Street Zen Training, 21st July

In our Zen Training circle on Sunday we studied a tool for including all aspects of our life in practice, called the Five Buddha Families. They're sometimes used in the Zen Peacemakers as a way of reflecting on our engagement with life - Spirituality, Study, Livelihood, Social Action, and Integration/Celebration. Originally they developed in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism, where they are used as a very rich model of how our psyche operates moment by moment.

As usual, a fantastic meal was shared together outdoors at the end!

Street Zen Training, 7th July

 

Here's a photo Eric sent me of the meal laid out in the last Street Zen Training.  By the way, it was a plaesure to be absent and know the circle was going on without me - this was the first time in five years of offering these circles that I've not been present!  I've invited other people to facilitate before, or lead different bits of an event.  But this was my first ever absence while I've been Circle Steward!  So thankyou very much to Eric...

Chris

Lots going on...

 

We've had several activities in the past few of weeks.  Eric hosted the Street Zen Training last Sunday, and he also led another couple of guided Mindfulness and Metta sessions on the Sundays in between.  He held these outdoors too, in the unexpected but very welcome sunshine we're having right now!  On Tuesday this week we held another Rumi Reflection Group meeting in Sally's Secret Garden, taking a poem by Rumi and using it as a starting point for reflecting on our own lives.  This week was our last one with the translation Love's Ripening by Helminski and Rizwani.  We'll be moving on to Rumi: Bridge to the Soul by Coleman Barks next time.  The plan is to wander through many different Rumi translations, hearing him in different voices, to encourage a variety in the way we reflect on our own life too.

From somewhere beyond myself

grace radiates into my heart.

Somewhere a Candle illumines this whole world.

Who am I? Just the candlestick holder.

Rumi