Ajahn Jayasaro Talk

An Evening of Buddhist Teachings

with Ajahn Jayasaro

June 9, 2011, 7 - 9 p.m.

The Victoria Vipassana Community is honoured to host Venerable Ajahn Jayasaro in Victoria. This is a wonderful opportunity to receive teachings from an esteemed, senior Buddhist monk in the Thai Forest tradition. Ajahn Jayasaro will start the evening with a short meditation followed by a talk with time for questions and answers.

Place: Goward House, 2495 Arbutus Road, Victoria BC

Time: 7 - 9 p.m. Please arrive by 6:45 p.m.

The teachings are offered freely.

Donations to VVC and to the hermitage are welcome.

For more information, contact Brock Brown brock1492@shaw.ca

Additional Info: http://victoriavipassana.org/?p=1338

Metta (Loving Kindness Weekend Retreat

METTA (LOVING KINDNESS) WEEKEND RETREAT

Victoria Vipassana Community

2-day Retreat

Saturday & Sunday, May 28 & 29, 2011

9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

With Heather Martin

at

Goward House

2495 Arbutus Road

Victoria, BC

This non-residential weekend retreat is being offered for those new to or familiar with meditation practise. The focus will be on Metta or "Loving Kindness". This practise cultivates interpersonal harmony and opens the heart unconditionally. The Buddha suggested the use of metta as an antidote to fear.

The weekend will include periods of instruction and practise with ample time for questions. Heather will describe both the "how" and "why" of this simple yet profound practise, which benefits us in many immediate ways.

Heather Martin has been meditating since 1972 and has been practicing Vipassana since 1981. She teaches up and down the West Coast of the US and Canada and is the guiding teacher for the Victoria Vipassana Community. Her approach is encouraging, accessible and practical. Heather lives on SaltSpringIsland. Prior to being a dharma teacher, she was a midwife for 20 years.

Cost: The Buddha's teachings are considered to be priceless. In keeping with the teachings and spirit of generosity or dana, we offer this retreat on a donation basis. The suggested donation for this retreat is $40 to cover the cost of facility rental, and other organizational expenses. A basket will be placed at the registration table for your donation. Any money collected above the costs of the retreat will go towards other VVC programmes.

No one will be refused for lack of funds; please give whatever is affordable given your means.

We will also set out another basket for you to offer dana for the teachings and the teacher who has shared them with us. We will speak about the practice of dana for the teachings during the retreat.

Two to three days after you have completed the registration form you will receive more detailed information by email about the retreat.

Link to Registration Form:

http://victoriavipassana.org/?page_id=926

Thank you,

Joyce Elliott, Retreat Registrar

Victoria Zen Centre courses - June 2011

Victoria Zen Centre courses - June 2011

The Victoria Zen Centre has two courses beginning in June 2011.

Orientation to Zen Buddhist 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." - Elder Seishin Susanne Ledingham

Monday evenings, 7:00-9:30 PM
June 13 - July 4, 2011
Victoria Zen Centre – Sooke, BC

Discover the impact that consistent practice can have on and in your life! This course was designed by our abbot Ven. Eshu Martin, and is aimed at providing the support necessary for you to put an end to excuses, and to begin a stable and life long transformative practice through Zen Buddhism.

The fee for this four-week course is $395 ($295 for Victoria Zen Centre Associates) and includes:

• Four weekly sessions for a total of ten hours of class time.
• Small class size (max.8).
• A meditation cushion for each participant to keep.
• Course manual and supplementary materials.
• Teachings and group discussions on core aspects of Zen Practice.
• Peer Support.
• Chanting practice CD and Chant Sheet.
• The opportunity to become a member of the Victoria Zen Centre.

Intensive Preparation

Saturday mornings, 9:00-11:30 AM
June 4 and 11, 2011
Victoria Zen Centre – Sooke, BC
Open to VZC Members and Associates who have completed the Orientation course

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 and for VZC Associates the fee is $195. Course fees includes a course manual and materials.


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