Rare Buddhist Relics - Victoria - Aug 23th to 25th

Please share widely with others:


We would appreciate it if you could let others know of this rare opportunity to experience this sacred and historic event in our community.





The Tour brings the message of the Project - "From loving kindness then you can achieve freedom". By consciously having a good heart, we experience peace in ourselves and in our world.


It is the intent of the organizers for this exhibit to be a multi-faith event where all visitors are welcome, regardless of the spiritual background.


Details are as follows:


Dates: Thursday, August 23rd to Saturday, August 25th

Location: Church of Truth – Community of Conscious Living, 111 Superior Street in James Bay.

Public Viewing Times: Thursday (3 pm to 7pm); Friday (10am to 7pm);

Saturday (10am to 5pm)

Cost: Free Admission. Donations to Maitreya Project Greatly Appreciated.

Additional information: http://www.maitreyaproject.org and http://cot.seedwiki.com



A Short Clip (3 min. 57 sec) on the Heart Shrine Relic Tour can be found on You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U2f8JVFqJc



Volunteer are also required for the success of this event. If you can help out or if you know of others who would be willing to assist in the following areas over the three days: greeters, guides, retail sales, cleaners, parking directors, unloaders and loaders, security, please email Roy Leaman at royleaman@gmail.com


At the Opening Ceremony we invite the leaders of all the local Buddhist centers as well as the local Churches and other spiritual groups to come on Thursday, August 23rd at 2:00 p.m. Please RSVP attendance to Linda Chan at 380-6383 or email her at LindaSChan@shaw.ca


On August 22nd, there will be a talk entitled: Benevolent Bones: Buddhist Relics in Context on the evening before the Heart Shrine Relics Tour Exhibition at the Church of Truth – Community of Conscious Living, 111 Superior Street from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Dr. Anne MacDonald, Assistant Professor, Dept. of South Asian, Tibetan and Buddhist Studies, from the University of Vienna will give a talk on Love and Compassion and on the Historical Significance of the Relics. Admission is by donation to Maitreya Project.

Winter Month long retreat on Vancouver Island

Winter Dathün

Meditation Retreat in the Pacific Northwest at Camp Pringle, Shawnigan Lake, Vancouver Island, B.C.

Dec. 8, 2007–Jan.5, 2008, with John Osajima

Dathün is a one-month residential meditation retreat designed for both beginning meditators and those wishing to deepen their practice. The focus will be the mindfulness-awareness practices of the Shambhala Buddhist tradition. Included will be group sitting and walking meditation, private interviews with qualified meditation instructors, talks and contemplation. Reflecting the particular training of the director, this dathün will include various mind and body awareness exercises. There will be a short work session each day. Meals will be taken in Zen oryoki style. Periods of silence and functional talking will be observed.

Everyone is encouraged to attend the full dathün. However, if that is not possible, you're invited to come for one, two or three weeks.

John Osajima, a student in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition for 31 years, is a senior teacher and former head meditation instructor at the Berkeley Shambhala Center. He served as a meditation instructor for four dathüns and at several Meditation Instructor training programs. He regularly teaches Shambhala Training programs and the Maitri Space Awareness Program. He conducts Dharma Art workshops and classes in various settings. For several years John conducted weekly meditation classes at a County jail, a methadone clinic and at a half-way house for women.

Mahamudra Retreat

Camp Pringle, December 15–29, 2007, with Scott Wellenbach

The nature of mind teachings, known as Mahamudra in the Kagyu tradition, are considered the heart essence of all the teachings. Gampopa describes the path of mahamudra as the "single remedy that cures all." The Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche says that "if you recognize your mind's nature, that, in itself, is the recognition of everything else that is to be known." During this two-week Mahamudra retreat, guided by the seminal mahamudra text Pointing Out the Dharmakaya by Wangchuk Dorje, Karmapa IX, we will practice shamatha and vipashyana mahamudra to clarify and stablize our experience of the nature of mind.

Scott Wellenbach is a student of the Vidyadhara, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. As a member of the Nalanda Translation Committee he was a principal translator and editor of the mahamudra text, Pointing Out the Dharmakaya. He is also a co-director of Nitartha Institute, with particular responsibilty for translation projects. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Scott will be in residence from December 15 - 29.

Students and seniors (60 and older) receive a 10% discount.

To register, visit www.nelsonbuddha.com/dathun Phone: (604) 520-7611 e-mail: tyrunkle@telus.net

Maitreya Project Heart Shrine Relics Tour Coming to Victoria

Please Share this Information with other. This is a rare opportunity for people to view the precious Buddhist relics in our community and it is the goal of the Maitreya Project that as many people as possible can share the blessing energy of the Relics.

From loving kindness then you can achieve freedom!
By consciously having a good heart, we experience peace in ourselves and in our world.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Spiritual Director of the Maitreya Project

RARE BUDDHIST RELICS VISIT VICTORIA

A precious collection of sacred relics of the Buddha and many other Buddhist masters is currently touring the world. These relics were found among the cremation ashes of Buddhist masters. They resemble beautiful, pearl-like crystals. Buddhists believe relics embody the master’s spiritual qualities of compassion and wisdom and are deliberately produced by the master at his death.

Dates: August 23, 24 & 25, 2007

Times: Thursday 2pm Opening Ceremony (By Special Invitation)

Public Viewings:
Thursday 3pm to 7pm
Friday 10am to 7pm
Saturday 10am to 5pm

Location: Church of Truth, 111 Superior Street, Victoria (http://cot.seedwiki.com)

Cost: There is no admission charge to see the Relics. Donations to the Maitreya Project are gratefully appreciated. For more details about the Project, please visit: www.maitreyaproject.org. Please note that the Maitreya Project International is a registered charity.

Other Details: There will be Blessing Ceremonies throughout the event.

