Triratna 50th Birthday

A fantastic day at the Bristol centre as Sanghas from the South West region came together to celebrate the 50th Birthday of the movement.

Our theme was Bhante’s poem “Four Gifts” and the shrine was beautifully created to reflect this

I was inspired by the deeply personal talks given by Nandavajra, Satyalila, Bhadra and Ananda which were also based around the four gifts. Doing the Metta Bhavana meditation together sending out metta to movement worldwide and out to all beings felt very heart opening. In the Puja we were invited to reflect on a gift we can give to the world through our practice and offer this up as words written on a “footstep” of the Buddha and our voices raised in the Shakyamuni and Maitreya mantra’s was beautiful.

As always, shared lunch, tea and cake was an opportunity to catch up with friends old and new and the sun shone down on many of us who collected outside in the courtyard taking advantage of the friendly weather.

We listened together to the live streaming of Subhuti’s talk from the LBC and there was something really special in being able to do that. The sound problems of the transmission meant we needed to be very still and quiet and for me that added to the atmosphere of the occasion.

I feel deep gratitude to be part of the Sangha and to have been able to celebrate this milestone in Triratna’s history. It is a day that will be etched in my memory. Subhuti’s talk on forgiveness, appreciation and gratitude is resonating through me today and I can feel the relevance of these three things in both my Going For Refuge and to Triratna’s future.

SADHU to Bhante for his gift to us. SADHU to those of the past whose Going For Refuge we are benefiting from today. SADHU to all of us in today’s Sangha carrying forward Bhante’s vision. And SADHU to the Sangha of the future..

With metta to all, Joy