send registration information and payment to: Victoria Shambhala Meditation Centre, 1-2033 Belmont Ave, Victoria, BC V8R 3Z7
Questions? Contact Charles Blackhall at charles108@telus.net.




Monday, September 09, 2013

Beginners Meditation Drop- in

New to Meditation?

Unsure where to start or want to learn how to meditate in the Insight Meditation tradition?

Monthly Introductory Sessions will be held at

Lynn Wylie-Helga Beer Yoga Studio

#202 1600 Bay St. (use Shakespeare St entrance):
Street parking on Bay Street.


-Sunday October 6th  , 5:30 – 6:30 pm


-Sunday November 3rd, 5:30 – 6:30 pm


-Sunday December 1st, 5:30 – 6:30 pm


Drop in; no preregistration required.


This session is open to absolute beginners, those new to Insight Meditation or those wanting a refresher course.  There will be short periods of practice and time for questions and answers.

Brock Brown or Margo McLoughlin, Community Dharma Leaders will lead the session.

There is no charge to attend but you are welcome to make a  donation to help cover the associated costs.

Sponsored by the Victoria Insight Meditation Society

www.VictoriaIMS.org

Saturday, September 07, 2013

September Zenwest events and announcements


Pilgrimage - September 15

 
Pilgrimage is a sacred practice in many traditions, including Zen Buddhism. Join us for a day to experience the deep silence and companionship that develops on this one-day pilgrimage. The route from downtown Victoria, to Kokizan-ji (Red Flag Mountain Temple) in Sooke is approximately 36km and begins at 8am, so bring good shoes, a good lunch, plenty of water, and a walking stick helps. If you plan to take part please contact Ven. Eshu at eshu@zenwest.ca

Osho Ceremony - September 28


On Saturday September 28, 2013 Ven. Eshu will be acknowledged as an Osho by Ven. Genjo Marinello, Osho of Dai Bai Zan Cho Bo Zen Ji in a ceremony to be held at the UVic Interfaith Chapel at 3:30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend this ceremony, which is a celebration not only of Ven. Eshu, but of the entire community that has been built here on Vancouver Island, and indeed the Zenwest Sangha around the world.

Genjo Osho describes the ceremony:

"Osho is the Japanese Zen word for temple priest so this is a ceremony acknowledging and affirming Eshu Martin as a temple priest and Dharma Teacher. This is not the same as Dharma Transmission which may come after years of additional training. As an acknowledged temple priest, Eshu will have the authority to give Dharma talks, do one on one Dharma interviews and ordain priests in training (Unsui in Japanese). Eshu has been in acting in this capacity already so this ceremony is more of a celebration and acknowledgment of this fact. At the ceremony, Eshu will re-affirm the Four Great Bodhisattva Vows, give himself more fully to the Three Treasures, re-commit to the Ten Precepts, and do prostrations to the Rinzai/Hakuin Dharma lineage. He will receive various articles signifying the affirmation of Eshu as Osho, including an extension to his Dharma Name, brown robes, red Japanese fan, long Buddhist prayer beads, and a staff. He will then give a brief Dharma Talk on a subject of his choice. Following this there will be a reception to celebrate this event."
The ceremony will be followed by a reception potluck at the Oaklands Community Centre at 5:30-9:00pm.

Several guest priests will be in attendance, and it will be a rare opportunity for everyone to enjoy the company of experienced practitioners and teachers from many traditions.

Kokizan-ji Hermitage Project

 
 

Our Kokizan-ji (Red Flag Mountain Temple) Hermitage project is under way! Working with local talent, designers, builders and artisans in our own community, we continue to make Zen come alive by offering more and more opportunities for Zen practice available right here on Vancouver Island.
Our vision is to create small hermitage buildings, with just enough room to sleep 2 for short term visitors or students at Zenwest.
The initial fundraising for the first hermitage building was a huge success, and now the real work of taking it from vision to reality begins!


There is no Zenwest Work Day scheduled in the month of September (given the number of other events this month), but there are many small jobs to do in order to prepare Red Flag Mountain Temple for the building. Ven. Eshu will be working away at it all month, so if you have a few hours that you would be willing to dedicate this month to helping get things ready, please contact Ven. Eshu eshu@zenwest.ca

Some jobs include:

  • Bucking some downed trees
  • Splitting and stacking firewood (we have an electric splitter)
  • General bush clearing and piling for burning/chipping
If anyone has, or knows somebody that has access to a mini-excavator, please let Ven. Eshu know, as this would be a big help as we prepare and level the area before construction. 

