Sangha Nights in May, June and July – the Heart of Buddhism
Practicing Dharma and Meditation in Community, Wednesdays, 7pm to 9pm, in person
For the Dharma to truly change us, we need to engage the heart, not just the head. As Sangharakshita has said, “The central problem of the spiritual life is to find emotional equivalents for our intellectual understanding.”
We may understand the Dharma intellectually – impermanence, compassion, emptiness – but unless those truths are felt deeply in the heart, unless they begin to reshape our emotional responses, they don’t really transform us.
Continuing our theme of “The Buddha,” over the next few months we will explore the Buddha’s teaching – and his embodiment – of the Brahma Viharas: loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity.
Far from being sentimental or irrational, these are courageous and powerful practices. They challenge our fixed views and habitual reactions, even as they protect and strengthen the open heart.
Other topics include Tonglen, Bodhichitta, Forgiveness, and Gratitude practices, as well as Care for the World and other ways of engaging the heart such as Art, Music and Chanting, and all kinds of Creativity.
Program so far (subject to change)
May 6: Introduction: The Metta Sutta – Shunyamala
May 13: Visiting Teacher – Dhammarati
May 20: Metta Bhavana and Shraddha: When we trust the Dharma, the heart responds with metta – Padmatara
May 27: Karuna Bhavana: Cultivating Compassion – Karunadevi
June 3: Karuna Bhavana: Care and Gratitude in the World – Claudia
June 10: Tonglen – Karunadevi
June 17: Mudita Bhavana – Rejoicing in Good Qualities
June 24: Forgiveness – Amy
July 1: Mudita Bhavana
July 8: Upekka Bhavana – Cultivating Equanimity through creativity and the right brain – Padmatara
July 15: Upekka Bhavana – Cultivating Equanimity through creativity – words, music and art
July 22: Upekka Bhavana – Cultivating Equanimity through creativity – words, music and art
July 29: Dharma Day Celebration
Everyone is welcome to Sangha Night