Buddhism in the 21^st Century - 16 Oct to 20 Nov 2007

A series of talks hosted by Diamond Way Buddhism Liverpool.

In a series of self-contained talks exploring how the ancient wisdom of Buddhism fits into our modern world, Buddhist Autumn presents buddhist views and practices in this "World in One City".

In these talks, three highly experienced international lay teachers will cover a broad range of topics, spanning from Tibetan Buddhist art to the scientific investigation of buddhist meditation practices.

Venue

Friends Meeting House
22 School Lane
Liverpool L1 3BT

Click here for a map

Schedule

Costs

£6 (£4 concessions) per talk

For further information contact the Diamond Way Buddhist Centre in Liverpool phone: 0151 222 3543, E-Mail: liverpool@dwbuk.org, web: liverpool.dwbuk.org.

Day of Silent Retreat and Meditation - 8 December 2007

Hosted by Liverpool Theravada Buddhist Group

The next meditation day will be on Saturday 8 December, from 9.15-4.30 at the Unitarian Church, Ullet Road.

Please bring your own cushion and something warm to wear (it may be a bit chilly), as well as vegetarian food for a shared lunch. There is no charge for the day. However we suggest a donation of £10 if you can afford it (or less if you can't). This will be shared between the Unitarian Church for their hospitality, and a Buddhist charity. For further information please contact Ursula Haeckel on 427 6668 or Graham Murphy on 722 0893

Sand Mandala Exhibition - 2nd to 7th July 2007

Tibetan monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery @ the Treasure House Theatre, World Museum Liverpool

Programme

Details:

A unique opportunity to see Tibetan Buddhist monks create a Mandala - an intricate picture made from millions of grains of coloured sand -painstakingly constructed over five days. This beautiful, sacred image is used as an aid to meditation in the Tantric tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. It shows the celestial mansion of the Buddhist deities.

For details of FREE school and community group sessions including workshops on butter sculpture, calligraphy, sand mandala and prayer flag making please ring 0151 478 4296. Limited sessions - please book quickly.

A performance of the majestic Monastic Dances and Chant to celebrate the 73rd Birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama will take place on Friday 6th July at 7.00pm in St James's Mount Gardens, near the Anglican Cathedral. FREE entrance with retiring collection in aid of Tashi Lhunpo Monastery UK Trust.

Zen Retreat - 29 July-3 August 2007

Led by David Shoji Scott Hoshi and Ken Jones. Hosted by Liverpool Zen Group

To study Buddhism is to study the self — Dōgen
So the subject of this retreat will be YOU and the taste of liberation.

Open to all with the courage to turn suffering inside out.

Details

Cost: £190 (£150 unwaged) - full time only
To book: Send 50% non-refundable deposit and SAE to Jez Lovekin (jezlovekin@btinternet.com or 01974 282686):

Please note that both this year's Crosby and Chester retreats were booked up by two weeks of their respective start dates so do book early.

Meditation Day - 2 June 2007

Led by Bhante Bodhidharma. Hosted by Liverpool Theravada Buddhist Group

The next meditation day will be led by Bhante Bodhidharma, on Saturday 2 June, from 9.15-4.30 at the Unitarian Church, Ullet Road.

Participants should bring their meditation cushions and vegetarian food to share for lunch. There will be no fee but donations welcome. Anyone interested should ring Ursula Haeckel on (0151) 427 6668 or Graham Murphy on (1051) 722 0893 beforehand.

Talk on "Zen Practice" - 28 March 2007

Public talk by Zen Master Charles Tenshin Fletcher. Hosted by the Liverpool Zen Group

In advance of the spring retreat (below), Tenshin Fletcher Roshi will be giving a public talk on Zen practice. It will be held at the new LZG premises, please see our website for details & directions.

LZG Spring Sesshin - 31 March - 7 April 2007

Traditional week-long Zen Buddhist retreat lead by Tenshin Fletcher Roshi. Affilitated to the Liverpool Zen Group.

