Peacemaker Circles UK

      From the Peacemaker Circle in Leeds, this update from Steve Hart: We have an excellent harmonious on-line Peacemaker circle including Jeana, Chris and myself - all with a long history of training in various Peacemaker , sufi and Buddhist training. We have re-trained in the five Buddha family drawing on Peacemaker sources, various five wisdom resources and Tibetan Buddhism/Shaivite elemental dakini traditions. We have explored inter-religious training particularly looking at the life of Sheikh Nur / Lex Hixon and Jeana has shared some of her time with him and Sheikha Fariha of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi sufi lineage.   In Leeds, UK we have an in person Peacemaker Circle  which is well represented of the Afro Caribean and asian communities and we are currently training in the five Buddha mandala and exploring the three tenets in reflective zazen. We have also incorporated Jeana's trainings in guidelines for effective council circle and circ...

 This week in the Edgeley Zen Group, near Manchester, we explored a new form for loving - kindness (metta) meditation practice in a circle, created by Jeana Moore. In the practice, we invoke the receipients of our meditation into the circle, as if they are there with us, in ever widening circles. As we go round in council circle format with a talking - piece, each person says a little about why they are invoking that person, and gradually we try to hold or imagine a sense of all of us together. Jeana has been working with Steve Hart (Leeds) and Chris Starbuck (Manchester) to develop the new practice, and she's explored the traditional "rules of Council Circle" for this framework. We discussed these in the Edgeley group before practicing yesterday, naming them 'Grandmother Jeana's Guidelines' The new practice seemed much appreciated, it was a lovely evening.