tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-236659062008-07-17T18:18:14.161+01:00Jayasiddhihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380238406411659317noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-18554137505175024882008-07-17T18:12:00.002+01:002008-07-17T18:18:14.173+01:00

...seeing what needs to be done right now and actually doing it. Even if it sucks.The good thing is (so I am told) that with practise, doing the right thing becomes second nature and less sucky. Yay.

Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733512749050949833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-61917659726879210082008-07-01T15:41:00.002+01:002008-07-01T15:53:06.771+01:00

If you want to see some photos of our retreat at Vajrasana, you can take a look at Peter's excellent slideshow here. Alternatively, you can look at my humble efforts at the FWBO Letchworth gallery here. If anyone has any good photos they would like to share, you can email them to me at jason@fwboletchworth.org.uk and I can add them to the gallery.If you don't have any, that's ok too.

Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733512749050949833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-62546306391011157412008-06-06T12:46:00.004+01:002008-06-06T13:08:06.625+01:00

This morning, as I was driving in to work, I was feeling pretty pleased with myself. It had taken an hour, but I had finally cleaned my daughter's snails! Plus, it was a nice day and the traffic was light. Yes indeedy, I was feeling happy. Then I saw, lying in the other side of the road, a rabbit. Clearly, it had only just been hit by a car because, as it lay there on its side, it legs were

Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733512749050949833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-9960903114803037662008-05-22T21:20:00.001+01:002008-05-22T21:24:05.822+01:00

I am a rainbow Sitting here, meditating on this cloud Contemplating the Dharma and my journey through it. I see 3 attachments or cravings that travel with me on this journey today. The rain, that gives me a beautiful shimmering wall to cast my colours on to. The sun, that warms me and projects through me to bring these colour to life. But the tightest attachment of them all is love. This sits

Andy Spragg - Re-Vitalisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08244795214616494332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-88145072099543750532008-05-19T09:01:00.002+01:002008-05-19T09:07:27.718+01:00

Dear all, In a few days, the Thursday class will have existed for 7 years! For this occasion, we will have a Celebration Party Thursday 29th May 7.30pm. During 7 years, many people have been introduced to meditation and come into contact with the Dharma, hopefully with a beneficial effect on their lives. Part of the evening will be dedicated to rejoicing in the benefits and positive influence

Jayamunihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055047702049058413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-66414130281415007752008-05-16T19:47:00.002+01:002008-05-16T19:54:35.735+01:00

“As Buddhists, we capture and celebrate the most intimate nature of the present moment”. To me, this is the essence of the Dharma in my study at the moment. This article explores some of the reasons for this and, in a way, serves as a ‘diary entry’ for my experience at the moment. I’m a big fan of the 80’s group the Police and particularly the song ‘Every breath you take’. The song itself, doesn

Andy Spragg - Re-Vitalisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08244795214616494332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-65985411623515996752008-05-12T12:57:00.003+01:002008-05-12T15:39:52.651+01:00

If you watch TV, no doubt you will have experienced the situation of watching your favourite television show and the phone rings or the microwave pings. You get up to attend to this interruption and of course, miss several minutes of the show. To alleviate us from this tragedy, a few years ago some clever people invented TiVo which allows you to pause and replay live television – just hit the red

Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733512749050949833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-70943698346943639762008-05-10T11:21:00.002+01:002008-05-10T11:38:06.419+01:00

Cambridge Buddhist centre Open Weekend retreat Friday 27th June 2008 to Sun 29th June in Suffolk. "With Mindfulness strive on". These are last words of guidance and encouragement from the Buddha, before his passing away. During the weekend we will not only develop mindfulness in very supportive conditions but also explore ways to bring more mindfulness into our daily lives. We will look at

Jayamunihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055047702049058413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-26048614294933003262008-05-07T21:55:00.002+01:002008-05-07T22:00:07.077+01:00

Why be guilty Our guilt reflects an attachment, a desire to be perfect. Instead we should embrace our imperfections and understand them. Then, rather than eliminating them we can let them go. In this way, our imperfections help us travel forwards. After all. To appreciate the relief of putting down a burden, you have to carry the burden for some time first!

Andy Spragg - Re-Vitalisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08244795214616494332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-31697548704388132272008-05-07T10:58:00.004+01:002008-05-07T11:12:57.754+01:00

This morning, as I sat on the cushion, I became aware of someone whistling and I thought it annoying. Then I realised it was a bird singing outside my window, and I thought it beautiful. Whistling and birdsong. Both annoying and beautiful. I invite them in and let them go. This morning, I just sat on the cushion.

Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733512749050949833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-53755840710955675732008-05-06T11:00:00.002+01:002008-05-06T11:07:48.801+01:00

A guy walks up to a Zen master and asks, "Is there life after death?". The Zen master says, "How should I know?". The guy replies indignantly, "Because you're a Zen master!". "Yes," says the Zen master, "but not a dead one."  

Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733512749050949833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-87736362936411121962008-05-05T17:04:00.002+01:002008-05-05T17:08:30.383+01:00

I sit on the cushion and hear the rain on the window. That same rain will fall long after I'm gone. So why am I here? I am here for the skillful and the unskillful. It is my choice which. Every 1/64th of a finger snap. Every lifetime. Andy Spragg, www-re-vitalise.co.uk

Andy Spragg - Re-Vitalisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08244795214616494332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-65936591868376569112008-04-13T18:21:00.002+01:002008-04-13T18:24:35.608+01:00

Dear FWBO Letchworth bloggers, I just thought I'd write to let you know that I am now on the blog! (..thanks to Jayamuni's great help). I'll write something very meaningful soon. Rob G

Rob Gibbshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07470812346139918935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-67312861475918651272008-04-07T17:38:00.002+01:002008-04-07T18:16:37.028+01:00

I like books; in fact, I love reading books and I have always got a book (or two!) on the go. I try to read books that I find spiritually uplifting, books that educate me, books that broaden my horizons, books that stimulate me, books that improve me in some way. What I enjoy reading broadly falls in to two camps: factual books that discuss people, events or discoveries in this world and Dharma

Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12733512749050949833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-44418434714476837602008-04-03T22:27:00.002+01:002008-04-03T22:33:37.585+01:00

All the seeds of all the flowers of tomorrow are in the seeds of today. An Indian Buddhist saying. I love this saying. For me it carries within it the fundamental message of dependent arising. No single flower or seed is independent of itself. It carries within it the past and the future. All the flowers of yesterday and all the flowers of tomorrow. In this meditation I am coupling this with

Andy Spragg - Re-Vitalisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08244795214616494332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-50681815206870270412008-03-31T22:52:00.002+01:002008-03-31T22:56:57.604+01:00

Cultivating mindfulness on this clear spring morning. With the sound of birdsong and the babbling brook, the guardians on my sense doors are far from busy. I feel the gardener in my mind, watching my thoughts, tip his hat in acknowledgement to Mara and her unskilful friends, but call and welcome in the skilful to his home.

Andy Spragg - Re-Vitalisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08244795214616494332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-6416451528400380132008-03-26T14:16:00.002Z2008-03-26T14:25:21.114Z

As our usual spring retreat conflicts with the International FWBO Retreat, we decided not to have a retreat at Buckden Towers but to get a group of us to go to the International FWBO Retreat. What is the FWBO International Retreat? FWBO Buddhist Centres from across Europe are joining forces this year in this new venture. Whilst in previous years we have celebrated the FWBO in the UK with a day

Jayamunihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055047702049058413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-63976635738799542482008-03-18T15:52:00.004Z2008-03-18T16:09:23.764Z

I have written this article as I find a great deal of synergy between Tai Chi and Buddhist meditation. In fact that Synergy allows me to use my Tai Chi as an alternative moving meditation. I have been practising Tai Chi now for 17 years and I find that it is an excellent expression of mindfulness. Mindfulness is a fundamental cornerstone to Buddhism and Buddhist meditation. The four foundations

Andy Spragg - Re-Vitalisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08244795214616494332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-19133283509548304872008-03-14T17:55:00.006Z2008-03-14T18:22:51.763Z

Hi All, I very much enjoyed my visit to the Letchworth sangha last Thursday, for the last in your series on the 5 precepts. It was interesting exploring the fifth precept - abstention from intoxicants or in its' positive formulation, mindfulness. I was impressed by what a mature group of practitioners this has become. On Monday 24th March (Easter Monday!) we'll be launching a new Buddhism and

Jayasiddhihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17380238406411659317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-89367971091387389462007-10-16T12:38:00.000+01:002007-10-16T12:57:12.851+01:00

Sunday afternoon, around 70 people met to express their support for a peaceful resolution of the oppression in Burma. Many traditions where represented, Buddhist and others, to join a walking meditation, a Metta Bhavana meditation and the chanting of the Metta Sutta led by Buddhists monks from Sri Lanka. This event was organised by Rita and Lucy. Thanks and Saddhu to them!

Jayamunihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055047702049058413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-45650630555549742802007-10-10T09:43:00.000+01:002007-10-11T12:44:37.814+01:00

We are organising a Letchworth event to show solidarity with the Burmese people. We are organising a peace walk/ loving kindness meditation and some chanting on Sunday 14th at 2.30 Meet at the Fountain in Letchworth Town Centre. The monks from Letchworth Sri Lankan Community have agreed to lead the event. We would like as many people as possible to attend from FWBO as well as The Community

Jayamunihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055047702049058413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-49443402163175948312007-10-04T14:14:00.000+01:002007-10-05T15:02:55.013+01:00

A weekend of study, exploration and meditation on the Perfection of Wisdom expressed in form of the Heart Sutra or embodied in the Goddess Prajnaparamita. Aiming to touch the greater wisdom of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas through Emptiness and paradoxes of the Heart Sutra. The weekend retreat is an opportunity to take your practice deeper with friends and a chance to explore Buddhism in more

Jayamunihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055047702049058413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-35176986551510625692007-07-27T10:10:00.000+01:002007-08-09T09:27:49.709+01:00

Dear Jayamuni and Letchworth Sanhga members I am writing to you as I would really appreciate your company and support around Ann Geraghty’s mitra ceremony coming up later this year in Belmullet, County Mayo . This ceremony is particularly significant in a number of ways, firstly and most obviously because it is a mitra ceremony. What makes it so special is that it is the

Jayamunihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055047702049058413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-26767707144894613112007-07-08T11:58:00.000+01:002007-07-08T12:02:07.926+01:00

Hello All, I hope you are all well and that England is providing you with a warm and sunny summer! My time here is flying by and I am now well over halfway through my visit. The pattern here seems to be a period of intense activity followed by a short period of change and transition into another period of intense activity. I've heard that Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche called this sort of thing the

Jayamunihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055047702049058413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23665906.post-44846717732165434082007-04-23T12:45:00.000+01:002007-04-23T12:58:30.232+01:00

On Thursday 31st of May we will have a ceremony in which Rob Mew will become a Mitra (friend). Please come and join us to celebrate the expression his commitment to the Buddhist Path.

Jayamunihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09055047702049058413noreply@blogger.com