Tuesday 31 March 2015

This week @ Beaches

Hi all.

This week at Beaches Sangha we have the return of Jonathan Page. He's going to be giving a talk called 'Freedom: Can We Really be Free?'. Sounds like it'll stir up some good conversation.


Hope to see you there.
LL

Monday 23 March 2015

Sutta study this week

Hi guys.

It's sutta study this week. Chapter 11 of Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realisation. Be there or be square.

;-)

LL

Monday 16 March 2015

This week @ Beaches

Hi all. 

This week at Beaches Sangha we have Alan Bassal returning. Alan first came to 
Beaches last year and gave a talk on whether the Buddha would buy an i-phone....a pun on the notion of 'I'..my 'self'. Alan and Subhana (last week's speaker) are running a retreat soon called 'Deepening into Stillness' and this is the topic of Alan's talk for us this week. I hope you can make it. 
Also, the Secular Buddhism Australia Facebook Page is going gangbusters. It currently has over 4500 followers since starting in November last year. If you haven't already 'Liked' it, feel free to do so.

Please also let us know if you can come to the Beaches Sangha retreat in early May (see the special post from last week on this). And also let me know if you haven't already, if you can make it to my fundraiser for the Bali Animal Welfare Assocation on Sun 29th May.

I won't be there this week as I have my last chance to race before the National Champs for athletics. I hope you'll all make Alan feel welcome and I hope to see you next week.

LL

Monday 9 March 2015

This week @ Beaches Sangha - our first visit from Insight Meditation/Zen teacher Subhana Barzaghi

This week @ Beaches
This week at Sangha we have a very well known and experienced Zen/Insight Meditation teacher, Subhana Barzaghi, coming to give a talk on impermanence. It's the first time Subhana has come to Beaches Sangha so we hope you'll join us on Thursday night to welcome her and contribute to the discussion.


Fundraiser concert
Last week I let you all know about a private concert I'm hosting to raise funds for a fabulous charity in Bali, the Bali Animal Welfare Assocation. I will need to know numbers this week, so if you can make it, please let me know either by posting a comment below this post here on the Beaches web site, or let me know on Thursday night.

I hope to see you Thursday.
LL

Beaches Sangha retreat

Hi everyone.

Last year, for the first time, we had a Beaches Sangha camping retreat out at Gorrick's Run - a beautiful property owned by the Sydney Zen Centre. It was a self-led retreat (i.e. no teachers were leading it) although we did have some facilitated sessions such as mindful pasta making led by Sylvie. We all pitched in with the catering and logistics to make it happen. Because it was self-led, we decided to only extend the invitation to people who'd done at least a 3 day teacher-led retreat before.




The retreat was fabulous and we unanimously decided to do it again. This year, after much consideration, our SOG (Sangha Organising Group) has decided to open the invitation to all Sangha members, regardless of whether you've done a retreat before or not. So I'd like to invite all of you who've been regular Sangha members at any point in Beaches Sangha's 6 year history, to  join us.

Details:
When: Thu 7 May - Sun 10 May
Where: Gorrick's Run (near St. Albans - maps to be provided - allow 2hrs drive)
What: Self-led retreat - with one session a day after dinner where we ask people to come together for a group session. There is a suggested schedule but participants are welcome to join in with that or not as they please. It will be a mostly silent retreat.
Accommodation: BYO tent or swag. Other than camping there is the covered verandah around the meditation hall where a swag can be rolled out. There is a limited amount of space indoors if the great outdoors is not for you. There are drop-toilets, camp showers (with fire heated hot water) and a good indoor camp kitchen as well as a beautiful meditation hall.
Catering: once we have final numbers we'll organise the catering between participants.

If you have any questions, please speak to one of the SOGgies (me, Betsy, Sylvie, Neil, Susanne). If you could let us know by the end of March whether you are coming, that'd be great!

Also, could you please let me know if you plan on coming to my fundraiser concert on Sun 29th (either post a comment here on our web site, or let me know on Thursday night).

Thanks
Lenore

Monday 2 March 2015

This week @ Beaches Sangha + an invitation

Hi all.

This week @ Beaches
This week we have one of our regular speakers Gawaine Powell-Davies giving a talk called 'Whatever Arises Passes Away' - a principle that is very central to Gotama's teachings. I'm sure Gawaine's talk and discussion will be thought provoking as always.


A fundraiser concert - 29/3
Also, inspired by Suzanne's recent efforts, I'm hosting a fundraiser concert in support of Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA). I have a friend who is an absolutely beautiful musician who is going to come and perform for us (check her out here). If you'd like to come and spend a couple of hours on a Sunday listening to her gorgeous voice over a glass of wine and practising generosity to this fabulous cause, please put the 3-5pm on Sunday 29th March aside (and let me know you're coming). 



I hope to see you on Thursday .
LL