Making Friends with our Demons

at Lineham Farm 

Carol Brownson writes:Writing this, and feeling really good the day after Lineham Farm Sangha Weekend Retreat. It was the largest retreat there with 28 people and very successful, despite the worries over proximity to the following weekend's retreat with Paramananda, rain all weekend and Christmas looming. John organised matters excellently I thought, with an introductory speech of 12 helpful instructions - including issues about toiletting! 

Good food and plenty of it

The theme of the retreat was 'Rivers of Love, Oceans of Forgiveness' and involved Demons, inspired by M.Sendak's children's book 'Where the Wild Things Are'.

Samanartha and Khemasara led the retreat. The shrine room had a tall, white central stupa with lights and meditation mats and chairs all around it. Art activities, prepared by Acalamayi and Kathy included making visual representations of our personal demons. Some were very creative - Jenny made a many-armed demon and Billy a 'spacey' target with a suspended hand and pointing finger.  

Demons lured onto the shrine with Smarties!

 The final night's seven-fold puja became increasingly energetic, wild and noisy with percussion from Tibetan beaters, pots, pans, big spoons, cheese graters... and lots of clapping. The ritual culminated in a shower of hearts falling like confetti. I thought the Ratnasambhava mantra was beautifully harmonised by Zara and Ben.

Evenings were special, sitting around the large log fire with welcome periods of silence.

Sharing a room with Kathy was easy for me. I really like these sangha retreats at

Relaxing after a hard day's dharma-faring

Lineham Farm (rural position, but near Leeds, with many farm animals - Shetland ponies, shire horse, pot-bellied pig, cows, sheep, donkeys in the next building and dogs cats and hens). They deepen sangha friendships, providing space and much meditation. I look forward to the next one in Spring 2012.

Another view from Richard Hymas: I arrived Friday evening full of e-mails that I needed to send, people I needed to call my mind jam-packed full of my working week past and yet to come. But slowly with, plenty of sitting, quietness, good company and laughter I slowly relaxed into the weekend and by the time Sunday came around I felt rested and refreshed, the world back in perspective again and mind calmed for a few days retreat from the world. 

The next Lineham Farm  Retreat is from Friday 30th March to Sunday 1st April

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Some sangha members have been heard to wonder aloud how the Centre actually functions, who takes responsibility for all the decisions... is it Uddyotani... or Samanartha... is there someone in London or Birmingham who makes the big decisions for us?

 ...Well, actually no, there isn't. Like other Triratna Buddhist Centres, Leeds is run on an entirely independent basis... 

Ben Niblock explains it all.

Triratna Leeds Buddhist Centre is a Charitable Company which is run by a council of "directors", formerly "trustees". The council meets regularly and is responsible for making many of the practical decisions which affect the overall running of our Buddhist Centre.

At present there are 7 of us on the council: Dayaka; Samanartha; Sarah Bedworth; Colin Mawhinney; Debbie Purdon and Ben Niblock. Uddyotani also attends as Council Secretary. The members of the council are nominated by other council members and are often those who have a longstanding involvement with the Leeds Centre.

 A few years ago, it was the council members who made the decisions which enabled us to have our own premises. We are legally responsible for running the charity and managing the overall finances of the Centre. We decide issues which affect us all, such as what events we run at the centre and how we represent ourselves publicly and within the wider movement. If you have anything that you think should be raised within the council, please speak with one of us.

On a personal note, I joined the council around the time when I left my last job. It became clear to me that this was a space where people are encouraged to speak their mind free from hierarchy (this is not necessarily an easy thing). It is not always easy making decisions at meetings and we often have to discuss ethically sensitive issues and try to understand ways forward by sharing our views. Nevertheless, I have an ongoing sense that it's my way of engaging with the Centre and community as fully as I can manage and learning who I am and how to take responsibility within this context (not as obvious as I often think). 

Sharing that space and engaging with others on practical decisions is a strong practice, however I often feel at meetings that it's not just the surface practicalities of running a centre that are being dealt with, and occasionally I have glimpses of a bigger context within which we are working.

Aside from the council there are many others who volunteer regularly and put in lots of work to keep our sangha thriving: Jenny, Jeff and John to name just a few. If you are interested in volunteering at the centre and offering your skills, please speak with one of us.

Triratna International Retreat 2012: Imagining the Buddha

Each morning there is meditation, followed by an inspiring talk. In the afternoon you can join one of the groups described above. Then, in the evening, everyone re-gathers in the big marquee for storytelling and puja. Plus there is time for sitting round the campfire and hanging out with the sangha.

The event is family-friendly event, and there will be a new children's area, with improved facilities and activities for children and teenagers. Over 400 of us will be there - from Triratna groups and Centres across Europe. Everyone is welcome, whether this is your first retreat, or whether you're an old hand.

 

Buddhafield Festival 2012:  Finding Abundance 

The Buddhafield Team warmly invite you and your Sangha to our 16th Buddhafield festival from 11th to 15th July 2012

Please note that the views expressed in this newsletter are the opinions of individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Leeds Buddhist Centre, theTriratna Buddhist Community (Leeds) or The Triratna Buddhist Order