This year we have 2 talks, a six week course and a suggested action on the BAM themes.
Talks
Buddhist Chaplaincy in a non-Buddhist Setting - Mahasiddhi: Tuesday 31 May, 7.30pm
Mahasiddhi has been volunteering for a number of years as a Buddhist Chaplain at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. In this talk he will outline his practice and experience as a Buddhist chaplain in a predominantly non-Buddhist setting, addressing questions such as: What is it we Buddhists can offer and bring to non-Buddhists? What do we share and what do we draw upon to sustain us? Reference will be made to the Brahma Viharas.
Living in the Light of Death - Vidyasuri: Thursday 2 June, 7.30pm
Embracing the reality of impermanence can help us to cultivate a more joyful and compassionate heart, and a deeper appreciation for the poignant beauty of life. In this talk, Vidyasuri will share her reflections on working as Spiritual Care Lead at a local hospice - and what really matters in the end.
Course
21st Century Bodhisattva
Thursdays 7.30 - 9.45 starting 9th June for 6 weeks.
with Jayabodhi and Maitrisara
What is a Bodhisattva? And what does it mean to practice as a trainee Bodhisattva in every day life? We will hear from a number of members of the Sangha who will be sharing their reflections on working in different ways within the community and in their professions - health, education etc. They will be talking about how they understand their Dharma practice to apply to these situations. We will be reflecting on how, as a Sangha, we reach out into our communities and how we express our concern for the world in a practical way.
Action
Take an action/make a change this month (with a buddy)
This month, as you do the metta bhavana, widen the extent of the 5th stage those beings ‘yet to be born’ Later reflect on this question: What implications has an awareness of “those to be born” have for the way we live our lives now? Find someone else to share your reflections and talk together about what action/ change that leads to. Check in with each other a few weeks or months down the line (as appropriate) What happened?