Tag: home retreat

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Shakyamuni Mantra - Turning Arrows into Flowers: Day 2

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 16 May, 2020 - 06:12

Shakyamuni Mantra - Turning Arrows into Flowers: Day 2

By Sadayasihi on Sat, 16 May, 2020 - 06:12

The central image of this home retreat is based on the story of the Buddha when Mara attacks him with all the weapons he can muster: the Buddha sits in complete peace and openness; the arrows from his opponents drift down around him as flower petals. So you may wish to dwell with that image while chanting the mantra of the historical Buddha – the Shakyamuni mantra. 

Listen to the Shakyamuni Mantra chanted at the Young Buddhist Big One in 2018

...
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Extra Resource - Dhammadinna's talk - Turning Arrows into Flowers: Day 1

By kusaladevi on Fri, 15 May, 2020 - 17:10

Extra Resource - Dhammadinna's talk - Turning Arrows into Flowers: Day 1

By kusaladevi on Fri, 15 May, 2020 - 17:10

On day 1, here’s an extra resource - a talk by Dhammadinna, one of the most senior members of the Triratna Buddhist Order. Here she introduces and explores the Mind Training teachings, drawing out their special emphasis; the opportunity to use any difficulties which arise in our lives as a basis for developing Bodhicitta.

Visit the Turning Arrows into Flowers home retreat page​

Listen to the full talk by Dhammadinna here

See all posts on Turning Arrows into Flowers
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Prajnaketu's Reflections on the Four Reminders - Turning Arrows into Flowers: Day 1

By Sadayasihi on Fri, 15 May, 2020 - 11:49

Prajnaketu's Reflections on the Four Reminders - Turning Arrows into Flowers: Day 1

By Sadayasihi on Fri, 15 May, 2020 - 11:49

We are delighted to say that this week we will be joined by a team of Young Order members who will be sharing their reflections on the Seven-Point Mind Training material. First up is Prajnaketu, Triratna’s Young Buddhist coordinator. 

Prajnaketu, from sunny Oxford, UK, shares his thoughts on the teaching of the Four Reminders: our precious human birth, death and impermanence, karma and rebirth, and the defects of samsara. Noting that these reflections can be a bit of...
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Dedication Ceremony - Turning Arrows into Flowers: Day 1

By Sadayasihi on Fri, 15 May, 2020 - 09:48

Dedication Ceremony - Turning Arrows into Flowers: Day 1

By Sadayasihi on Fri, 15 May, 2020 - 09:48

Today, day 1, you might like to spend some time figuring out how you are going to take part - how much time do you have, what supports do you need, what is your wish for this retreat. It can be helpful to support this intention with a bit of ritual.

Often on the first night of a retreat this is marked by some kind of ceremony - in our community, this is often done with a Dedication...
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Welcome - Turning Arrows into Flowers: Day 1

By Sadayasihi on Fri, 15 May, 2020 - 07:52

Welcome - Turning Arrows into Flowers: Day 1

By Sadayasihi on Fri, 15 May, 2020 - 07:52

Globally, the coronavirus and all its implications presents us with an enormous challenge - but how are we responding? With ill-will and aversion, or with curiosity and compassion? Today marks the start of our latest home retreat: Turning Arrows into Flowers - an exploration of the Seven-point Mind Training, where we are learning to cultivate a mind free of blame and reactivity, a mind that is open, kind, interested. By delving into these teachings, facilitated by Yashobodhi, and with personal reflections from...
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Turning Arrows Into Flowers (The Dharma Toolkit Podcast, Episode 26)

By Centre Team on Thu, 14 May, 2020 - 16:17

To mark the start of our Home Retreat on the theme of turning towards difficulties and moving through them well, a great, practical conversation with Yashobodhi about the meditative, reflective work of the Seven-Point Mind Training tradition in Buddhism. 

A mythic image to sum up and symbolize this is that of the Buddha on the cusp of his Enlightenment. He is sitting still at the point when Mara attacks him with all the weapons he can muster. But, as the story...
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The Community Toolkit for Uncertain Times

New Home Retreat: Turning Arrows Into Flowers - Starts Friday!

By Centre Team on Wed, 13 May, 2020 - 22:36

New Home Retreat: Turning Arrows Into Flowers - Starts Friday!

By Centre Team on Wed, 13 May, 2020 - 22:36

Turning Arrows Into Flowers
A Seven-Point Mind Training, May 15-22

A mythic image to sum up and symbolize the theme of this week is that of the Buddha on the cusp of his Enlightenment. He is sitting still at the point when Mara attacks him with all the weapons he can muster. But, as the story goes, even though the Buddha is attacked he does not react with anger, hatred or defensiveness. Instead he sits in complete peace and openness;...
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Closing the Being Divine Online home retreat

By kusaladevi on Fri, 1 May, 2020 - 17:01

Closing the Being Divine Online home retreat

By kusaladevi on Fri, 1 May, 2020 - 17:01

We hope you have enjoyed Being Divine Online with us this week! 

The retreat ended with this beautiful song by Ratnavandana, which retreatants sing together at the end of her Brahma Viharas retreats.

Thank you so much to Ratnavandana for supplying us with these fantastic resources around the Brahma Viharas, for sharing her practice and experience so fully and for her wonderful evocation and explanation of the Divine Abodes in the Q & A where 138 of us gathered together.

Look out too for a ...
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A Sustaining Community of Meditators: Reflections from Cambridge on Being Divine Online

By Vidyasakhi on Fri, 1 May, 2020 - 11:04

A Sustaining Community of Meditators: Reflections from Cambridge on Being Divine Online

By Vidyasakhi on Fri, 1 May, 2020 - 11:04

Arthasiddhi, myself and around 40 friends, mitras and Order members from Cambridge sangha have been following the Being Divine Online Home Retreat as a community within the wider community, adding to the mix some of our own meditation sessions (every day at 8 am), three zoom plenaries (or check-ins) and WhatsApp home groups, as well as attending evening events at Cambridge Buddhist Centre online. It has been such a joy: and we’ve deeply appreciated the richness of Ratnavandana’s experience and teachings...
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Song of the Brahma Viharas - Being Divine Online home retreat

By Sadayasihi on Fri, 1 May, 2020 - 09:06

Song of the Brahma Viharas - Being Divine Online home retreat

By Sadayasihi on Fri, 1 May, 2020 - 09:06

It’s always good to finish things with a song - and happily, today, here’s one! It’s Ratnavandana chanting the Brahma Viharas song that is usually learned on each ‘Living in the Mandala’ retreat that she leads.

As Ratnavandana kindly sent on some lovely nature photos she has taken, we have made this into a short video which you can enjoy, and hopefully get a feeling for the Brahma Viharas “pervading all quarters”.

The text from this song comes from...

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