Dharma Day at Woodside

WOODSIDE NEWS

DHARMA DAY

On Sunday 6th July we celebrated our first festival in Woodside. We have had a number of events there - most recently the Skills Auction which was a great success and great fun - but this was the first full day festival. The shrine had been moved into the skylight room (aka middle room) and a beautiful shrine had been created. Sarah, our architect advisor, had suggested that we try holding some event(s) in the skylight room so that we would have a sense of being in there, as so far all our events have been in the front room.  This, she suggested, would be helpful in using our imagination in terms of how we use the space, especially where we have our main shrine room.

Parami speaking at Dharma Day

It was good to do that and I really appreciate all the work that went into creating a shrine and shrine room.  There were various responses on the day and I know that some people have written their responses and suggestions to the dedicated e-mail (newcentre@glasgowbuddhistcentre.com). This is helpful for the transition team as it keeps all the ideas in one place. The council will be making the final decision, hopefully soon. We are still waiting for planning, change of use and contractors estimates and all of these will have an effect. Personally I can see pros and cons in both possible uses of the space and, of course, at some point we will also have the basement in use. 

I just want to say a big thank you for everyone who made it possible to try the skylight room. In general, I am aware that there is an increase in work as we are administering and using two properties and I know that adds to the workloads of our centre team. A massive thanks to Gunasiddhi; Keirstan; Moksadhi and the team of volunteers who so generously give their time and energy.

Dharma Day shrine

The day itself went well with a lovely atmosphere. My talk was appreciated and I had a lot of very positive feedback which is always lovely. I will be posting it on FBA soon. I felt a bit vulnerable after giving it as I was sharing some of my thoughts on where my practice is going at the moment. In the afternoon we had a (slightly) dramatised reading of the Buddha going to meet the five ascetics. The five managed to convey their immediate scepticism rather well!

The next event there will be our AGM, open to members and associate members. That takes place Saturday 12th July.

JOANNA MACY

I was saddened recently to hear that Joanna Macy, Buddhist activist and teacher, is in home hospice care and, almost certainly, in the last days of her life. She is 96 and has still been teaching until very recently. I first met her, at Bhante’s suggestion, in the early 1980s when she was in London to give a talk and a workshop. This was about dealing with the despair felt by many at that time because of the threat of nuclear war and, indeed, the use of nuclear power in general. In later years she turned her attention to the climate emergency, developing a series of workshops called Coming Back to Life; the Work that Reconnects. Like others in our community I attended a number of workshops with her in the 90s and early 00s. In 2005, Joanna agreed to come to Taraloka and work with me and a team of other Order members to run a retreat based on her work. We had arranged this when I was part of her support team in a workshop in California the year before. Sadly she had problems with asthma and was advised not to travel. We carried on and did the retreat which became known as the ‘NoJo’ retreat and was a great success. I appreciated working with her and learning from her in finding ways to work with despair and empowerment. She had a massive effect on the lives of many and her legacy will no doubt carry on. May she go well. 

For now, as always, may all beings be well, may all beings find true happiness and its causes and may all beings be free from suffering.