June 10, 2007

Light of the Dhamma Weekly Meditation

The Light of the Dhamma has found a regular place to meet. The Shambala Centre has graciously offered a space on Tuesday nights at 7:00 pm. The time will probably consist of a 45 minutes meditation, a recorded Dhamma talk and some group discussion. There is adequate space for about 15 meditators.

The Shambala centre is located @ #1B, 10110 124th St NW, Edmonton, AB T5N 1P6 - entrance is at the back of the building off the back alley, SW corner – in the basement. There is sufficient parking behind the building and on the nearby streets.

For more information please contact Stephen Roehrig [sroehrig@nucleus.com]

Posted by songdawg at 9:21 AM | Buddhism

April 21, 2007

Light of the Dhamma Retreat

Only a few more days until I attend a 5-day Light of the Dhamma retreat. I have been looking forward to this for a few months.
There are still a couple more spots. Download file

The Light of the Dhamma Society is very pleased to announce a 5 day non-profit meditation retreat with Bhikkhu Pavaro

April 25 – 29, 2007

October 31 – Nov 4, 2007

@ Providence Renewal Centre in Edmonton

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‘Philo Hove’ left a career teaching in the department of Religious Studies at the University of Calgary to train as a Buddhist Theravada Monk at the Birken Forest Monastery in the fall of 2001. After a two year training period, he was fully ordained as Bhikkhu Pavaro in Dec of 2003.

Since this time he has continued to deepen his understanding of the Dhamma and Monastic life. This retreat is a precious opportunity to experience a gentle approach to the Buddha’s teaching from a western Monk dedicated to following the traditional values.

www.birken.ca

Posted by songdawg at 11:27 AM | Buddhism

February 10, 2007

Medicine Buddha Empowerment

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Gyurme Rinpoche

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Don't forget tomorrow evening:

A Talk on Compassion
Sunday, February 11, from 6 - 7:30 pm
at the O O Sa Buddhist Temple
10155 - 89 Street Edmonton, AB

Donations are welcome for the orphanage projects he is working on.

Posted by songdawg at 3:03 PM | Buddhism

February 7, 2007

Gyurme Rinpoche

Gyurme Rinpoche is in Edmonton this weekend.

He is giving a Medicine Buddha Empowerment and talk of Vajrasattva

Saturday, 10 February, from 10 am - 2 pm
at the O O Sa Buddhist Temple
10155-89 Street Edmonton, AB

and

A Talk on Compassion
Sunday, February 11, from 6 - 7:30 pm
at the O O Sa Buddhist Temple
10155 - 89 Street Edmonton, AB

Donations are welcome for the orphanage projects he is working on. Please bring a cushion to sit on.

Posted by songdawg at 5:54 PM | Comments (2) | Buddhism

June 7, 2006

Ease

"Always think of what you have to do as easy and it will become so."
~ Emile Coue, French Physicist

Posted by songdawg at 4:08 PM | Buddhism

September 27, 2005

Gaden Samten Ling Annual Tibetan Bazaar

Marshall and I went exploring on Sunday to the Annual Tibetan Bazaar presented by Gaden Samten Ling Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Society.

Here are some photos of the dancers that were performing.

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The hall was packed with Tibetan crafts, jewellery, art, clothing and books and the home cooked Tibetan food smelled delicious. Bumped into Nikki and Brock who I had previously met this summer at Shady Grove - another surprising bluegrass/buddhist connection. They are quite involved with Gaden Samten Ling and invited us to one of the Tuesday evening meditations. They also invited us to the Fundraising Dinner and Silent Auction on November 5, 2005. Check their website for more details.

Posted by songdawg at 5:30 PM | Buddhism

September 12, 2005

SATI Fall 2005 newsletter

SATI the newsletter for friends of Light of the Dhamma is now available. Light of the Dhamma is a wonderful Edmonton Buddhist group that offers silent meditation retreats.

SATI newsletter Fall 2005.pdf (277kb) Download file

Posted by songdawg at 11:16 PM | Buddhism

June 21, 2005

Retreat

This past weekend I took the time to go on the Light of the Dhamma meditation retreat. It was exactly what I needed - things at this end have been so hectic - I thought my shoulders were permanently tense but with a little time and lots of Metta I feel a lot better and more calm. It was great to see Venerable Punnaji again - his Dhamma talks are so fine and clear - I learn so much from him.

Also sitting with the wonderful folks I have met over the years in this group was again inspirational. Whenever I would start wavering in my practice I would just look around the room and be inspired to dig deeper. I really apprecate everyone who was there and how dedicated and kind they are.

One of my favourite moments was hearing Ven. Punnaji chant a buddhist blessing and say with such an open heart: "May you all be well, comfortable, peaceful and happy. Sadu, sadu, sadu." Warms my heart just to think of him.