PUBLIC EVENTS relating to the Heart Shrine Relics Tour and its message of Loving Kindness and Peace held at the Church of Truth – Community of Conscious Living:

Wednesday, August 22^nd (7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.), Dr. Anne MacDonald, Assistant Professor, Dept. of South Asian, Tibetan and Buddhist Studies, from the University of Vienna will give a talk on Love and Compassion and on the Historical Significance of the Relics.

Sunday Service at 11 a.m.:

August 5^th Maitreya Project and the Heart Shrine Relics Tour

An Informative Talk by Greg Skala

The Maitreya Peace Meditation recited by June Swadron

August 12^th One Story from the Life of the Buddha

Storytelling by Margo McLoughlin

August 19^th Special Sunday Program - Loving Kindness and Peace

Loving Kindness Blessing or Prayer by Venerable Ngakpa Kalzang Dorje

August 26^th Community Sunday

You will have the opportunity to share your experiences of the Buddhist relics, offer a prayer or wish for world peace, etc.

For additional information, please visit http://cot.seedwiki.com

H.H. Phakchok Rinpoche on Salt Spring Island

Dear Dharma Friends,

H.H. Phakchok Rinpoche will be returning to Vancouver and Salt Spring Island doing teachings between July 27-31. The focus of his teachings will be developing authentic compassion.

We do need volunteers to help run the event. So if you feel like helping, please email me at mara@zambalagifts.com or give me a call at 604-247-3323.

Dates and Times:

Friday, July 27, 7:30-9:30pm
Public Talk
Recognizing our True Nature
Centre for Peace, 1825 W. 16th Ave, Vancouver
Suggested Donation $10
What would life be like if we lived our lives from our essential goodness, filled with warm-hearted compassion. A talk to explore our lives and how to live them with more joy.

Saturday, July 28, 10am-5pm
A Meditation Workshop on the Path of Compassion
Centre for Peace, 1825 W. 16th Ave, Vancouver
Suggested Donation $60
Authentic great compassion has the unique qualities of being suffused with ineffable joy, happiness, gratitude, respect for others, and wisdom. It is free from regret, sadness, ulterior motives, and all the negativities that keep us down. As many great spiritual masters like His Holiness the Dalai Lama have said, if we truly want happiness we need to learn to admire, cultivate, and perfect great compassion.

The workshop will teach specific practices suitable for people of any faith from the Tibetan Buddhist traditon (shamatha and tonglen) to help develop our warm-heartedness, equanimity with what life throws at us, and increasing our joyfulness with great compassion. This workshop will be appropriate for beginners and more experienced students alike

Sunday July 29- SALT SPRING Island teachings
Salt Spring Island - 9:30am - 3:30pm "Path of Freedom" and "Three Master's songs of
advice". Contact matthewphyllis@telus.net for Salt Spring Island teachings

Monday, July 30, 9:30am - 5:00pm, Tuesday, July 31, 9am-3pm
Teachings on Vajrayogini
Centre for Peace, 1825 W. 16th Ave, Vancouver
Suggested Donation $60

Rinpoche will give the Vajrayogini empowerment again this year, and continue his teachings on the ngondro of this special Dzogchen Blue Vajrayogini terma of Khandro Kunga Boom. Pre-registration is required. Rinpoche will continue teaching the Dzogchen path of this terma over the next several years, and attendance at this years teachings will be required for future attendance.
For more information, please contact Mara Shnay at mara@zambalagifts.com or 604-247-3353

Phakchok Rinpoche is a fifth reincarnate High Lama, the son of Dechen Paldron, and Chokling Rinpoche who is recognized by the Karmapa as the fourth reincarnation of the great 19th-century tertön Chokgyur Lingpa Rinpoche. He is the grandson of Tulku Ugyen Rinpoche, widely acknowledged as one of the great meditation masters of modern times, famed for his profound meditative realization and for the concise, lucid and humorous style with which he imparted the essence of the Dzogchen teachings.

Recognized by the Kagyü regents and ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, His Holiness Phakchok Rinpoche has studied with the Dalai Lama himself as well as a number of great lamas including Khyentse Rinpoche, Dudjom Rinpoche, Tulku Ugyen Rinpoche, Penor Rinpoche, Trulshik Rinpoche and Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche.

An enthusiastic and vibrant young lama, His Holiness Phackchok Rinpoche's teachings are direct, accessible, and always fresh, opening up our minds in a playful and inspiring way. Phakchok Rinpoche is the abbot of a monastery in Chapagaon in the southern Kathmandu Valley, as well as head of Riwoche Monastery in Tibet's Dokham region.

Mara Shnay
604-247-3323
mara@zambalagifts.com

Vipassana Community Weekend Retreat August 18-19

Invitation to Participate in a Vipassana Non-Residential Weekend Retreat.

Vipassana mindfulness meditation involves cultivating a non-judgemental awareness of our moment to moment experience. It aims to free the mind from negativity and confusion. By seeing life as a constantly changing process, one learns to accept both the pleasurable and painful aspects of life with balance. This understanding leads to wisdom and compassion.


Dear Meditators,

Hope all is well in your world as we are blessed with this sunny summer weather......and wishing you many blessings of peace and ease of heart and mind.

I want to let you know about the upcoming vipassana non-residential weekend Aug 18-19 at Goward House, 2495 Arbutus Rd., 9-4:30 (door open at 8:30am). It will be appropriate for both new and experienced meditators, and will be taught by Heather Martin from Salt Spring Island.

Registration:
For registration for this summer retreat we simply ask you to reply to this email by emailing your name to Linda Chan at lindaschan@shaw.ca with your intention of coming.....we won't have you fill out a complete registration form this time and will experiment with how that goes. We encourage people to set aside both days for this retreat, although there will be space for people only able to do one day. If you are a new meditator and can only do one day it is suggested that Saturday would be the day to come and not Sunday as basic instructions will be given on Saturday. Please let Linda know if you are only coming for one day.