Who needs the confirmation of somebody on the outside? You don't! See into this vast empty life. It's not about being concerned about a reward or appearing in a certain way or having your life be a nice little life. It's about seeing the tremendous depth of one's own existence.

The schedule will be one of traditional Zen training with sitting and walking meditation, private interviews and dharma talks. The thirteenth annual UK retreat will be suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners alike. It is a great opportunity to begin or renew training with a Zen master from a genuine and traditional lineage.

Details:

Cost: Inclusive for whole week: £230 (£180 unwaged, £200 priv. pension). Daily rate: £40 (£30 unwaged)

To Book: 50% non-refundable deposit in advance by cheque to "Dr D L Scott" in an envelope marked "road" or "rail" depending on how you plan travel to:

For more information, contact Jez Lovekin by email at jezlovekin@btinternet.com or by phone on 01974 282686. Please note that both the Crosby and Chester retreats of 2006 were booked up by two weeks of their respective start dates so do book early.

Retreat Day - 9 December 2006

Led by Sisters Metta and Cittapala from Amaravati Monastery, nr London. Hosted by the Theravada Buddhist Group.

Held at the Ullet Road Unitarian Church

Introduction to Zen Meditation - Oct-Nov 2006

A four-week course for beginners and the curious. Run by the Liverpool Zen Group.

Introduction to the principles of Zen and an opportunity to explore this powerful meditation practice.

Details

£20 (£10 concessions) for the whole course. No need to book, just arrive on the night. Classes from 7.00-9.00pm (please arrive 6.45).

Monday evenings on 30 Oct, 6, 13 & 20 Nov 2006. All sessions are held at our usual venue:

The Dojo
Top Floor
13 Hope Street
Liverpool L1 9BQ

For information, call Paul Evans on 07835 736898 or email info@liverpool-zen.org.uk. More details can be found on the Liverpool Zen Group's website at .

Introduction to Buddhist Meditation - Sept-Oct 2006

A series of talks and a weekend course focusing on Buddhist meditation. Hosted by Diamond Way Buddhism Liverpool.

After the summer break, the centre's programme will kick off with a strong focus on meditation practice. For this, we have organised a meditation course with two experienced lay teachers, Frank Huhn from Stuttgart and our local teacher Peter Malinowski. On three consecutive Mondays, Peter will share important knowledge that is needed as a framework and the foundation for any meditation and will introduce the main principles of Buddhist meditation in a practical way.

These sessions will be followed by a compact weekend course with Frank, who will focus on deepening the acquired understanding and increasing the practical experience of it.

It is possible to attend single events. Newcomers will benefit most if they try to attend as many of the sessions as possible.

Sessions with Peter Malinowski

Sessions with Frank Huhn

Venue

Diamond Way Buddhist Centre
61 Newsham Drive
Liverpool L6 7UQ

Costs

Monday evening talks: £2 per session

Weekend talks: £5 per session (£3 concessions)

Booking

No booking required, just come along.

For further information contact the Diamond Way Buddhist Centre in Liverpool phone: 0151 222 3543, E-Mail: liverpool@dwbuk.org, web: liverpool.dwbuk.org.

Introduction to Tibetan Medicine - 25 & 26 July 2006

Public talk by Dr Pema Dorjee. Public event, not affiliated to any particular member of MerseyBuddhists.

Dr. Dorjee is co-author, with Janet Jones and Terence Moore, of the book, Heal Your Spirit, Heal Yourself - The Spiritual Medicine of Tibet and will present an introduction to Tibetan medicine, an ancient medical system which has emerged upon the world stage as a rare gem of healing. This multifaceted crystal has been formed to perfection across millennia as a pure spiritual science with the aim of healing all sentient beings.

Details

25 July: 7.00pm
Quaker Meeting House
22 School Lane
(access via Brooks Alley off Hanover Street)
Liverpool L1 3BT

26 July: 7.30pm
Stanley Palace
Watergate St. (near race course)
Chester CH1 2LF

Entrance: £3.00

This event brough to you by The Alpha Centre, The Olive Tree, Kate Anderson and various individuals. For details on Dr Dorjee's consultations, see www.alphacentre.org.uk.

