BRC - SANGHA SUPPORT - Letters from lockdown - 15 May 2020
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The Buddhist Retreat Centre |
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| SANGHA SUPPORT : Letters from lockdown - 15 May 2020 | ||
| Dear BRC Friends, | ||
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“The Best Thing About The Future Is That It Comes One Day At A Time”- Abraham LincolnThe “Flower Moon” or “Super Moon” last Saturday evening over Wesak was extraordinary, particularly to witness it from Ixopo. Have you noticed over this lockdown period that the stars are more visible and brighter at night, that the air is cleaner and the skies are clearer? Without man’s interference, nature is recovering; fish are swimming in the canals of Venice again, animals are venturing into urban areas, unharrassed, penguins at Boulders in Cape Town are wandering down the streets, lions are monopolising the empty tarred roads in the Kruger Park and one can hear the sound of birds again. Can this be seen as an opportunity to make a vital change for our future generations, a change of heart for Hope for this planet? |
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Image: Tsunma Tsondru
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With every healthy dose of reality, comes pain. But every healthy dose of reality is also the catalyst to turn problems into opportunities, and to be innovative and to find solutions. We are trying to be more innovative, creating a “virtual BRC” by offering Online Teachings and Retreats ranging from yoga, qigong, meditation and talks. Thank you to the teachers who have so willingly come on board to offer the BRC brand and to BrilliantWeb for their technical assistance. We know that this is not the whole BRC experience that you have all come to appreciate, but it is at least the best alternative while the lockdown continues. We enclose the May Online Programme below, and hope to “see” and “practise” with many of you in these sessions. |
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| Image: Hugh Bland | ||
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We are therefore inviting you into the Zoom Room to participate, on a donation basis, to help the BRC stay “alive”. So many of you have already helped us with your generous donations, your PUY contributions; by accepting rollovers in lieu of your deposits and by booking retreats ahead. Teachers and friends have written encouraging messages and poems and we at the BRC feel very blessed. We are thinking of you with great affection and thank you again for your continued support and friendship. Jack Ma, founder of “Alibaba” states: “2020 is really a year for staying alive. Don’t even talk about your dreams and plans. Just make sure you stay alive. If you can stay alive, then you have made a profit already.” May you stay well and healthy, and may you thrive in these challenging times. With love, Louis |
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| Image: Gavin de Kock | ||
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June Atkinson has been a resident member and teacher of meditation at the BRC for 38 years. A Tender MessageWe are missing you! … and wait patiently for the gates to open and for you all to enjoy once again one of our many special retreats with their teachers. Sitting quietly with Jemima in these beautiful grounds, birds are “flittering” and “twittering” about us. Muffled sounds waft up from the valley below. One is reminded of an essential Teaching of the Buddha …that everything is in constant flux … and that everything is causal. We need to take care about all creatures and birds, animals, the earth, water and so forth – before any further deterioration. With Metta (loving kindness) and blessings to everyone Junaq |
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| Image:Louis van Loon | ||
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Please support our Online Programme below which is published on our website with all the links. Online ProgrammeGrounded In Space: Qigong17 May | Alex de la Rouviere and Jeremy Lister-James Alex de la Rouviere and Jeremy Lister-James initially studied the Yang Form of tai chi as a form of “moving meditation” before incorporating qigong kung in their practice, together with sitting and walking meditation. The Art of Relaxation18 May and 19 May | Albert Ruhr Albert Buhr, author of Angel of Fear, not only offers methods for overcoming stress and anxiety, but shares ways to the fundamental well-being that is our birthright. Healing And Restorative Hatha Yoga20 May | Katherine Fillmore Katherine Fillmore is a yoga teacher and reiki healer. Sharing in the love and light of abundance and gratitude. Tapping Into Your Buddha Nature To Manifest Your Goals And Desires23 May | Tronél Hellberg We are powerful beings! We know this… and we don’t... We know it when life is calm and effortless, but when we are in the midst of a dark storm like the one right now, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the raising level of uncertainty – losing sight of possibilities and hope. It is in times like these that we need to remember who we are and access our unlimited Source of power, inspiration and creation – our Buddha nature! Tronel Hellberg is a Master Transformation Life Coach, author and speaker. She specialises in empowering people through inner transformation with mindfulness as cornerstone. She is passionate about helping people become the best version of themselves. Going With The Flow23 May; 30 May; 7 June; 16 June | Bruce van Dongen Join a 4 week beginner’s meditation course with Bruce with breathing practice to restore your balance, vitality and to develop mindful awareness. Bruce van Dongen has been practising yoga for many years and is a qualified teacher in the Hatha and Kundalini disciplines. He is a Director of The Waterfall Retreat and Environmental Centre and uses both nature and yoga as his soothing systems to balance the pressures of the corporate world. Letting Difficult Times Become A Revelation: Dealing With Stress Through Meditation24 May | Melanie Polatinsky We’re all going through difficult, stressful times. Through meditation, we can start to understand the truth about stress, and allow it to self-liberate. Melanie Polatinsky is a psychotherapist, and teacher of Tibetan Buddhism, and has been empowered to teach by Lama Yeshe Rinpoche, Abbot of Samye Ling Monastery, in Scotland. She has worked, taught and conducted retreats in a variety of fields for the past 45 years. Vinyasa Yoga: Stilling The Mind16 May | Hannelize Robinson A gentle 90 min Yoga Class with the emphasis on creating stability and calmness in both body and mind. Standing poses and floor-work, coupled with a focus on conscious and extended exhalations will guide awareness inwards to that space of stillness that exists beyond the thinking mind. The Class will include pranayama and will culminate in a seated meditation. Open to all levels. Hannelize Robinson is a dedicated student of Yoga Philosophy and Buddhism. She has completed a 50hr Traditional Hatha Yoga Training, which has deepened her own practice and teaching. Your Precious Life. Discovering Avenues To Meaning And Purpose Based On The Principles Of Logotherapy: How it is possible to live life powerfully despite adversity20-21 June | Klasie Wessels and Samantha Sparkes Our search for meaning is the most prominent quest of our time. The journey to meaning and purpose is one that many of us will embark upon with the aim of enjoying a more fulfilled life. Klasie Wessels works with groups and individuals on themes such as mindfulness, personal growth and finding a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in life. Samantha Sparkes is a qualified life coach and Logotherapy Educator. |
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| Image: Angela Shaw | ||
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