Cost:
We have been using the practice of generosity or dana (dana is the word for generosity from the language in the Buddha's time) to cover the costs of putting on the retreat over the past few years and will continue to do so (costs for rental, teacher's travel etc.) For your information, we suggest $30 for the weekend to cover our costs. Any extra money left over goes into a scholarship fund for folks in our community to do longer retreats who may have the interest, but not the funds to afford that. If the $30 is beyond your means, though, for the weekend that is fine.......please feel free to come and simply donate what feels within your means. There will be a basket out at the retreat for these donations. The teachings, themselves, are offered by the teacher freely, in the Buddhist tradition of over 2500 years. If you feel the teachings have been of value to you, there will be an opportunity to practise generosity or dana for the teachings at the end of the retreat and this money will go directly to the teacher. There will be a basket out at the retreat for this.....and more information will be provided about this at the retreat.


Teacher:
Heather Martin is in her final year of teacher training with Jack Kornfield of Spirit Rock Meditation Center, California. She began meditating in 1973, and has practiced Vipassana meditation in the Theravada tradition since 1981. She teaches on Salt Spring Island and in many places in the United States and Canada. Heather worked for 20 years as a midwife, and continues to teach Childbirth Preparation workshops in Vancouver.


Looking forward to seeing some of you there, warmly, Beth


Beth Trotter
Community Leader,
Victoria Vipassana Community

Trangu Rinpoche in Vancouver

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Ikebana at the AGGV

July and August will be having Ikebana ( Japanese flower arranging) lecture and demonstrations sponsored by the Asian Arts Society of Victoria at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria at 1040 Moss Street. All events are free WITH ADMISSION to the gallery and start at 1:00pm.


Wed. July 11th- Dr.Judith Patt ( who did many brilliant lectures at the Zen Arts show last year and is also an outstanding Ikebana artist) will be giving “An introduction to Ikebana” . The slide lecture will give a brief history of Ikebana and present the main principles of design through images of contemporary arrangements, focusing especially on those from Ohara and Sogetsu schools of Ikebana.

Wed. July 18th – Marilyn McLaren- Ikebana demonstration. Marilyn McLaren is a Master of the Ohara School of Ikebana and head of the Ohara study groups in Victoria.

Wed. July 25th – Michiko Seguev- Ikebana Demonstration. Michiko was born in Tokyo and studied Ikebana there. She is a Master of the Sogestsu school and teaches Ikebana in Victoria.

Wed. Aug.1st- Jennifer Roberts- Ikebana Demonstration. Jennifer is a Master of the Ohara school of Ikebana and a florist of “ Jennifer Robert’s Florist” creating both traditional and contemporary designs.

Wed. Aug.8th- Philip Sanders- Ikebana Demonstration. Philip is a Master of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana who has a background in theatre design and commercial display

Mahasangha ~ Zen and the Shakuhachi

Alcvin Takegawa Ramos, Shakuhachi Master and founder of Bamboo-In Shakuhachi Retreat Centre will present a talk about the origins and history of the Shakuhachi Flute, it's relationship to Zen Buddhism and it's use as a method of awakening. The audience will also experience the music of the Shakuhachi in a recital by some of Alcvin's students.

WHAT: Shakuhachi Lecture and Recital

WHEN: Sunday May 27th, 2007 at 1:00pm

WHERE: University of Victoria Interfaith Chapel

COST: Admission is by donation.

About the Shakuhachi Flute:

The ancient 5-holed, vertical bamboo flute of Japan called the shakuhachi has a history much veiled in mystery. With roots that span back millennia to middle and near east, with much of it in China, the shakuhachi made its way into Japan in the 6th century. First used as a court instrument in the gagaku orchestra, it went underground for hundreds of years to re-emerge in the 16th century when Buddhist monks transformed it into a tool for meditation and self-discipline used also by samurai warriors as a replacement for their swords. For several centuries the shakuhachi was used as an adjunct of self- realization and enlightenment which gave rise to the core of shakuhachi solo sacred music called "honkyoku" (original pieces) which were inspired by meditative practice (zen) and communion with the natural environment. Honkyoku forms the basis of shakuhachi music and spirituality and expresses the true beauty of the instrument.

About Alcvin Takegawa Ramos:

Alcvin is a unique shakuhachi musician who is keeping the tradition of learning and playing the koten honkyoku (original zen pieces for shakuhachi) strong while exploring and expanding the boundaries of the instrument. Born and trained in Japan, Alcvin is the foremost teacher and performer of shakuhachi in Canada. He was the first non- Japanese to win a prize in the all-Japan Shakuhachi competition and received his shihan (masters) license from one of the greatest shakuhachi masters in history, Katsuya Yokoyama. In 2003 he and his wife opened the Bamboo-In Shakuhachi Retreat Centre on the beautiful Sunshine Coast. Alcvin is involved in many activities dedicated to the learning of shakuhachi. Being an avid practitioner of Zen and student of Buddhism, Alcvin doesn't make the separation between zen, shakuhachi, and musical practice. Alcvin believes the shakuhachi to be the gate to the inaudible, mystery of the Universal Body, the All experience.

This Event is Sponsored by The Victoria Zen Centre, and Interfaith Services of UVic.

For more information contact Ven. Eshu eshu@zenwest.ca

For a map to the chapel click link below.

Nitartha Institute

Nitartha Institute is accepting applications until the end of this month for its Summer Institute in Tacoma, Washington, 45 minutes from Seattle. We hope you can join us:

Session 1: July 7 - 21

Session 2: July 21 - Aug 4

• Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, currently resident in Seattle, has been invited to visit and we are hoping our close proximity will entice him to come.
• We have invited The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche to come and teach as long as his schedule will allow. He may begin teaching the 7th Karmapa's Ocean of Reasoning, one of the "Eight Great Texts" of the Kagyu lineage. It is the basis of the Lorik and a number of other important texts. We believe that when it is taught it will be an historic first time in the West.
• Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen will teach on a new edition of a Mind Only text written for the Institute by Ponlop Rinpoche and expanded by Lama Tenpa. The course will be an in-depth study of the Mind Only tradition, the understanding of which will bring a new depth of insight into one's practice. Studying this view is also an important basis for further study of the profound views of Madhyamaka and Great Madhamaka.
• Mind & Its World I - IV - Courses on the realities and views of mind, perception, conception and karma. These courses are essential training for those who want to deepen their dharma practice.
• Tibetan language - Beginner and Intermediate levels for the serious student aspiring to learn how to translate Tibetan. Classes in both spoken and written Tibetan are taught in an intensive one-month format.
• Compassion in Healing - A course for Health Practitioners based on the teachings of Mind & Its World, capturing some of the important points of clarity and compassion in clinical work.