Chester Retreat with Ken Jones & Dave Scott - July 31 - 4 August 2006

A one-week Zen sesshin with reflection on the Hsin Hsin Ming. Hosted by the Liverpool Zen Group.

"Follow your nature and accord with the Way"

Retreatants will be invited each to select passages from the classic Zen scripture Hsin Hsin Ming (On Trust in the Heart). The passages will be those that they feel have strong relevance to their personal practice and life situations. This personal work on and off the cushion will be supported by talks, interviews and work in pairs and small groups.

Venue:

Wonderful spacious location in the heart of Chester within the cathedral precincts. Well fitted single room accommodation, lots of bathrooms etc. Large walled garden, cathedral and river walks. Luxury!

Cost

£185 (£135 hardship). Costs are as low as we can manage, so sorry no discounts.

Applications

Places are limited, so we can only accept full-time bookings. To secure a place, please send your £50 (£35) deposit (cheques to "Dr D.L. Scott"), together with your name, address, phone number and email address, plus a stamped addressed envelope to:

Bookings can only be accepted with a deposit. Dave Scott can be contacted at dl.scott@virgin.net and Ken Jones at kennora.jones@tiscali.co.uk.

Living Buddhism Today - 12 July 2006

A public talk by Aaron Crook (New York), hosted by the Diamond Way Buddhist Centre.

Visiting Teacher at Liverpool Soto Zen group - June 2006

Hosted by the Liverpool Soto Zen Group

Rev. Saido Kennaway will be leading meditation, followed by a talk and discussion, at the Liverpool Serene Reflection Meditation Group.

Talk by Terence Moore in Birkenhead - March 2006

Public event, not affiliated to any particular member of MerseyBuddhists

Title: The Spiritual Medicine of Tibet, its History, Practice and Healing Powers

Public Talk by Didi Rowek - 11 April 2006

Hosted by Diamond Way Buddhism Liverpool

Visiting teacher Didi Rowek will give a public talk on "The Six Liberating Actions".

Venue

Diamond Way Buddhist Centre Liverpool
61 Newsham Drive
Liverpool L6 7UQ

Time: 8.00pm

Cost: £5 (£3 concessions) - no booking required.

Details:

The Six Liberating Actions (Sanskrit: Paramitas) explain how we can use our activity to bring compassion and wisdom into our daily life. They describe the path from confused states of mind to liberation and enlightenment. Didi Rowek is an experienced lay teacher of Diamond Way Buddhism and will present the topic in an accessible way, useful for newcomers as well as those with some experience already.

"Zen in Daily Life" by Charles Tenshin Fletcher-roshi - 5 April 2006

Hosted by the Liverpool Zen Group

Tenshin Fletcher-roshi will be giving a public dharma talk before hosting the spring sesshin. All welcome!

"Zen is a way to be happy" T’ao-shan

Tenshin Fletcher-roshi is abbot of Zen Mountain Center, California. Born in Lancashire, Tenshin went to the USA in 1979 to study with Taizan Maezumi-roshi, founder of the White Plum Lineage. He received Dharma Transmission in 1994. Each Easter he visits the UK to lead a Zen retreat at Crosby Hall, Liverpool.

Venue

The Dojo
Top Floor, The Annexe
13 Hope Street, Liverpool L1

Time: 7.00pm

Suggested donation: £5 waged, £3 unwaged - no booking required.

LZG Spring Sesshin - 8-15 April 2006

Affilitated to the Liverpool Zen Group

Traditional week-long Zen Buddhist retreat lead by Charles Tenshin Fletcher-roshi

The schedule will be one of traditional Zen training, with sitting and walking meditation, private interviews and dharma talks. Meals will be vegetarian, and places are limited.

The sesshin will be suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners alike. It is a great opportunity to begin or renew training with a Zen Master from a genuine and traditional lineage.

Fees

All inclusive for entire week: £230 waged, £200 private pension, £180 unwaged

Bookings

See details at the White Plum Asangha UK website here.

