Friendship
My Buddhist teacher Sangharakshita has made the Buddha's claim that friendship is the whole of the spiritual life core to the order I belong to.
In response to one of his disciple's claim that friendship is half of the spiritual life he famously replied 'Say not so Ananda, say not so ... friendship is the whole of the spiritual life'
We need each other to grow and develop. Friends encourage, give feedback, hold us accountable and simply support us by being there in every situation life brings to us.
I'm confident that you've enjoyed the experience of meditating with others. There's an almost indefinable quality you experience sitting amongst others meditating and many report that it is a powerful support to their meditation.
One of our regulars, Amanda was planning to go overseas shortly (and still may) and so we had planned a simple friendship ceremony this Thursday night and I'd promised to bring a cake along. This morning I was debating whether or not to still bring a cake given her plans are currently up in the air (pardon the pun) but then I thought 'Just go ahead ... friendship doesn't need a special occasion.'
so I hope you'll come along and share the fairly large chocolate mud cake I bought at Michel's this morning and be a witness to Amanda's friendship ceremony
Thursday 7 - 8.30 pm Friendship Ceremony at tea break time
Sunday 8 - 8.50 am
Metta
Dharmalata and Padmadakini
PS: I am leading a beginner's meditation retreat across the weekend of May 27 - 29 at Vijayaloka (our beautiful retreat centre on the banks of the Georges River in Minto Heights). If anyone wants to support that with me or come along to learn more about the basics of practice please email me or book in using this link