For more information and to apply, please visit www.nitarthainstitute.org. You can also send an email or call:

Steve Seely

Managing Director

206-407-3427

steve@nitartha-institute.org

Weekthun at Sea-To-Sky

Weekthun at Sea-to-Sky Retreat Center

Bellingham Shambhala Center will be hosting our annual Weekthun at Sea-to-Sky Retreat Center near Whistler, B.C., Canada, September 1 - 8, 2007. This year it will be led by Martin Evans from Vancouver, B.C.Retreat Life StyleSSRC is located well above sea level in the coastal mountains of B.C. You can expect a variety of weather conditions. The center is beautifully situated overlooking an alpine lake and includes a main house, an isolated pavilion for practicing, and one or two cabins. There are indoor showers and bathrooms and electric lighting.There are three accommodation options available for this Weekthun:

Option 1: Sleeping in the Main House in dormitory style bedrooms (3 to a room) or on an open indoor balcony floor on mattresses. $425 CA (about $395 US).

Option 2: SSRC has several large, sturdy tents attached to platforms. $350 CA (about $325 US) at two persons per tent.

Option 3: Driving your own camper to SSRC and staying in it. $325 CA (about $305 US).

There is a 5% discount if payment in full is received by SSRC by June 30.For more information or to register, please contact registrar Robin Rieck at robinrieck@msn.com or (360) 676-0315.

Celebration at Thubten Choling

Join us May 6th at 5:00 PM to celebrate the three year anniversary of Ngakpa Kalzang's arrival to teach at Thubten Choling in Duncan, BC. For more information please contact us at 250-748-6028, or visit our website at: www.thubtencholing.com

Hope you can join us!

The Thubten Choling Community

Dharmic Creative Writing Workshop

Shambhala Arts Festival presents:
"First Thought"
A Creative Writing Workshop
w/ Bill Gaston
Sat May 12th 2 - 5
Cost $35
registration victoria.shambhala@gmail.com

The workshop will involve Bill talking semi-formally, general discussion, writing exercises, and also guided meditation/contemplation. The focus of the session will be on the creative process, in particular how words are typically used, and how they could be used in a fresher way, giving rise to writing that can wake up both the writer and the reader

Bill is known internationally and is a respected writer and teacher.

He is a creative writing profesor at UVic, and has published 5 novels. In 2003, Bill was awarded the Timothy Findlay award for Canadian male writer in mid career. For more information about Bill please see. http://finearts.uvic.ca/writing/faculty/gaston.html

The workshop is part of the Shambhala Arts Festival, a festival of contemplative and meditative arts, and is being held at the Victoria Shambhala Meditation Centre
#1-2033 Belmont Avenue *Victoria * V8R 3Z7 * 383-9108victoria.shambhala@gmail.com

Vancouver Island Zen Sangha Weekend Retreat June 8-10

MEDITATION RETREAT June 8,9,10 2007 with Zen Buddhist Master Rev. Master Meiten McGuire at Sleeping Dog Farm, Victoria.


Rev. Master Meiten is a monk in the Soto Zen tradition. She was born in California in 1926 and received her Ph.D. in psychology in 1952, after majoring in English and philosophy. In her profession, she practiced clinical psychology until 1972 when, following a personal tragedy, she went to an ashram for spiritual guidance. This was the beginning of her commitment to find a spiritual solution to the suffering she’d experienced.

In 1978, she continued her spiritual journey at Shasta Abbey in California, and received ordination as a Buddhist monk from Reverend Master Jiyu-Kennett, the Abbess and Founder of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives. The spiritual tradition followed at Shasta Abbey and world-wide at other Temples of her Order is known as Serene Reflection Meditation.

In 2000 Rev. Master Meiten was named a Master of the Order. All of her spiritual training has helped her to the growing realization of her spiritual quest: how to bring an end to the suffering she’d lived with for much of her life. Through Dharma talks, meditation instruction, study groups, and spiritual counseling, she offers others the teaching and practice which have changed her life.

RETREAT INFORMATION
Friday June 8, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Saturday June 9, 9:30 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday June 10, 9:30 am – 3:00 pm
Hosted by the Vancouver Island Zen Sangha at : Sleeping Dog Farm and Retreat Center, 1506 West Burnside Rd. Victoria

For the retreat, participants are requested to be present for all three days. The retreat is in silence except during dharma talks. There will be instruction in meditation - both sitting and walking - meditation practice, and dharma talks. Participants are requested to bring a cushion or chair and a bag lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Overnight accommodation is not provided for as a part of this retreat, but limited space is available at the retreat centre by booking yourself. (see sleepingdogfarm.ca).

There is no fee for this weekend retreat. Donations are gratefully accepted. Early registration is recommended as space is limited.

INFO/REGISTRATION: Pamela @ 544-4338 or pambru@shaw.ca

Medicine Buddha

Know Thyself ♥ Love Thyself ♥ Heal Thyself

An Invitation to Buddhist Healing Tradition

For those seeking to heal themselves, or to assist in the healing of others.

For beginners or long-time practitioners of meditation.

In pursuit of healing, we will learn and practice both Meditation and the Medicine Buddha Sadhana, a profound teaching on medicine and healing from the Tibetan Vajrayana Tradition.

