Another Music Circle...!

There were six of us from the Great Heart Circle at tonight's music circle at Yesim Cafe on Narborough Road.  The picture's a bit blurred- here are Ren (left) and Fern, Natalie was there too, Jenny, Greg and Chris.  So many kinds of music again, from different languages and cultures...  The drum here is the Iranian Zarbe, brought along by a brilliant percussionist named Reza.

Leicester Great Heart Circle, 2nd August

  

We had our Great Heart Circle this evening in the Garden Room of the Unitarian Chapel again.  It was a lovely evening, and we were able to do some quiet walking meditation outside in the garden itself, really an oasis of peace in the city centre with three huge trees towering above us into the sky.

It was Mark's second meeting as circle organiser, and the first full one with most of the regulars back again.  He invited Natalie to lead the opening relaxation, and brought along a section from The Sufi Book of Life for discussion, reading about the Arabic Name "As-Salaam" - "Peace".  We had some silent Zen meditation, followed by some Sufi singing/dancing together, and of course a wonderful feast at the end!

This evening was probably Chris' last time in the circle for a while, so everyone made a toast to his happiness and future life in Chester...

Leaving Meal for Chris

I'd like to thank Mike for arranging a meal at Kayyal Indian restaurant in Leicester to say goodbye to me.  It was a lovely evening, in good company and good food.  Mike composed a poem for me, and presented me with a beautiful gift - a wooden fold-out shrine, originally Chinese and found by him in a market in the middle of Kabul, Afghanistan!  Thanks to everyone, and I'll post the poem here, cos really it's a celebration of our whole group, not just about me...   Many blessings to everyone, Chris

Chris's Leaving Dharma poem  (by Mike Petterson)

Stillness in a whirlpool
Whirlpool in stillness
The noise of his silence
And the silence of his conversation

Circles circles circles
No edges
Just roundness
Collectedness
Groupfulness
Eyes seeking eyes
Ears aware of ears
Voice connecting with awareness

The Sufi of Serenity
He dances his whirling dance
Bringing together
Playing the pied pipers tune
For all who can or want to hear

This is no room for closed minds
All dharmas have respect in our house
We seek truth beyond truth
Love beyond love
Life beyond life

Rumi is our guide
Zen is our koan
Buddha is our way
Krishna is our love
Jesus is our joy
Allah is our path

We say adieu
In gratitude and love
Your kindness still and bright
Your talent and life for all to sense, feel and see
May we all remain connected
And guide each other on the way
Au revoir, auf wiedersehn, goodbye, namaste
We know in our heads all things are impermanent
But our human hearts still feel loss
Stay in touch
Value rare connections
But move on to greater happiness

Music Circle at Yesim Patisserie Cafe

For a few months now I've been arranging a music circle in a local cafe here in Leicester, which several people from the Great Heart Society have been taking part in regularly.  We do it on Sunday evenings once a fortnight, it's unplugged and acoustic so everyone can listen to each other's voices.  We have English folk, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Kurdish, Turkish, Iranian, Scottish and Irish, original songs, classical violin and piano... it's really a rich mix of different voices and nationalities, with a warm-hearted circle atmosphere like the Great Heart Circle.  Zen Master Bernie Glassman describes the point of Zen practice as realising and embodying the Oneness of Life.  Spiritual groups can only go so far in this, cos they only attract people who are interested in meditation etc.  A circle like the Yesim Music Circle can include a much wider variety of people, and give a bigger sense of what this 'oneness' is about  beyond the label of 'religion' or 'spirituality'.  The cafe owners are Alevi-Bektashi, from Turkey, and have the ideal of Humanness - "Insan" - deep in their culture.  For me the Music Circle helps us feel the oneness of our shared humanity, and celebrate it through musical expression.  Ya Hajji Bektash Veli, Patron Saint of the musical Anatolian Alevis!

July Great Heart Circle

A small intimate meeting of the Great Heart Circle welcomed Mark as the new facilitator.

The full moon on Tuesday evening was the Guru Purnima, in Hindu and Buddhist cultures a time to celebrate the Guru. This was a good opportunity for us to reflect upon Teachers in our lives, whether it has been Gurus, parents, other people or events.

Sometimes our hearts and minds engage and open with philosophy, sometimes with poetry, sometimes with walking under the trees in the garden and sometimes with music.  Toward the One,  Greg played us out with an Air on his violin.

Mark Baverstock is new Coordinator of the Leicester Great Heart Circle!

Hello folks,

As many of you know, I'm planning to leave Leicester in September and move up North.  Several people have said they'd like the Great Heart Circle in Leicester to continue after I've gone, so I've thought a lot about possibilities.  At the weekend I asked Mark Baverstock if he will take on the role of coordinator/vision holder for the circle, and he's agreed.  So this is  fantastic news!  I don't know how many of you plan to keep coming, but I would ask you all to support Mark for the first few months as he takes over and feels his way into it.

The plan is for Mark to begin coordinating right away, with the July and August circles, and I'll still be there as a participant to give him support.  I don't know yet if I'll be here for the September one.  I'm still planning to hold Metta Circles in my house over the summer :-)

Mark has come along to the group dedicatedly for over two years, and has often guided the relaxation session at the start and offered prayers and blessings at various times.  He has a strong background in Indian/Hindu traditions, is connected to a Sufi lineage, and most importantly has the enthusiasm to hold open the space of practice for us all on a regular basis.

Much love to you all, and see you next month I hope.

Chris Zang Starbuck

Great Heart Circle, 7th June

   

 

 The Great Heart Circle this evening was big and fun in spite of the cold rain pouring down outside!  For the main session of Zen meditation we went down into the lower room and made it cosy and warm with heaters, little lanterns and blankets...  Some of us did a ghost-tour of the old chapel building in the dark, and attempted (unsuccessfully!) to scare Natalie...