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Cheryl Fraser’s Easter Weekend Dharma Talk

4/27/2011

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Thank You Carol for this weeks summery of the Dharma teaching:   Summary of Cheryl Fraser’s Easter Weekend Dharma Talk

April 23, 2011

May we dwell in joy and celebrate the joy of others.

May we dwell in equanimity, reason, wisdom and compassion.

This Easter weekend is a time of death and rebirth of which Cheryl spoke eloquently. She continued to tie in the themes of Easter though out the dharma talk. Little of this will be found in this summary as I am relying primarily on my note taking. Errors and omissions are mine.

The Three Causes of Misery:

1. Annica         ~ impermanence, change

2. Dukkha       ~ suffering, clinging

3. Anatta         ~ non-self, no soul, no permanent abiding self

                        ~ Non self is a difficult concept that we may get a glimpse of understanding through reflecting upon the following questions.

This week:

a. reflect upon: 

            When you’re asleep are you still you?

            Who were you when you were asleep last night?

b. begin a dream diary, being moderate in our approach, give it 2 minutes.

c. read About/On Consciousness(?) by Dr. Susan Blackmore, www.susanblackmore.co.uk

             ~ neuroscience offers little reason for consciousness / self awareness, other than it seems to contribute to our abiltity to socialize.

 

We are like a little monkey on an elephant. The elephant is slowly plodding it’s way towards enlightenment, while the monkey is being it’s freaky self, thinking it’s controlling everything,  throwing poo at everyone (e.g., honey, why don’t you wear a different shirt...). Comment from the floor: when we are asleep the monkey is not in control and the elephant continues on.

 

We are a constellation of the 5 skandas which leads to our strong sense of self. We feel solid and real. This attachment to self leads to great suffering, clinging, and anguish. The greatest thing we cling to is self.

Pride and ego are implicated in our suffering as areas often ‘pricked’, where we find ourselves annoyed or irritated over little things (e.g. our honey wearing the wrong shirt...).

 

We create stories that are far from reality. E.g. , “Vipassanna Romance” and

“Vipassanna Hatred” that can occur during silent retreats where we create stories about another person at the retreat that we haven’t even spoken to.

 

Non-self can be likened to a lovely chocolate Easter bunny. It looks so solid, then we bite into it only to find it hollow and crumbles in upon itself, not at all what it seemed.

 

Enlightenment: full deep wisdom that penetrates into the nature of reality. We are enlightened when we see reality as it is, we no longer live in a dream world. We have Panna (wisdom).

 

While we can understand these things intellectually, to make progress the work must be done! Life gets easier when we do the work.

  Coming Events:   
April 30 th. 10:00-  Dr. Cheryl Fraser Meditation and dharma teachings
April 30 th. 12:15- Short meeting – discuss future Dharma talks with Dr. Cheryl                                Fraser
May 28th.-  Business meeting after regular practice      

With Love and devotion to the Dharma Susan ‘Source of Compassionate Action
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Second Noble Truth-Cause for Suffering

4/14/2011

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Thanks to Josephine for summarizing the teaching as she heard it.
Second Noble Truth-Cause for Suffering:

Life by nature is imperfect and unsatisfactory.  This will cause suffering

The three poisons that create suffering:

·         Lobha – greed or clinging or attachment-everything changes- fighting what is real-fear of changes that we do not want

·         Dosa- hatred or pushing away-jealousy and pride

·         Moha-delusion or confused-deluded belief that things should not change and if they do – changes should be in the direction we want

Dr. Fraser used watching a movie as an example of how we sometimes live our life by the contents of a movie.  How we are caught in a movie and allow  data from the movies dictate our experiences. Living the movie create profound suffering.  After a watching a movie – say to yourself “this is a movie, I can turn the projector off and stop the movie”.  Write a different script with a different outcome and change your Karma.

Hope this helps…

the challenge for this week is to remember that our experience is just a projection, just a movie, and by changing it right now we change our thoughts and emotions and thus cease to suffer.    
Coming Events:  
April 16th.10:00 -  Dr. Cheryl Fraser Meditation and dharma teachings
April 16th. 12:30 – Maggie's home Blessing  
With Love and devotion to the Dharma Susan ‘Source of Compassionate Action
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Introduction to Tibetan Yungdrung Bon Buddhism Nanaimo B.C. Classes With Geshe YongDong

4/1/2011

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Introduction to

Tibetan Yungdrung Bon Buddhism

Nanaimo B.C. Classes

With Geshe YongDong

At the request of several interested Nanaimo students, GesheLa is considering offering a once a week evening class for a period of 6 weeks to those students in Nanaimo and surrounding area, who are interested in learning and becoming committed and serious Tibetan Yungdrung Bon Buddhist practitioners. 

The classes will be approximately 1 ½ - 2 hours long, and the focus will be on learning more in-depth about Tibetan Yungdrung Bon; its history, masters, philosophy, rituals, meditation, Ngondro and practice methods.  Transmissions will be given.

These are not open or drop-in teachings, students require prior approval from GesheLa and attendance will be by registration only.   There will be a registration fee, to be announced when teaching dates are confirmed.  Tentative date is April/May.

At the end of these teachings, a Refuge ritual with a certificate will be offered to those who wish to continue practicing in the Bon tradition.

If you are interested in attending these classes and are ready to commit to a more serious and focused practice, please reply to this email with your name, email address and/or telephone number.  Reply to:  chamma@telus.net or telephone 250-334-0306.

We will advise you when the dates, times and costs are confirmed. 

The minimum number of registrants is 15 – if there is not enough interest, we will advise those who are and postpone the classes to a later date.

Norma

f/Sherab Chamma Ling
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Dharma teachings

4/1/2011

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One of our members Maggy has invited our Sangha community to this event she is holding at her house:   After the Dharma Talk on April 16th, I hope as many of the Sangha as possible can join me at my new home.  Susan Wilson will guide the blessing through the Beginning Anew Ceremony from the Plum Village Chanting Book.  I am holding yoga, meditation and chanting throughout the weekend at my new address at 40 Kennedy Street.   There will be a shared potluck vegetarian meal at 4- 6 on Sunday( April 17th).  I will leave a poster and handbills for the weekend events at the Buddha House on Saturday.

Please attend whatever you can/ are able to. Your energy will help to bless the home, the neighbourhood,  the planet, and all beings.
Namaste. Maggy   Thank You to every one for all your support and effort in growing our community,    
Coming Events: 
April 2nd. 10:00 -  Dr. Cheryl Fraser Meditation and dharma teachings
April 9th . 10:00 -  Dr. Cheryl Fraser Meditation and dharma teachings
April 16th.10:00 -  Dr. Cheryl Fraser Meditation and dharma teachings
April 16th. 12:30 – Maggy’s home Blessing   With Love and devotion to the Dharma Susan ‘Source of Compassionate Action
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