Posted by songdawg at 9:42 PM | Buddhism

May 29, 2005

Week-end Retreat

Meditation & Relaxation Techniques for Stress Relief from a Buddhist Perspective with Venerable Madawela Punnaji

Date: June 17 ? 19, 2005
Days and times:
Friday, June 17 @ 5:30 PM (supper included) to
Sunday, June 19 Noon (lunch included)
Place: Providence Renewal Centre, 3005 - 119 St (use back entrance), Edmonton, Alberta
Fees: $195 (single accommodation, instruction & meals), $100 (non resident, includes instruction, meals)
Maximum: 18 participants. Preference will be given to full time attendees.

Registration Contact: Sheila Lennox
Sheila.lennox@assembly.ab.ca
Phone contact: (780) 433-1386
11002 University Ave, EDM AB T6G 1Y3

Please make post-dated cheques payable to Light of the Dhamma Society. (Your cheque will confirm your registration). As this retreat is on short notice, a prompt reply (prior to sending your cheque) confirming your attendance would be appreciated.

In keeping with the teaching traditions, a donation for the monk is not included in the registration fee. Dana (donation) for Venerable Punnaji is welcome at the retreat.

Venerable Punnaji has served in North America as a teacher of Buddhism for over 30 years and is a long-standing friend of the Light of the Dhamma Society. This weekend workshop will focus on practical techniques to help relieve stress and promote contentment.

Posted by songdawg at 10:02 AM | Buddhism

April 18, 2005

Buddha for our house

buddha.jpg

Posted by songdawg at 7:08 PM | Buddhism

May 18, 2004

Awareness

Don't prolong the past

Don't invite the future

Don't alter your innate awareness

Don't fear appearances


Apart from that there is not a damn thing.

- Patrul Rinpoche

Posted by songdawg at 6:54 AM | Buddhism

March 18, 2004

Ten Ideas to Help Work with Daily Stress

From the Novaya February 2004 newsletter.

Anonymous Advice
You the reader may already have some excellent safe guards for mental equilibrium. If you need some suggestions, here are some things that have worked for me. By working with Buddhism for a few years I find that, before working out a problem by talking to a friend, instead I write it down and at the very least I ask myself "What would the Dalai Lama say? (His most common answer is "kindness"). So here are some thoughts.

Ten Ideas to Help Work with Daily Stress


  1. Wiggle your toes and focus in the muscles around your feet ? it pulls the energy down.
  2. Remember the focus and feelings of the current meditation you have been working on.
  3. Remember the Buddhist concept of Impermanence, that even as stressful events are rising they are passing and falling away. So we can make clear decisions in adversity because it is impermanent.
  4. Take a moment to write the stressful event in a journal, it helps to see problems in perspective be being written down.
  5. (at your own risk) Have a small portion of quality chocolate ? even survival kits recommend chocolate.
  6. If at work during lunch: Have a cup of tea, (no sugar, no cream) the English say ?Everything can be solved with a cup of tea?, devote yourself to the whole process of making a cup of tea because the result is a kind of bliss.
  7. Exercise for thirty minutes a day.
  8. Give yourself a foot massage, five to fifteen minutes each foot. A foot massage calms down emotion and (pun intended) we feel we can stand on our own two feet.
  9. Draw a mandala: Take a blank piece of paper and draw a random scribble/image and let personal mood decide colours, straight, curved, jagged lines or pens, pencil crayons or even paint.
  10. Having done all the previous: If you are content GOOD; if you need extra help you can write, e0mail or phone a close friend, or mentor for a second point of view.

Posted by songdawg at 10:07 PM | Comments (2) | Buddhism

February 20, 2004

Update - His Holiness Dalai Lama Vancouver Visit

Update - More tickets are available for the Spiritual Teaching from His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Vancouver...

February 16, 2004

I'm very pleased to announce that the venue for the Spiritual Teaching for His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been changed to the Pacific Coliseum (capacity 12,000). The date and times are the same, Sunday, April 18th 10 am - noon.

Tickets for the new venue will go on sale through Ticketmaster via the internet, phone or in-person Friday, February 20th at 10:00 a.m.(PST) on a first-come-first serve basis. Maximum 8 tickets per person can be bought.
All tickets are reserved seating.

For those who have already purchased tickets, priority seating will be given and a block section is being reserved. An exchange of your tickets will take place after February 23rd and you must contact Ticketmaster via email, phone, or in-person for the exchange.

Because of the change of venue and staffing regulations we will not require any more volunteers. If you have already signed up to be a volunteer, you will be contacted with more information.

For more information about ordained monastics attending please visit the website www.dalailamavancouver.org and download the appropriate registration form, and fax back to: Anila Ann McNeil, 604-538-6325.

We are investigating the possibility of having a childcare area within the main concourse of the Coliseum. Further details will be on the website in the coming months.