Big Mind Workshop - 30 April 2006

Affilitated to the Liverpool Zen Group

David Shoji Scott (teacher at the LZG) will be hosting a one-day Big Mind / Zen workshop on 30 April - click the link for more details...

The Big Mind technique comes out of both Western psychotherapy tradition and the Eastern Zen tradition, twenty-six hundred year old teaching of self-realisation and actualisation. The Big Mind technique is a very simple yet powerful and and rapid way to help a person shift perspective and realise the wisdom that may take a meditator more than fifteen or twenty years to accomplish. Genpo Roshi said, "Big Mind was created as a fusion of meditation and therapy techniques. The Big Mind process is a very Western approach." After experiencing this shift in perspective, each person needs the practice and meditation, or Zazen, in order to sustain and deepen realisation.

Venue & Details

Venue to be confirmed

3 April 2006
£30.00 (concessions available)

This event was originally scheduled for 2 April 2006 in Chester, but has had to be postponed. Further details will be posted here and on the LZG website when they have been finalised. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Bookings

For bookings or enquiries, call V Roberts on (0151) 632 1187 or email alan-vee@tiscali.co.uk.

Further Details

You can download a poster for this event here [large 3MB download] - feel free to distribute this to anyone who might be interested. This is a PDF file, you may need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to read it.

Talk by Terence Moore in Birkenhead - March 2006

Public event, not affiliated to any particular member of MerseyBuddhists

Title: The Spiritual Medicine of Tibet, its History, Practice and Healing Powers

Terence Moore is one of the two western collaborators on a new book about The Spiritual Medicine of Tibet by Dr. Pema Dorjee, described as a Senior Tibetan Physician. HH The Dalai Lama wrote the foreword to the book.

"In a world which is constantly in a state of flux, where mankind struggles to maintain some kind of balance in the face of increasing change, dramatic upheaval, global conflict, environmental catastrophe and developing illnesses, Tibetan medicine has emerged upon the world stage as an ancient medical system dedicated to offering hope and health to humanity. For 2,500 years this profound, Buddhist medical system was developed on the roof of the world within the protected land of snows, Tibet, maintaining its pristine condition as a pure gem of healing. Through the teachings of Lord Buddha, revelations from the heavens, and the absolute dedication of masterly physicians across millennia, this multifaceted crystal was formed to perfection as a pure spiritual science with the aim of healing all sentient beings."
Dr Pema Dorjee, Heal Your Spirit, Heal Yourself: The Spiritual Medicine of Tibet.

Details

Friday, 24 March, at 7 pm
The Birkenhead Quakers Meeting House,
83 Park Road South (on corner of Slatey Rd)
Birkenhead CH43 4UU

For more details, see http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/alphacentre/folder/SpiritualMed.htm.

Weekend Meditation Course - 28-30 October 2005

Hosted by Diamond Way Buddhism Liverpool

During this course the basic principles and different approaches of meditation within Diamond Way Buddhism will be explained, with particular focus on the needs and questions of those already involved in a regular meditation practice.

Details:

Teacher: Edita Berger (Hamburg, Germany)

Topics will include the role of Buddha aspects (Tibetan: Yidams) in meditations, obstacles in the practice, the different levels of practice, etc. There will be sufficient time for answering questions from the audience.

It is possible to attend single sessions. But if you are new to Diamond Way Buddhism you should make sure to attend the Friday evening session for a first introduction.

Costs: £5.00 (conc. £3.00) per session – no booking required

Schedule:

• Friday 28th: 8.00pm
• Saturday 29th: 3.00pm and 7.00pm
• Sunday 30th: 11.00am

Introduction to Zen Practice - each Monday, November 2005

Hosted by the Liverpool Zen Group

A four-week beginner's course led by David Scott-hoshi. An introduction to the practice and principles of Zen, and a powerful opportunity to explore this dynamic meditative practice.

Dates

Each Monday in November – 7^th, 14^th, 21^st and 28^th. Sessions run from 7.00pm to 8.30pm (please arrive by 6.45).