For more information about this project, see
http://zenwest.ca/latest-news/100-hermitage

Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Victoria Zen Centre: Intensive Preparation course

Saturday mornings, 9:00-11:30 AM
June 15 & 22, 2013
Victoria Zen Centre – Sooke, BC

Open to VZC Members who have completed the Orientation to Zen and Practice Assessment.

If you have successfully developed a stable daily practice of Zen meditation, and are wondering how to go further with our Sangha, this course is your next step. Participants will be introduced to the subtleties and differences involved in intensive training, and will receive an orientation to, and experience of, practices that are specific to intensive training in the Zen tradition. The Intensive Preparation course is the gateway to deepening your practice.

For Full members of the VZC, the course fee is included as part of membership dues. For Basic members the course fee is $95. Course fees includes a course manual and materials.

For further information about this course or to register: visit our
website or email registrar@zenwest.ca

Monday, May 06, 2013

SPECIAL SUMMER RETREAT FEATURES MEDITATION, YOGA, WRITING AND THE ARTS


TRUE EXPRESSION 

A SPECIAL SUMMER RETREAT 
WITH 
ZEN TEACHER 
AWARD-WINNING POET 
AND WRITING TEACHER 

PETER LEVITT



For the first time in his forty years as a poet, writer, translator of poetry and major Buddhist texts, as well as a much loved teacher of writing and creativity, Peter Levitt, the guiding teacher of the Salt Spring Zen Circle, will be offering a 7 day summer retreat that combines a gentle and inspiring schedule of meditation, yoga, writing and other arts.


TRUE EXPRESSION RETREAT will take place at the beautiful SS Yoga Centre on Salt Spring Island from July 20 to July 27th and, in Peter’s words, it promises to be “the most joyous, profound and expressive week I can draw out of my imagination.”

Known for his gentleness, understanding, humour and warmth, Peter’s creativity workshops have helped people to discover authentic expression in writing, painting and other arts since the mid 1970’s. Authorised to teach as part of the Zen lineage of Shunryu Suzuki-roshi, (author of the classic Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind) Peter has lead meditation retreats throughout North America.

As a poet, Levitt has received high praise from Governor General Award recipient, Robert Hilles, who called Peter’s last major book, Within Within, “A master work that reveals the interconnected fabric of it all in ways that will leave you stunned.”  In the same vein, legendary poet, Robert Creeley, wrote, “Peter Levitt’s poetry sounds the honour of our common dance.”

And, in speaking about Peter’s teachings, Joanna Macy, the revered peace and environmental activist, Buddhist teacher, and author wrote: 

“With this gentle and fearless guide, the way to creative self-expression becomes a path of liberation. The wisdom and practices he offers free me to walk out into the world as into my own heart—and discover that they are one.”

To learn more about True Expression retreat, please go to 


**A gentle offering of Daily Yoga will be let by master Yoga teachers from the Victoria community.

***The number of participants for this retreat is limited. We encourage you read about the retreat at our website and then register or contact Tara as soon as you can since the retreat is starting to fill. Tara can be reached at info@trueexpressionretreat.com or 1-250-221-1111.



Friday, April 26, 2013

 Movie Night at the Victoria Shambhala Centre
 1-2033 Belmont Ave Victoria
 Friday May 10th - 7pm


Shugendō Now

Experiences in nature can evoke feelings of wellbeing that serve as important reminders of one’s inner nature. However, the complexity of modern life can create a deep sense of separation between self and the natural world. Nowhere is this dualistic split more evident than our current state of social and ecological discord.

Shugendō Now documents the search for inner truth through the practices of Japanese mountain asceticism. Shugendō or ‘The Way of Acquiring Power’, draws on shamanism, Shintō, Taoism, and Tantric Buddhism to understand humanities deep connection to the natural world.

This documentary follows the journey of ordinary Japanese city dwellers in their yearly quest for insight, purification and revitalization during arduous climbs in sacred mountains. More poetic than analytical, Shugendō Now explores the possibility of integrating an awareness of the sacred in contemporary society. With intimate camera work and evocative sound design the viewer is taken from deep within the lush Kumano mountains to the concrete canyon’s of Ōsaka and Tokyo and back again.

Suggested donation of $5
Skype discussion with directors to follow screening
Victoria Shambhala centre  -