Notices
Lay Practice Forums at Cittaviveka:
Autumn Sundays 1994
The forum is an ongoing opportunity for lay people associated with Chithurst monastery to come together with members of the Sangha to discuss topics relevant to leading a lay Buddhist life. Having arisen out of an interest in informal dialogue, the emphasis of these occasions is to understand some of the practical problems of living according to Dhamma. Answers aren't always available - listening and companionship are!
October 16th. - Materiality and Spirituality
November 20th - Relationship With Monastic Sangha
December - A theme and a date for a meeting has not been fixed yet; it will probably arise out of the context of the earlier meetings.
Meetings will begin with short talks by a Sangha member and a lay person, at 2 pm., and continue in a discussion mode until 5 pm. You are invited to stay for tea with the community.
A creche will be available by prior booking only contact Helen Tel: (071) 2216924
Families:
This year's summer camp, probably the major event for families involved with Amaravati and the branch monasteries, was held over August 21st - 28th. The weather was kind; everything was well organised, from lunch to loos; the balance of ages and genders was just right; in fact, it was all perfect.
Below is a list of forthcoming events for families.
Rainbows weekend - April 28th-May I st. An opportunity for families to help in the production of an issue of Rainbows.
Familly weekend camp - July 7th-9th. A weekend of Dhamma related activities especially suited to first time participants.
Family Dhamma camp - To be held during August. There will be a planning meeting on Sunday, December 2nd. at 1:30
Children's Dhamma classes - (see below)
Contact: Jeff Lewis Faculty of Arts & Education, University of Plymouth Exmouth Campus, Douglas Avenue. Exmouth EX8 2AT by: November 1994. Details and application forms will be sent out in December (only on receipt of a stamped self-addrressed envelope)
Children's Dhamma Classes:
These are now being held regularly at Amaravati, in the Rainbow Room, on the last Sunday of every month. The aim of the classes is two-fold:
1: to offer
some of the traditional forms; chanting, offerings, bowing.
some common ideologies; dana metta, karuna, sila, refuges.
an introduction to meditation techniques
some basic doctrinal concepts; dukkha, anicca, anatta, dependent origination.
2: to involve children in a Buddhist environment in such a way that the primary memory is pleasant. If they have fun and see nuns and monks and monasteries as happy, normal, O.K. faces and places, then, when the vicissitudes of life become bothersome, Buddhism will appear as a palatable, possible solution.
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