Venue

The Dojo, Top Floor, The Annexe
13 Hope Street, Liverpool L1 9BH

Details

The course will cost £20.00 in total. For more information or to register, please contact:

• David Scott: david.scott@liverpool-zen.org.uk or tel (0151) 709 0813 (day)
• Paul Evans: Call (07835) 736 898, or email paul.evans@liverpool-zen.org.uk.

If you haven't registered, just turn up on the day! Please feel free to attend later sessions if you miss preceeding sessions.

Zen Sesshin - October 2005

Affilitated to the Liverpool Zen Group

Lead by Tenkei Coppens-sensei, Abbot of Zen River monastery, Netherlands.

Tenkei's annual British sesshin will be held at Dukes Barn, an 18th century building with modern facilities. Quiet and warm in the winter, it is located in the small village of Beeley, on the Chatsworth estate in the Peak District National Park. Beeley village is close to Sheffield, Chesterfield, Matlock and Buxton.

Bookings and Information

Contributions of £205 (£150 concessionary, or daily rate of £47 / £37) are asked for.

For more information, including how to book, visit the sesshin notice on the Zen River website, or contact:

John Newdick (john@jnewdick.fsnet.co.uk) or
Bob Bowles (robert@jbowles.wanadoo.co.uk, tel: 0114 258 2729)

Weekend Retreat with Dave Scott - November 2005

Hosted by the Liverpool Zen Group

Dave Shoji Scott-hoshi will host a weekend Zen retreat at the newly-opened Stone and Water Zendo in the Lake District.

Bookings

Places are always strictly limited at the Stone and Water Zendo, so please book as early as feasible. More details will be posted here later.

Contact Dave directly at david.scott@liverpool-zen.org.uk.

Meditations and Teachings on Diamond Mind - 18-20 November

Hosted by Diamond Way Buddhism Liverpool

This meditation course will focus on the meditation of the Buddha Diamond Mind (Sanskrit: Vajrasattva, Tibetan: Dorje Sempa), the purifying power of enlightenment.

Details:

Teacher: Steven James (London)

The basics of the meditation practice will be explained as well as topics closely related to it, like cause and effect (karma) or how to work with emotions.

Costs: £4.00 (conc. £3.00) per session – no booking required

Schedule:

• Friday 18th: 8.00pm
• Saturday 19th: 3.00pm and 7.00pm
• Sunday 20th: 11.00am

Lake District Retreat Centre Opening (Full) - September 2005

Affilitated to the Liverpool Zen Group

Fully booked :-(

Unfortunately, this event (a weekend-long retreat including opening ceremony for the small retreat centre) is already fully booked. Please keep an eye out on the Liverpool Zen Group page (or the LZG website) for details on the retreat centre.

Taking the Backward Step: A Dogen Retreat - July 2005

Hosted by the Liverpool Zen Group

"You should therefore cease from practice based on intellectual understanding... and learn the backward step that turns your light inwardly to illuminate yourself" - Zen Master Dogen, the Fukanzazengi

How to open to the liberative quality of Zen Master Dogen's teaching? On this retreat we shall relate specific phrases from the "Shobogenzo" to our own life experience. Talks and interviews will offer a wider appreciation of this greatest of Zen Master with respect to our own lives.

Date:

1pm 25th to 3pm 29th July 2005 (possible to arrive Sunday night)

Venue:

Wonderful spacious location in the heart of Chester within the cathedral precincts. Well fitted single room accommodation, lots of bathrooms etc. large walled garden, cathedral and river walks. Luxury!

Cost:

£185 (£135 hardship)

Bookings:

Places are limited and we can only accept full time bookings. To secure a place please send your £50(£35) deposit (cheques to "Dr D. L. Scott"), together with your name, address , phone number and e-mail address, plus a stamped addressed envelope, to Jez Lovekin, Llwyn Drain, Pontrhydygroes, Ceredigion, Wales, SY25 6DP (01974 282686) or jez@lovekin.club24.co.uk. Bookings can only be accepted with a deposit. David Scott can be contacted at dl.scott@virgin.net and Ken Jones at kennora.jones@tiscali.co.uk.