Please join us for 4 Monday nights (7:30 pm-9:00 pm)

starting April 16, 2007

Cost: $40 – practice materials included

The Victoria Shambhala Meditation Centre

2033 Belmont Avenue

Please call 383-9108 for more information or registration

email: victoria.shambhala2.gmail.com

Dharma Tales in the Garden at Royal Roads University, with Margo McLoughlin

Sunday afternoons, April 22nd, April 29th, and May 6th, from 1 - 4 pm

Join storyteller Margo McLoughlin on a journey to the world of Ancient India. Meet the Buddha-to-be in the form of a swan, an outcaste acrobat, and a forest-dwelling elephant. Listen in as the Buddha gives a teaching on mindfulness of death to the daughter of a weaver...
This is storytelling for adults at its most satisfying.

Margo is a student of the Pali language and a graduate of the Harvard Divinity School. She has performed her own translations of these wonderful stories in many parts of the world, from Vancouver Island to New England, and from Hawaii to Burma. Each afternoon will feature stories on specific themes (spiritual friendship, wise leadership, and living in the light of death). There will be opportunities for reflection and discussion following the storytelling.
If you are interested in attending, please register before April 15th.

Cost: $45.00 + GST
Course Number: PEMS1189

To register, call 391-2600, ext. 4801 or visit
http://www.royalroads.ca/continuing-studies/PEMS1189-Y06.htm

A Walk In The Park Chemainus

Twice annually, Spring and Fall a few Buddhists and the general public meet in Chemainus for a nature walk, a sharing session and open discussion on the Buddha's teachings, while bringing peaceful energy to the community. The Walk happens this Sunday, April 8th, please meet at Askew Creek Park sign on Oak Street at 2 pm, rain or shine. For more info go to www.penlan.com and click on little Buddha House. After the walk and talk we will proceed to the Peace Pavilion to offer some sound meditation for Peace in our Communities. Respectfully, Henry, Buddha Ajari- Guide Teacher

Victoria Zen Centre~April 22nd One-Day Intensive *

A reminder that Sunday April 22nd, we will hold our monthly one-day intensive. The schedule runs from 6am-5pm, and includes chanting, sitting, walking, meal practice, and a period of care taking. Eshu gives a Zen talk during the mid-morning sitting, and conducts one-on-one meetings with each student. The cost for the day is $40 and includes two meals. (All fees for one-day intensives are included in full membership).

Please contact the Centre no later than Friday April 20th if you would like to attend.

*Orientation by way of Consultation or Introductory Course is a prerequisite for Zen Training at the Sooke Zendo.

UVic Lecture - A Buddhist Rennaisance?

A Buddhist Renaissance?

Shifting Paradigms and Subverting Traditions within Japan's "Funeral" Buddhist Temples

John Nelson

Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of San Francisco

Buddhism in Japan has been described recently by some of its own priests and scholars as "corrupt," "degraded" and, somewhat surprisingly, "anti-Buddhist." To challenge these perceptions and reaffirm some of the tradition's most basic foundations, the Osaka-based "Buddhist Renaissance" movement is a concentrated and cross-sectarian effort to de-emphasize money-making mortuary rituals and instead practice and promote a more socially-engaged Buddhism. Based on recent fieldwork, we will explore this renaissance as a late-modern, highly-reflexive, and essentially political movement that challenges and subverts established narratives, beliefs and institutions.

Wednesday, April 4, 2007, 4:00 pm
David Strong Building, Room C116

Mahasangha ~ Vancouver Street Retreat

Facilitated by Sensei Grover Genro Gauntt of the Zen Peacemakers Order.

August 2-5, 2007 in the Streets of Vancouver.

A street retreat is a plunge into the unknown. An opportunity to go beyond our imagined limits. A chance to see beyond our small selves, to begin to eliminate the barriers. It's the barest poke at renunciation.

It's not about them. It's about us.

"When we go... to bear witness to life on the streets, we're offering ourselves. Not blankets, not food, not clothes, just ourselves." - Bernie Glassman

For information please visit http://awakeinaction.org/sr/index.htm or contact Lisa Hill by email or call (604) 837-5779 for registration information.Early registration fee deadline is Tuesday, July 17.

Tenzing Tsewang Performs “Sounds of Tibet”

See Tibetan Master Chanter, musician and story teller live at the intimate La Run Theatre.

Victoria, BC—March 19th, 2007. Accomplished singer, musician, story teller and former Buddhist monk Tenzing Tsewang will visit Victoria for two nights in March to create a Tibetan landscape of sound and music. Tenzing’s profound music reflects the depth and beauty of his native culture. His instruments include flute, dramyen (Tibetan lute), monastic cymbals and trumpet. Tenzing sings ancient sacred chants and traditional folk songs while expressing a warmth, charm, and sense of humour rarely seen. Tenzing’s intimate performance style draws audiences into a direct encounter with the vibrancy of Tibetan music, culture and spiritual traditions.

Tenzing escaped with his family from Tibet as a child, taking refuge in Dharamsala, India. There he trained as a Master Chanter at Namgyal Monastery, the private monastery of H.H. Dalai Lama. Now a citizen of Australia, Tenzing has spent the last 15 years performing in Australia, South East Asia, Europe and the United States. We are very fortunate to have this acclaimed World musician play for us at the intimate La Run Theatre. A reception will follow the Saturday night show at La Run.

For more information, or to arrange an interview, please call Tenzing Tsewang at 250-537-8765, or email tenzingltsewang@yahoo.com

Two Performances will be held: March 23rd at 7:30 pm, March 24th at 7:30 pm, reception to follow (March 24th only). Tickets $20.00, advance purchase at Ivy’s Bookstore at 2188 Oak Bay Avenue. To reserve tickets call Ivy’s at (250) 598-2713. Some tickets may be available at the door. Seating is limited.