Please refer to the website at www.dalailamavancouver.org for more comprehensive and up to date information and all other events of His Holiness.

Thank you all for your patience as we undergo these various changes.

All the best,

Angela Hryniuk

Co-ordinator, Spiritual Teaching
His Holiness Dalai Lama Vancouver Visit

Posted by songdawg at 7:47 AM | Comments (4) | Buddhism

October 23, 2003

Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche's passing

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From the Dharma Centre of Canada website: "With sadness we announce the passing of our beloved Teacher, the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche, founder and principal patron of the Dharma Centre of Canada.

The Rinpoche passed away on October 22nd, at one of his favorite places, a small private cottage on a lake in Switzerland, where he has stayed and taught many times over the last 20 years. "

Here's an excerpt from Terry Hagan's letter: "Rinpoche chose to pass over at one of his favorite places, a small private cottage on a lake in Switzerland, where he has stayed and taught many times over the last 20 years. I was fortunate to have been with him throughout his passing and he seemed to navigate the bardo with confidence and assurance. I saw him progress through the bardo figures then finally pass with a beatific smile on his face. He was the greatest of teachers to the very end and continues to be so! Three of us stayed with him during the night praying and meditating and always felt his warm presence."

There will be a Chenrezig Puja held in Rinpoche's honour at 10:30 am this Sunday morning Oct 26, at the Sinclair residence. We will have a potluck dinner after the puja. Please bring something to share at the dinner if you wish to stay. For more information contact Pat or Don MacKenzie at don.mackenzie@shaw.ca

Posted by songdawg at 8:52 PM | Buddhism

June 29, 2003

June 29, 2003

I am back. It was a great retreat, I learned a lot about relaxing, calming my mind and about the Dhamma (teachings of the Buddha).

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Vennerable Punnaji

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Participants from the Light of the Dhamma

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Our sandals all lined up outside of the meditation room.

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The retreat was located in a Catholic retreat centre, lots of catholic statues, crosses and paintings.

I have to go in to work to put an application into production. Back to regular life.

Posted by songdawg at 7:50 AM | Buddhism

June 21, 2003

June 21

Happy Solstice!

We are going to the BlueGrass Solstice jam later today. Should be a great time. I think Marshall's bringing Rosalita. I will most likely finish working at 1:00 so we'll head off after that.

Tomorrow I am off to a week long meditation retreat led by Venerable Madawela Punnaji Thero.

Posted by songdawg at 7:27 AM | Buddhism | NBCMS Jamming

May 24, 2003

May 24, 2003

Went for lunch with my friend Sheila yesterday and caught up on how she is doing. We are both going to the meditation retreat in June with Venerable Punnaji which I am looking forward to. We ate at Allegro's Italian Kitchen - delicious food. I'll have to take my mom and B there when they come.

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I am doing my first production system's implementation tomorrow - I hope it goes well. Cross my fingers and toes.

Last night we went and played at the Lynnwood Extendacare for the senior's pub night - I was feeling quite frazzled from my week and had trouble playing my best. But it was fun and a great opportunity. A couple people were into it and even sang along (a sassy women named Emily in particular).

We then went to the Uptown Folk Club open stage and had a chance to play a couple of songs there. I need to figure out how to sing in a microphone - it is deceptively easy looking. I guess I am finding it intimidating cause I always seem to back off too much and am not as loud as I should be. Practice, practice, practice!

Posted by songdawg at 9:41 AM | Buddhism

April 28, 2003

Spirit in Exile: The Tibetan Nuns Project

The Tibetan Nuns Project (TNP) was founded in 1987 to provide food, shelter, medicine, and education for Buddhist nuns who have fled to India to escape oppression, imprisonment and torture by the Chinese, who now occupy Tibet. Today the Project supports over 500 nuns, ranging in age from 14 to 84, in five different nunneries in India.

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Come and hear the compelling stories of these courageous women as told by Rinchen Khando Choegyal (Sister-in-law of the Dalai Lama, TNP Director) and Dr. Elizabeth Napper (Tibetan scholar and TNP Co-Director).

Edmonton Events

"Women of Spirit" slide presentation & public talk
Friday, May 9, 7:30 pm
Tory Lecture Theatre II , University of Alberta
$20 regular / $10 student & senior

Fundraising dinner (10-course Chinese meal)
Saturday, May 10, 6:30 pm
Chili Hot Hot Restaurant, 10909 Jasper Ave.
$35

Also at IBFA Annual Wesak Celebration
Sat., May 10, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Truc Lam Monastery, 11328-97th Street
by donation

Tickets available at: Ascendant Books, 10310 124th Street (452-5372) and International Buddhist Friends Association , 9904 106 St. (424-2231).

Posted by songdawg at 11:25 PM | Buddhism