More Information:

See the Liverpool Zen Group website at www.liverpool-zen.org.uk.

Upcoming "Big Mind" workshops - June 2005

Affiliated to the Liverpool Zen Group

Big Mind Workshops with David Scott

David Scott will be leading a workshops utilising the Big Mind Process. This is a simple, facilitating process that allows practitioners to experience a shift in consciousness from an ego-centric perspective to a universal perspective, discover the True Master within, and learn how to effortlessly tap into innate wisdom and compassion.

Dates & Contacts:

Sheffield - Sat 18th June 11am-3pm
E-mail: robert@jbowles.wanadoo.co.uk, Phone 01142 582729

Oxford - Sat 25th June 2pm-6pm
E-mail: stephenlynam1@yahoo.co.uk, Phone 01865 395025

A recommendation:

"My friend Genpo Roshi has developed a series of 'pointing-out' instructions that are as effective as anything I know at giving a person a direct glimpse of Big Mind. I recommend his workshops unconditionally.

"Needless to say, any opening needs to be followed by practice, but as for this initial opening, this process is as effective as they come. Please take advantage of it, you won't be disappointed." — Ken Wilber

With sixteen books on spirituality and science, and translations in twenty countries, Wilber is the most translated academic author in the United States. His books include A Brief History of Everything, The Spectrum of Consciousness and Grace and Grit. Credited with developing a unified field theory of consciousness — a synthesis and interpretation of the world's great psychological, philosophical, and spiritual traditions — Ken Wilber is considered one of the most influential integral thinkers in the world today.

Links:

• http://www.bigmind.org/
  American home page of the Big Mind programme - details of the technique and Genpo Dennis Merzel-roshi, the technique's originator and leader of the Kanzeon Zen Sangha, to which the Liverpool Zen Group is affiliated.

• http://www.liverpool-zen.org.uk/
  Further details of these and other Big Mind events organised by David Scott will be posted on the Liverpool Zen Group website.

Events with Bikkhu Bodhidhamma - June 2005

Hosted by Liverpool Theravada Buddhist Group

Public Talk

Bikkhu Bodhidhamma, a Buddhist Monk, will be giving a public talk on Friday, 3rd June, at 7.30 p.m. at the Wellbeing Centre, 37 Hope Street, Liverpool 1 (Basement).

All welcome.

Retreat Day

Bhante Bodhidhamma will also lead a day of silent retreat and meditation on Saturday, 4th June in the Unitarian Church, Ullet Road. Beginners welcome.

Please arrive at 9.30 a.m. and bring cold vegetarian food to share for lunch. The day ends at 5 p.m. Also bring your own meditation cushion or seat - chairs are available.

Further information:

Both these events are free. Donations to cover cost welcome.

For more information ring Ursula Haeckel (427 6668) or Graham Murphy (722 0893).

Space and Bliss Course - May 2005

Hosted by Diamond Way Buddhism Liverpool

Organised by Diamond Way Buddhism and the Liverpool Museum, this course will be based around the new Buddhist exhibition within the Museum and will culminate in a talk with Lama Ole Nydahl.

Date:

Saturday 7th - Monday 9th May 2005

Programme:

Venue:

On Saturday and Sunday talks will take place in the Rex Makin theatre in the County Sessions House next to the Walker Art Gallery on William Brown Street, just a one-minute walk from the World Museum Liverpool.

On Monday Lama Ole's talk will take place at the lecture theatre in the Maritime Museum situated in the Albert Dock Complex.

Costs & Booking:

The price on Saturday and Sunday will be £5 (£4 reduced rate) per talk.

The charge for Lama Ole Nydahl's talk on Monday will be £6 (£4 reduced rate).

Visits to the Museum are free of charge.

There is no facility for advanced booking.

Tickets for Lama Ole Nydahl's talk on Monday may be purchased in advance on Satuday 7th and Sunday 8th May during the course in the County Sessions House.

More details:

Further details are available on the Space & Bliss website.