Event: Sounds of Tibet //Concert and performance
Performer: Tenzing Tsewang
Dates: March 23rd and 24th, 2007
Times: Doors at 7pm, performance at 7:30 until 9pm
Cost: $20.00 per person
Location: La Run Theatre & Arts Club Foundation, 1983 Fairfield Road, Victoria
Contact: Ivy’s Bookstore at 250-598-2713 in Victoria and/or Tenzing Tsewang at 250- 537-8765 (on Salt Spring Island)

Victoria Zen Centre~March 18th One-day Intensive*

A reminder that Sunday March 18th, we will hold our monthly one-day intensive. The schedule runs from 6am-5pm, and includes chanting, sitting, walking, meal practice, and a period of care taking. Eshu gives a Zen talk during the mid-morning sitting, and conducts one-on-one meetings with each student. The cost for the day is $40 and includes two meals. (All fees for one-day intensives are included in full membership).

Please contact the Centre no later than Friday March 16th if you would like to attend.

*Orientation by way of Consultation or Introductory Course is a prerequisite for Zen Training at the Sooke Zendo.

Victoria Zen Centre~Introduction to Zen Meditation

March 17th-May 12th, 2007(Saturdays from 9:00-11:30am)

April 23rd-June 18th, 2007 (Monday eves. 7:00-9:30pm)

If you are interested in learning how to meditate, this is the course for you. For people that are seeking to reduce stress, clarify a busy mind, improve focus and awareness, boost immune function, improve sleeping patterns, or gain insight into the mental, physical, and emotional habits that are preventing you from living life fully, this course offers a gradual combination of study and practice, individual and group interaction, and personal guidance that will provide a strong foundation to experience the profound change that Zen meditation practice offers. The fee for this eight week course is $395* and includes:

• Eight weekly Sessions for a total of twenty hours of class time.
• A free meditation cushion for each participant to keep.
• Weekly course materials and Practice Manual.
• Small class size (max.8).
• Teachings and group discussions on eight core aspects of Zen Practice.
• One-to-one meetings with Eshu.
• One free practice consultation with Eshu upon completion.

For program information:

Victoria Zen Centre~2007 Spring Meditation Challenge

Announcing…

The Victoria Zen Centre’s
2007 Spring Meditation Challenge
(Monday March 5th- Sunday March 25th, 2007)

We all know that consistency in our meditation practice is important.
To this end, we invite you all to accept the Challenge!!

The rules are simple:

1. One point is scored for each day that you sit.
2. In order to qualify, each sit needs to be at least fifteen minutes long.
3. The Challenge lasts for twenty-one days.

Each of you is asked to choose your own level of commitment;

Level 1: Minimum 15 minutes each day.
Level 2: Minimum 30 minutes each day (1x30min or 2x15 min)
Level 3: Minimum 1 hour each day (1x60min, 2x30min, 4x15min or any combo=60min)

It doesn’t matter where you sit, or what time of day you sit. It also doesn’t matter how much time you sit on any given day above your Level. The important thing (in this challenge) is to consistently sit every day.

If you sit for two hours in one day, but don’t sit for the next two days, then you only get one point. However, at Level 1, if you sit for fifteen minutes each day for three days (for a total of forty-five minutes), then you would get three points because you are sitting consistently each day.

To register for the 2007 Spring Meditation Challenge, please respond to sangha@zenwest.ca with your name, telephone number, email address, and which Level you would like to be in.

Victoria Zen Centre~Fundamentals of Zen Practice*

(Alternating Thursdays 7:30-9:30pm March 8th, 22nd and April 5th, 19th)

If you are interested in deepening your commitment to Buddhist practice, but are unsure of what to do next, the “Fundamentals of Zen Practice” programme will provide 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.

At the Victoria Zen Centre, the Jukai Ceremony takes place upon the successful completion of the “Eldership Programme”. Taking part in the “Fundamentals of Zen Practice” is a wonderful way to discern whether pursuing the path to Eldership is of interest to you.

*Completion of the Introduction to Zen Meditation Course or an Orientation Consultation is required to enrol in the Fundamentals Programme.

Victoria Zen Centre~February 25th, 2007 One-Day Intensive

A reminder that Sunday February 25th, we will hold our monthly one-day intensive. The schedule runs from 6am-5pm, and includes chanting, sitting, walking, meal practice, and a period of care taking. Eshu gives a Zen talk during the mid-morning sitting, and conducts one-on-one meetings with each student. The cost for the day is $40 and includes two meals. (All fees for one-day intensives are included in advanced membership).

Please contact the Centre no later than Friday February 23rd if you would like to attend.

*Orientation by way of Consultation or Introductory Course is a prerequisite for Zen Training at the Sooke Zendo.

Salt Spring Island Meditation Circle

The Salt Spring Zen Meditation Circle is offering a non-residential sesshin led by Nanfu Peter Levitt.

March 16-18, 2007
The Gatehouse
Stowel Lake Farm on Reynolds Road
Salt Spring Island, B.C.

We will begin Friday evening and end Sunday afternoon, in time for people to catch the ferry. Fees are $70 Canadian ($60 US) and include breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Practice will include zazen, dharma talks, interviews with Peter, and work practice if weather permits. The fees cover the cost of the retreat but do not include donations for Peter.

If you'd like to attend and need billeting, please let us know as soon as possible. We will do our best to arrange it.

We look forward to practicing with you.

For further information, contact Rowan at 250-537-2831.

To register, please email Michelle Reed at mareed@rockisland.com

Victoria Zen Centre~January 7th One-Day Intensive

A reminder that Sunday January 7th, we will hold our monthly one-day intensive. The schedule runs from 6am-5pm, and includes chanting, sitting, walking, meal practice, and a period of care taking. Eshu gives a Zen talk during the mid-morning sitting, and conducts one-on-one meetings with each student. The cost for the day is $40 and includes two meals. (All fees for one-day intensives are included in advanced membership).

Please contact the Centre no later than Friday January 5th if you would like to attend.

*Orientation by way of Consultation or Introductory Course is a prerequisite for Zen Training at the Sooke Zendo.

