Rumi Reflection Group back for the Autumn in Chester!

 

Andy (left) from our Zen Peacemaker Circle has offered to start hosting a regular "Rumi Reflection Group" like we offered earlier in the year. He began yesterday evening, meeting in Starbucks in Chester, and I think it'll be nearly every week. Like before, he'll bring along a poem by the Persian Sufi poet Rumi, and we'll read it together and use it as a starting point for reflecting on our own lives and their value, challenges and inspirations...

He began with a poem "Love is the Master":

Love is the One who masters all things;
I am mastered totally by Love.
By my passion of love for Love
I have ground sweet as sugar.
O furious Wind, I am only a straw before you;
How could I know where I will be blown next?
Whoever claims to have made a pact with Destiny
Reveals himself a liar and a fool;
What is any of us but a straw in a storm?
How could anyone make a pact with a hurricane?
God is working everywhere his massive Resurrection;
How can we pretend to act on our own?
In the hand of Love I am like a cat in a sack;
Sometimes Love hoists me into the air,
Sometimes Love flings me into the air,
Love swings me round and round His head;
I have no peace, in this world or any other.
The lovers of God have fallen in a furious river;
They have surrendered themselves to Love's commands.
Like mill wheels they turn, day and night, day and night,
Constantly turning and turning, and crying out.

Circle Dharmaholder Ceremony, Sat 26th Oct

 

On Saturday, Barbara and Roland Wegmuellerfrom Switzerland performed a Circle Dharmaholder ceremony in Chester for Steve Hart and Chris Zang Starbuck.  Circle Dharmaholder is a role of visionholder/junior teacher in the Zen Peacemakers tradition.  The ceremony was held outdoors in the ruins of the Norman Cathedral, during a weekend of Zen practice and conversations.

Swiss Zen Teachers visiting 26th-27th October

Hi Folks,

Just a last reminder that Barbara and Roland Wegmüller will be visiting Chester in the UK from Switzerland next weekend. There'll be a relaxed day of practice together on Sat from 9am-4pm, including indoors in Bishop Lloyd's Palace medieval rooms in the city centre, and some time out on the streets too. And on Sunday we'll have shorter meet up in Sally's Secret Garden at 11am for an hour or so. Barbara and Roland are Zen teachers in the tradition of Bernie Glassman, the Zen Peacemakers and the White Plum Asanga. They work particularly with the Zen of collaborative circles, and with finding tools for practicing Zen fully in householder rather than semi-monastic life. I've held back from advertising this visit as a 'public event', so that it can be a bit more relaxed as a space for conversation together, so anyone is welcome, and there'll be no charge.

Also visiting the same weekend will be Ari Pliskin from the US, who's developing "Food for All" community cafes from the ideas of Bernie Glassman and the actor Jeff Bridges. He'll talk to us about his projects on the Saturday morning, and we're hopefully arranging for him to give a talk too in the Buddhist House in Narborough, Leicestershire on the evening of Tuesday 29th, home of Caroline Brazier and the Tariki Trust.

If anyone would like any more details, message me and I'll help in any way I can.

Chris Zang Starbuck

greatheartchester@gmail.com

 

 

Leicester Great Heart Circle - October 2013

The Dalai Lama having fun with Russell Brand, an image from a video clip of The Dalai Lama talking in Manchester in 2013.  It was lovely to see him laughing and joking.

The theme for the evening was The Dalai Lama's recent book "Beyond Religion - Ethics For A Whole World", the two quotes below set the scene :

In Indian usage, "secular", far from implying antagonism toward religion or toward people of faith, actually implies a profound respect for and tolerance toward all religions. 

“Millions of people have been lifted from poverty and have gained access to modern education and health care. We have a universal declaration of human rights, and awareness of the importance of such rights has grown tremendously. As a result, the ideals of freedom and democracy have spread around the world, and there is increasing recognition of the oneness of humanity.” 

Leicester Great Heart Circle - September 2013

The September Leicester Great Heart Circle took as its topic the spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle. We watched a video on Youtube from a lecture which captured well Eckhart's style and approach and we had a discussion around it.

From Eckhart Tolle's book "The Power Of Now"  :

'Those who have not found their true wealth, which is the radiant joy of Being and the deep, unshakeable peace that comes with it, are (like) beggars, even if they have great material wealth. They are looking outside for scraps of pleasure or fulfilment, for validation, security, or love, while they have a treasure within that not only includes all those things but is infinitely greater than anything the world can offer.'  p.9

An extra for you from Rumi :
Didn’t I say, "Don’t sit with sad companions?"
Don’t sit with anyone but those whose hearts are glad.
Since you are in the garden, don’t go to thorns.
Sit amidst the roses, jonquils, and jasmine....

[Divan-e Shams-e Tabrizi: Quatrain 1518]

Leicester Great Heart Circle - August 2013

At the August meeting we discussed a short article by Bernie Glassman about his thoughts on Buddhism and Social Engagement  :

To me, social engagement is working with aspects of oneself and society that are underserved (that’s my definition for social engagement). The Buddhist part (for me) means doing that work coming from the standpoint of non-duality and, in doing that work, trying to help people experience the interconnectedness and oneness of life. So that’s the basis, the foundation from which I do the work. In all of those works, I try to create ways of doing it which would help the people that I’m serving to realize and actualize the interconnectedness of life–the oneness of life. I look at that as being my role as a Zen teacher. Those are some of the vows that I’ve made to myself and out loud, that I would serve all of society and not just those who come into a meditation hall. I’ve changed the venue to be society and the main service is to realize and actualize the interconnectedness of life. The secondary service is to work with those aspects of society and oneself that are underserved. To these thoughts from Bernie I would like to add the 7 pieces of advice on compassion for others from Rumi : In generosity and helping others, be like a river. In compassion and grace, be like the sun. In concealing others’ faults, be like the night. In anger and fury, be like the dead. In modesty and humility, be like the earth. In tolerance, be like the sea. Either appear as you are, or be as you look. The art work is in glass by Erwin Eisch and called "Buddha - I am open" , it is on display at an exhibition of the artist's work at the National Glass Centre in Sunderland.

Persian Drumming Workshop in Chester

Following on from last year's workshop in Leicester, we invited Arian Sadr to lead another Persian drumming workshop for us, in Chester this time.  People from several different spiritual communities - Zen and Sufi - came together to learn from Arian the basic rhythms and techniques of the wonderful Daf drum - like a giant tambourine!  Keeping with the spirit of the Chester Zen Peacemaker Circle, we held the event outdoors in the city centre, just outside the medieval city walls.  It was a lovely afternoon of sunshine and music and friendship...