Peacemaker Circles UK

One idea under discussion for the New Year is a "Leeds Lojong Group"! Tibetan Lojong teachings, including the meditation practice called Tonglen, are a way of working with the texture of pain and pleasure in daily life- seeing both pain and pleasure as opportunities for widening our compassion and recognising our kinship with all sentient beings. The group would meet fortnightly during the daytime in Leeds, for about 2-and-a-half hours, and would focus initially on listening together to audio teachings on Lojong by the American nun Pema Chodron. We would reflect on what we hear using the Council Circle method, and practice some Tonglen and Zazen/silent sitting meditation together. Over time we would look at a range of Lojong authors such as HH The Dalai Lama, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche etc... The Three Tenets of the Zen Peacemakers would be the underlying spirit of the meetings, linking the group into the work of the monthly ZPC Circle meeting... If any...

Several people connected to the Peacemaker Circle here and in Europe have personal or close lineage connections to Lama Shenpen Hookham, a UK teacher in the Kagyu and Nyingma schools of Tibetan Buddhism, heart-disciple of Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche and wife of Rigdzin Shikpo Rinpoche. Lama Shenpen is to undergo emergency surgery on a cancerous tumour at 10am on Thursday 27th Dec 2008. Rigdzin Shikpo has written a Long Life Prayer to recite for her, and also people could recite mantras and/or the Samantabhadracarya Pranidhana (the Vows of Samantabhadra from the end of the Avatamsaka Sutra). Here's the Long Life Prayer: Issuing from the groundless space of light To spread the magnificent Dharma of Shentong For the benefit of all sentient beings throughout the Dhatu, May your life extend to the end of the kalpa and beyond! Khenpo Rinpoche has recommended the 'Song of the Seven Delights', a Tibetan song we sang together at a Peacemaker Circle two months ago in November. I...

Hello Everyone! Welcome to the first Zen Peacemaker Circle in the United Kingdom! We're based in Manchester, and meet up about once a month for at least half a day to practice Council Circle, Zen meditation, and explore the socially-engaged, creative or spiritual interests of anyone who comes along. Anything and everything is possible- we create the circle together! The Zen Peacemaker Circles are in the lineage of Roshi Bernie Glassman, first sucessor of the late Taizan Maezumi Roshi, much-loved master in both the Soto and Rinzai streams of Japanese Zen Buddhism. We work to find new ways in which we can bear witness to the joys and suffering of everyone, and respond in practical compassionate ways to those we can help. "True compassion does not come from wanting to help out those less fortunate than ourselves but from realising our kinship with all beings." Pema Chodron Our next meeting will be held on Sunday 3rd February, 2008, from 1.30-8.30pm including a shared tea to...