H.E. Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche~Yeshe Korlo Society

Teaching Schedule

January 26 – February 4, 2007

Da Vinci Centre
195 Bay Street
Victoria, BC



Cultivating Peace and Freedom from Fear in Troubled Times
($15)
Friday, January 26
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Vajrakilaya Empowerment and Teachings
Vajrakilaya is one of the most dynamic manifestations of compassionate energy. By receiving empowerment and teachings, and then meditating on Vajrakilaya we are able to pacify sickness, war, famine, natural disasters and obstacles to enlightenment, now and in the future, for ourselves and all living beings. Receiving the empowerment on Saturday is a prerequisite for attending the teachings on Sunday. ($60/day)
Saturday, Jan. 27 & Sunday, Jan. 28
10:00–12:30 p.m. & 3:30–6:00 p.m.

Ngondro: The Foundation Practices
(in the Nyingma Pema Lingpa Dzogchen Tradition)
Attending 'The Foundation Practices' provides the opportunity to explore, in a concise way, the entire range of teachings and practices in the Vajrayana (Tibetan) tradition of Buddhist meditation. One can then engage in these specific meditation practices, thereby purifying one's body, speech and mind, and fulfilling the prerequisite to attend advanced Dzogchen teaching and practice retreats with H. E Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche. ($50)
Friday, February 2
1:00 – 4:00 p.m. & 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Amitabha Empowerment and Teachings
Amitabha is the Buddha of Limitless Light. By receiving empowerment and teachings and by meditating on Amitabha, we will attain worldly and spiritual qualities in our life and confidence and peace at the time of death for ourselves and all others. Receiving the empowerment in the morning is a prerequisite for attending the afternoon teachings. ($60)
Saturday, February 3
10:00 – 12:30 p.m. & 3:30 – 6:00 p.m.

Feast Offering (Tsok)
During the Feast Offering, along with meditation and prayers, we make real and visualized offerings of food, drink, light, incense, etc. to all enlightened beings to purify our faults and obstacles to life and enlightenment. At the end we partake of the consecrated food and drink as blessings, thus receiving the blessings of all enlightened beings in the form of health, longevity, happiness, good fortune, merit and wisdom. Please give monetary donations only. This will go towards the cost of the offerings, which will be provided by Yeshe Khorlo. (by donation)
Sunday, February 4
1:00 – 5:00 p.m.

H.E. GANGTENG TULKU RINPOCHE
His Eminence Gangteng Tulku Rinpoche, Ninth Body Emanation of Pema Lingpa, is the founder and spiritual director of Yeshe Khorlo International. Rinpoche is the abbot of the ancient Gangteng Monastery and is also responsible for the administration of 35 other monasteries, hermitages, universities and temples in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, including a new study and practice centre for women. Rinpoche is a main lineage holder in the Pema Lingpa tradition, as well as lineage holder of other Nyingma and Kargyu traditions of Vajrayana (Tibetan) Buddhism. Rinpoche is known for his direct and vibrant approach to Buddhist teachings, especially the teachings of Dzogchen.


REGISTRATION
NOTE: Cash only will be accepted at the door. If you wish to pay by cheque, please mail payment with the on-line registration form to the address below. Cheques must be received by January 19th. Thank-you.
Inability to pay the full amount is not a barrier to attending events ‑ please call Nola (250‑370‑1318) prior to the teachings to make alternative arrangements.


Yeshe Khorlo Nyingmapa Buddhist Meditation Centre
839 Foul Bay Road, Victoria, BC V8S 4H6 Canada
information@yeshekhorlo.ca http://www.yeshekhorlo.ca/

Buddha Chemainus Fall Walk

You are invited to the Buddha Chemainus Fall Walk, weather permiting. And of course we expect Sunday, November 26 to be a most pleasant day. For full information please go to www.penlan.com, call 250. 715. 1976 or come to the Buddha House at 3437 Drinkwater Road, Sunday, November 26, 10:30
regular service, meeting in Chemainus at 1 pm. Look forward to seeing you. Respectfully, Henry

Victoria Zen Centre~November 19th One-day Intensive

A reminder that Sunday November 19th, we will hold our monthly one-day intensive. The schedule runs from 6am-5pm, and includes chanting, sitting, walking, meal practice, and a period of care taking. Eshu gives a Zen talk during the mid-morning sitting, and conducts one-on-one meetings with each student. The cost for the day is $40 and includes two meals. (All fees for one-day intensives are included in advanced membership).

Please contact the Centre no later than Friday November 17th if you would like to attend.

*Orientation by way of Consultation or Introductory Course is a prerequisite for Zen Training at the Sooke Zendo.

Shinzanji~Lynn Johnson Pottery Sale

Shinzanji, 958 Terrace Ave. Victoria

Saturday, October 28th, 1pm to 5pm
Sunday, October 29th, 11am to 4pm

The serene ambiance of Shinzanji creates a magical setting for Lynne's lanterns, vases, Tea Ware and everyday tableware done in the Japanese aesthetic.

Please join us for an exhibition and sale of Lynne Johnson's marvelous works in clay! Featuring both wood fired and gas fired ceramics; Lynne's work includes functional, utilitarian work and many unique and wonderful one-of-a-kind pieces.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more information contact Melody Cornell at 250-598-9345

* Please park your vehicle on Terrace Road and follow the signs up the driveway.

Mahasangha~ENDING WAR, LIVING PEACE: Public Talk and Day of Practice

Join us November 3 & 5 for two special events with Claude AnShin Thomas

-- Vietnam veteran, Zen Buddhist monk, non-violence advocate, and author of "At Hell's Gate: A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace".

* Friday, November 3: Public Talk
-- How do we all create violence and war? What can we do to change this, both within ourselves and society?
7:30-9:30 PM, UVic Interfaith Chapel. Sliding scale $0-10.

