Tag: chairs' letter

Chairs' Letter – January 2023

By ratnadharini on Tue, 31 Jan, 2023 - 22:56

Chairs' Letter – January 2023

By ratnadharini on Tue, 31 Jan, 2023 - 22:56

These letters are published here each month, as well as on preceptorscollege.online, and in Shabda, the Order newsletter, as a means to communicate the ongoing work of the College Chair and updates on current discussions and decisions. Responses are welcomed. You can comment below or write directly to preceptorscollege [at] adhisthana.org.

Dear Order members and friends,

I made the most of the lull in emails over the festive season, and spent a quiet couple of weeks...

College of Public Preceptors

Chairs' Letter – November 2022

By ratnadharini on Thu, 1 Dec, 2022 - 12:28

Chairs' Letter – November 2022

By ratnadharini on Thu, 1 Dec, 2022 - 12:28

Dear Order members and friends,

When I last wrote, a month ago, we had just marked the fourth anniversary of Bhante Sangharakshita’s death at Adhisthana. A meeting of the International Council was underway, and by the end of a very harmonious and enjoyable meeting we had clarified the purpose of the IC and agreed on strategic priorities.

A couple of days later, the annual international ‘in person’ gathering of the College of Public Preceptors began....

College of Public Preceptors

Chairs' Letter – October 2022

By ratnadharini on Wed, 2 Nov, 2022 - 12:41

Chairs' Letter – October 2022

By ratnadharini on Wed, 2 Nov, 2022 - 12:41

Dear Order members and friends,

Yesterday at Adhisthana we marked the fourth anniversary of Bhante Sangharakshita’s death; with several events taking place it was a full shrineroom, and many more joined us online. Ratnavyuha gave a delightful talk, sharing the history of his personal experience of Bhante and the development of their connection from when they first met at Aryaloka retreat centre in the US, through further encounters in the UK and Spain. I imagine we...

College of Public Preceptors

Chairs' Letter – September 2022

By ratnadharini on Fri, 30 Sep, 2022 - 22:03

Chairs' Letter – September 2022

By ratnadharini on Fri, 30 Sep, 2022 - 22:03

Dear Order Members and Friends,

I’m writing this month’s update from Aryaloka retreat centre, in the US. When I first became College Chair I planned to connect up with Order members outside the UK, but Covid restrictions put international travel on hold for a couple of years. Three weeks ago I set off on a road trip with Aryadrishti, one of the American Order Convenors, taking in some of the places I’ve not been to before: Seattle, Portland (Oregon), Missoula,...

College of Public Preceptors

Chairs' Letter – July 2022

By ratnadharini on Sun, 31 Jul, 2022 - 23:49

Chairs' Letter – July 2022

By ratnadharini on Sun, 31 Jul, 2022 - 23:49

Dear Order Members and Friends,

This month we hear from two of my deputy-chairs, Punyamala and Jnanavaca, who have recently arrived back from leading Ordination courses at Akashavana and Guhyaloka.

With metta,
Ratnadharini

***

From Punyamala:

It has been my great good fortune to spend the last 11 weeks at Akashavana, the forest retreat of luminous space, leading an international ordination retreat during which 18 women entered the Order.

It feels foolhardy to attempt...

College of Public Preceptors

Chairs' Letter – June 2022

By ratnadharini on Sun, 3 Jul, 2022 - 22:51

Chairs' Letter – June 2022

By ratnadharini on Sun, 3 Jul, 2022 - 22:51

Dear Order Members + friends,

This month I seem to have emerged more fully from the era of Covid lockdowns. As well as my regular visits to South Wales, I’ve also been to London, Stratford-upon-Avon (wonderful to get to the theatre again: Henry VI and Richard III), and Leek in northern England (checking out a possible property for Tiratanaloka). I’ve also been kayaking down the River Taff to Cardiff basin, negotiating a couple of weirs and a lot of rocks...

College of Public Preceptors

Chairs' Letter – May 2022

By ratnadharini on Tue, 31 May, 2022 - 18:50

Chairs' Letter – May 2022

By ratnadharini on Tue, 31 May, 2022 - 18:50

Dear Order Members and friends,

As well as being College Chair, I’ve come to hold various other responsibilities within Triratna, including currently being a Centre President and involved in the International Council. Looking back, becoming part of the women’s ordination team at Tiratanaloka was probably the most significant factor in shaping this life; but actually it goes back even further than that and has really emerged from a network of kalyanamitrata…

I first encountered the FWBO / Triratna in London, when I was...

College of Public Preceptors

Chairs' Letter – April 2022

By ratnadharini on Sat, 30 Apr, 2022 - 23:01

Chairs' Letter – April 2022

By ratnadharini on Sat, 30 Apr, 2022 - 23:01

See April’s ‘Features from the College’ here.

Dear Order Members and friends,

A year ago, someone rejoiced in my merits – and those of College members generally – as they put it: ‘out of the blue’. He said he was following up an intention to express gratitude when he felt it, and I’d like to take this opportunity to respond ‘in kind’.

Saddharaja has rheumatoid arthritis, and recently Covid on top of that, however he’s just...

College of Public Preceptors

Chairs' Letter – March 2022

By ratnadharini on Thu, 31 Mar, 2022 - 20:31

Chairs' Letter – March 2022

By ratnadharini on Thu, 31 Mar, 2022 - 20:31

Dear Order members and friends,

Thanks to Jnanavaca for writing last month’s letter, which came as the war in Ukraine was just beginning. It’s been sobering to watch the devastation of so many lives. I was on a women preceptors’ retreat at Adhisthana as the invasion became a shocking reality to those of us following the news; however others were making the most of being offline, and so it remained in the background until the final day of the retreat.

The theme...

College of Public Preceptors

Chairs' Letter – February 2022

By Jnanavaca on Tue, 1 Mar, 2022 - 13:39

Chairs' Letter – February 2022

By Jnanavaca on Tue, 1 Mar, 2022 - 13:39

Dear Order Members and Friends,

As one of her deputies, Ratnadharini asked me to write this month’s letter from the College.

My month began with ‘landing back’ from a three week solitary retreat at the LBC’s retreat centre, Vajrasana. It was the first proper solitary I’d had since the start of the pandemic and it felt like balm. I emerged refreshed and energised in a way that I haven’t felt for a long time. The...

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