Sunday 6th May 2012

A Day of Celebration

4.30pm to 6.00pm - Chanting Workshop

In this workshop we'll be exploring different mantras, evoking the Buddha with sound and harmony. No experience is necessary (and you don't even need to be a great singer!) Just come along and join in. Everyone is welcome.

6.00pm to 7.00pm - Celebratory meal

Please join us after the chanting workshop or before the puja for a celebratory meal. Please bring vegetarian food to share.

7.00 pm to 9.30pm - Meditation and Puja

This is the culmination of the weekend and will begin with a short talk, some meditation and a puja (devotional ritual). All are welcome. There is no obligation to take part. 

Buddhafield North Men's retreat 

6pm 18th - 3pm 20th May 2012

Led by Arthaketu and Vidyacitta

Consider all phenomena as a dream
Reflect upon the kindness of all beings
With experience you can even practise when distracted
Do not wait in ambush
This time, do what is important
Be zealous in your training
Don't take what you do too seriously
Do not expect to be rewarded

On this weekend we will be exploring extracts from the 7 point mind training by Atisha
the focus of which is cultivating Bodhicitta 'The Mind/heart that is set on Enlightenment for the sake of all beings'

It consists of the practice of Tonglen whereby you receive the sufferings and give the benefits so maybe you can see why the title 'Enlightened Courage'. It also has within each of the seven points various slogans like the ones here that help in this process.

So on the weekend there will be meditation, nice food, camping under the stars, a talk
and discussion of the text and time to be with and make new friends

Buddhafield North Women's weekend retreat

BODIES OF EARTH 

6pm 25th  -  5pm 27th May 2012
led by Padmadarshini, Vidyabhadri and Taravandana

Through a intimate mindfulness of our own body and our wider body, the earth, we can realise the Buddhist insight of impermanence more deeply.

Our theme this year for our Buddhafield north women's' weekend is BODIES OF EARTH. The dharma teaches that everything is change; everything in impermanent and that seeing this - really knowing this - brings the freedom of heart we long for.

Exploring ourselves as elemental bodies - of earth, water, air, fire, space and consciousness is a way of seeing that we are a process of continual change and that the way we habitually ' fix' ourselves and others in fact imprisons and isolates us from life.

Our weekend will be practice based with meditation, ritual, and some space for talk / discussion and time to enjoy the landscape and sit around the campfire.

Please note that the BFN Open Retreat runs from 26th to 31st August.  Last year it one booking off being fully booked up so early booking for 2012 is advisable. Everybody is welcome on this retreat, regardless of experience and details will follow... 

I'm not an addict. It's more recreational. I have enough problems without getting stuck on crack or the really hard stuff. A bit of blow now and then. A joint every day, a few cans of Tennants... that helps me keep hanging in.

But being on the streets is not good. Especially for a woman. The homeless blokes and alkies aren't so bad, not so long as you can ignore their dirty little minds. They're usually too hungry or too far off their heads to be a real problem. It's the so-called straight blokes I hate. The bloody condescension. The snide comments. The abuse. Mind you, call me cynical, but I can't stand the do-gooders either, salving their own guilty feelings. Helping you out just so they can sleep at night.

Personally I prefer not to trust anyone. Not men, not women, not coppers, not social workers, not hostels. They all have agendas. Believe me I know. Orphanages, care homes, foster parents, hostels... they're all the same.

*****

Anyway here I am sitting in my empty shop doorway on Lower Briggate when I see this woman walking towards me. She's quite young, no more than eighteen or nineteen - half my age at least. And she stands out from everyone else. It's the way she's dressed - long green coat with shiny brass buttons, black hair with green highlights. She's tall and quite beautiful. Graceful too, like she's easy with life. Yeah, rich bitch.

It's a cold night and I'm shivering. My breath comes out like fog in the cold air, but she looks warm and glowing. She stops in front of me. I'm expecting some pointless conversation, the usual questions, the usual saccharine sympathy. I pray that she'll just to drop me a couple of quid and then clear off. She doesn't. She opens this beautiful green and gold fabric shoulder bag and passes me a pale blue knitted shawl, offering it to me with an open hand. I'm a bit surprised. But it's bitter and at this moment it is just what I need. I take it gladly and wrap it around my shoulders. I wonder what she wants in return.

She stands there and looks at me. I stare back beginning to feel uncomfortable. After a moment she smiles so tenderly at me that I can hardly bear it. Then she turns and walks away, her long green coat swinging as she goes. I pull myself together and decide she's one of them - those new social workers -  spying on me. Plotting ways to get me off the street and into care. I better change my pitch to the other side of town.

*****

I'm round the back of the Town Hall now. The punters are fewer here and the takings are slim. I'm feeling a bit pissed off. The line of coke I snorted earlier has worn off and I don't have enough money for any more, so I'm licking out the straw I used. It doesn't do much good. I give a bloke in a suit a pathetic smile and ask him for some coppers. He looks at me like I'm something the dog left behind. I say 'have a nice day' like they teach you in all the best begging schools... I hope he rots in Hell.

When I stop cursing. I sense someone standing next to me. It's that friggin' social worker again. My heart sinks. I tell her to leave me alone.

' I just brought you these.' She puts a sandwich and a cup of milky coffee on the pavement at my feet. 'Lots of protein in there, just what you need.' She says brightly.

I look at her and frown. 'I'm not hungry.' I say. It's not true, I'm bloody starving but I'm not being told what to eat by anyone.

She smiles softly at me and shrugs. 'It's your call.'

It's warmer tonight and the long emerald coat is open to the waist. She's wearing a pale green blouse that looks like it came from one of those posh shops on Briggate. Around her neck is a simple golden chain that sparkles like no gold I ever saw. I look away. I wish she'd just leave me alone.

She seems to read my mind and walks off. I stuff the sandwich in my mouth and chew hungrily. Something in my head wonders where she got this stuff. All the take-aways round here closed hours ago.

*****

That was a week ago. She's found me every day since. I keep moving around but it doesn't seem to faze her one bit. She always finds me spot on seven with a hot drink and a sandwich or a cup of soup and a pie. It's not the kind of food I've ever eaten before and for sure, she ain't got it from McDonalds or KFC. Funny thing is, we've hardly said anything to each other. She just turns up, puts the food down beside me, smiles and walks off. I still don't know what the hell she's after.