* Sunday, November 5: Day of Practice
-- How can we awaken to the possibilities of a peaceful, nonviolent life, and transform conflict, ignorance, hatred, and greed into harmony, compassion, loving kindness, understanding and generosity?
9-5 PM, UVic Interfaith Chapel. Sliding scale $0-10. Please bring a cushion and blanket for meditation, and a bagged vegetarian lunch.

Both events will be facilitated by Claude AnShin Thomas.

Thomas volunteered for active duty at the age of 17 and served as a crew chief on assault helicopters at the age of 18. Upon his return to the US he began working to end the war in Vietnam, for student rights, and to address the social ostracization, homelessness, drug addiction, unemployability, and abnormally high rates of suicide, divorce, and imprisonment among fellow war veterans.

Thomas now speaks and leads retreats internationally on transformation, non-violence, peace, reconciliation, and mindfulness. He works with children, members of youth gangs, prisoners, military personnel, war and trauma victims and perpetrators, and peace activists to look deeply into the roots of violence and war and the possibilities for transformation.

For more information or to arrange ASL interpretation, email jgoldber@shaw.ca or call 721-8629.

Co-sponsored by the Victoria Zen Centre, Barnard-Boecker Centre Foundation, Sooke Meditation and Mindfulness Centre, UVic Institute for Dispute Resolution, UVic Interfaith Chaplain Services, Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group, and Victoria Peace Coalition.

Mahasangha~Second Annual Fall Harvest Potluck Dinner

On behalf of the Victoria Zen Centre, I would like to invite all of you, your Sangha and families to attend the First Annual Fall Harvest Potluck, which the Shambhala Meditation Centre of Victoria has graciously agreed to hold in their Centre.

My hope is that this event will offer all of us an opportunity to meet one another, and come to a greater understanding of the rich resources of Buddhadharma which exist in our community.

Last year more than one hundred members of the Buddhist Community on Vancouver Island gathered together for an evening of food, fun, and friendship. I hope to see you there this year!

When: Sunday October 29, 2006 Doors open at 5pm, dinner at 5:30pm

Where: #1-2033 Belmont Avenue (Shambhala Meditation Centre of Victoria)


If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. eshu@zenwest.ca

Be well,

Eshu
Venerable Eshu Martin,
Resident Monk, Victoria Zen Centre
Buddhist Chaplain, Interfaith Services, University of Victoria

4970 Nagle Road RR#6
Sooke, BC V0S 1N0
http://www.blogger.com/www.zenwest.ca
(250) 642-7936

Victoria Zen Centre~Art Gallery Lectures

In Cooperation with the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria's exibit "Less is More: Japanese Zen Paintings" Venerable Eshu will be giving two lectures at the Gallery. For information on the show, the lecture series, and admission, please follow the "Link" below.

Join Venerable Eshu for what promises to be an engaging and insightful investigation into the inspiration and source of Zen Art, and a look at how this practice is being expressed in modern North America.

Thursday October 12th, 2006 at 1:00pm ~ Zen and Meditation
Thursday October 25th, 2006 at 1:00pm ~ Zen in North America

Mahasangha~Autumn Meditation Challenge

Announcing…

The Victoria Zen Centre’s
2006 Autumn Meditation Challenge
(Monday October 16th- Sunday November 5th, 2006)

We all know that consistency in our meditation practice is important.
To this end, we invite you all to accept the Challenge!!

The rules are simple:

1. One point is scored for each day that you sit.
2. In order to qualify, each sit needs to be at least fifteen minutes long.
3. The Challenge lasts for twenty-one days.

Each of you is asked to choose your own level of commitment;

Level 1: Minimum 15 minutes each day.
Level 2: Minimum 30 minutes each day (1x30min or 2x15 min)
Level 3: Minimum 1 hour each day (1x60min, 2x30min, 4x15min or any combo=60min)

It doesn’t matter where you sit, or what time of day you sit. It also doesn’t matter how much time you sit on any given day above your Level. The important thing (in this challenge) is to consistently sit every day.

If you sit for two hours in one day, but don’t sit for the next two days, then you only get one point. However, at Level 1, if you sit for fifteen minutes each day for three days (for a total of forty-five minutes), then you would get three points because you are sitting consistently each day.

To register for the 2006 Autumn Meditation Challenge, please respond to eshu@zenwest.ca with your name, telephone number, email address, and which Level you would like to be in.

Mahasangha~Family Dharma

UVic Interfaith Chapel
Sundays 4:00-5:30pm
Please note the time change to 4pm start!

October 15, 2006
November 12, 2006
December 10, 2006

Join us this fall for a Family Dharma program at UVic's Interfaith Chapel. Storyteller Margo McLoughlin will share stories from the life of the Buddha and lead activities for children and families.

This is an opportunity for parents to introduce their children to Buddhist practice and history through storytelling, art, mindfulness games and music. Margo has been practicing in the Theravada tradition since 1986. She served on staff at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, and is a graduate of the Harvard Divinity School. She will be teaching Mindfulness Yoga for Children at the Oak Bay Rec. Centre starting in September, as well as several programs for Royal Roads' University Continuing Studies.

The Family Dharma program is for families and children from age 5 and up.

For More information please contact Ven. Eshu at eshu@zenwest.ca or 642-7936

Mahasangha~Jataka Tales with Margo McLoughlin

JATAKA: Stories and Music of Buddhist India

Monday, October 16th at 7:30 p.m.
The Church of Truth,
111 Superior Street in James Bay (near Fisherman's Wharf)
Admission: $10
Reserve a seat by calling 388-0143

Storyteller Margo McLoughlin translates and adapts the Buddhist tales known as the Jataka. In these stories of the Buddha's previous lives, the Bodhisatta is seen developing those qualities that led to his full awakening as the Buddha of our era.

Come and listen to these tales of friendship, generosity, wise leadership, and loving-kindness. These are truly stories for healing the world. Doug MacKenzie accompanies the storytelling on a wide range of traditional and non-traditional instruments, including the South Indian drum, the mrdangam. Come and listen as the stories and music invoke the landscape of Ancient India.

For more information, visit http://www.jataka.org