Recent gatherings
Dear friends,
Since my last update, I have spent much of my time at the Hermitage engaging in various gatherings and retreats.
We began with the Vows weekend - where we witnessed a number of students take refuge and bodhisattva vows, in person and online. (I wrote about it here if you missed it)
If you are interested in taking refuge or Bodhisattva vows next year, please register your interest before the 1st September.
Then we had a 'Discovering the Heart of Formless Meditation' weekend - an opportunity to receive the Formless Meditation transmission from Lama Shenpen and much of the feedback was about how important an occasion that was, and how powerful it felt. It was the first time Lama Shenpen had given the transmission in a number of years, so to be a part of it was very meaningful. We decorated the marquee to create a sacred space, and the combination of floaty muslin, creaking tent rafters and the snapping of canvas in the heavy winds gave the impression of navigating the open seas in a ship! While the rest of the UK and Europe baked in the high 30 degrees, we were buffeted by wind and rain and requiring blankets to keep out the damp.
This was immediately followed by a month-long meditation retreat called 'Insight into The Satipatthana Sutta'.
The retreat gave a number of us the opportunity to look at how we are holding ideas about our bodies, our Selves, our thoughts and emotions, the world around us and how they impact on our experience. What is our actual experience and what are we imposing onto it? It began with a large group for the first week and then we switched into something smaller and more intense for the final three weeks. It gave me a chance to explore meditation in one-to-one meetings, in person as well as online - something I am very keen to develop, as I think working this way in dialogue is an essential aspect of insight emerging.
It was interesting that we concluded with the insight that it is helpful to go through the Discovering the Heart of Buddhism materials as a follow up to these deep insights into Emptiness.
One of the long standing traditions in the sangha is to include Pilgrimage to a local sacred site in the retreat, which is a profound practice in itself. This summer we have walked from the Hermitage to a local Holy Well - Llangybi - as well as taking a hike up to Dinas Emrys, which Rigdzin Shikpo called the strongest sacred space in Britain, with ancient legends associated with Vortegen, Merlin and Dragons. We swam in clear mountain pools and meditated in shaded glades. A fitting contribution to an intense meditation process.
It has been really encouraging to see a wide range of students, coming from all over the world to engage in profound Dharma. In this past few gatherings, we have spent time with members who travelled from Portugal, Canada, USA and Thailand - also from different sanghas, all coming together in genuine connection and in search of Truth.
I followed that with a small gathering of long-term senior students to explore the area of Therapy and Dharma. What is helpful and what is True? What just adds to further confusion? What, if anything can the Therapeutic mandala offer us or support us in going deeper into the Mandala of Awakening? We experimented with Internal Family Systems, Focussing, Mindfulness, meditation and Body Awareness and discussing how they relate, or don't, to a traditional Dharma approach.
It is a rich and challenging process, the beginning of a long process of discussion and exploration which I am sure we will find useful in training mentors and teachers in the future.
Coming up
As we move into the second half of the year, we will continue to meet and explore a range of Dharma areas. Pati and Katie are spending a weekend teaching on 'The Heart of Bravery', discussing how to work with difficulties in our life. Namka will hold our monthly gathering on 'This Precious Life', and then a range of retreats and weekends for those who are engaged in Sadhana practices. Take a look at the events page to see what is open for you to link in with.
As I mentioned above, it is always helpful to engage with the Discovering the Heart of Buddhism materials and I highly recommend exploring them with groups. Working with others has a way of bringing up new ways of approaching the same points.
Find out what groups and trainings are available for you here