 |
 |
 |
|||||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||||||
|
Regular Meditations Mondays - Fridays Wednesdays
Saturdays Regular Teachings
March 2008 "Puja" is a Sanskrit word that means "offering." or "to please" and consists of chanting prayers and performing rituals for a specific occasion. Prayers may be recited and chanted in both English and Tibetan and are accompanied by music. They are addressed to the Lamas (spiritual teachers), Buddha’s, bodhisattvas, deities, and towards all holy beings. Pujas promote emotional, mental, and physical well-being not only for ourselves, but for all living beings and the environment. Their primary purpose is to purify negative karma, to overcome obstacles on the spiritual path, and to create the causes and conditions for reaching our highest potential in order to liberate and lead all sentient beings to Enlightenment. Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the Spiritual Director of
the FPMT (Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition),
has adviced that these pujas be done here. So, by attending our pujas
you are offering a great service to the center and fulfilling the
wishes of the Holy Beings. You can certainly rejoice at even the mere
thought of wishing to attend! The seven Medicine Buddhas manifested in order to pacify obstacles for the achievement of both our temporary happiness and the ultimate happiness of Enlightenment. They are exceptionally powerful in healing disease, as well as for purification, and for bringing about the success of our prayers and wishes. They also help to purify those who have already died and can help liberate them from future suffering. The reason why the Medicine Buddhas bring success is that in the past when they were bodhisattvas, they made very strong prayers to be able to actualize the wishes of all living beings. Consequently, due to the power of dependant arising, if we make strong prayers to them now as Buddhas, we can quickly accomplish everything virtuous we wish for through the power of their blessings. Lama Zopa Rinpoche says, if we do not do this practice regularly, it is like losing trillions of dollars!
A practice consisting of making offerings to and requesting inspiration from our Spiritual Teachers, as the embodiment of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. We visualize the field of collecting merit, which consists of many deities and lineage masters, who are embodiments of our teachers. Some chants are performed in Tibetan and we make offerings and devotional requests for inspiration on our path so that our minds may unite with the infinite love and wisdom of our spiritual masters. Vajrasattva, the Diamond Being is the main Bodhisattva employed for purification by practioners of all Vajrayana traditions. This prayer is the main method with powerful purification to eliminate heavy Karma and obscuration that one has gathered through beginningless existence, in particular, the violation of scared commitment (samaya) that obstruct liberation. It is said that through the performance of the devotional practice of Vajratsattva, one is able to gather immeasurable merits and the fulfillment of all auspicious wishes! The Buddha of Compassion (Chenrezig in Tibetan) is a meditational deity who symbolizes the totally enlightened state. Chenrezig is indeed a reflection of our own true nature and has the particular quality of awakening deep compassion within us. This practice involves visualization, mantra recitation as well as cultivating the four immeasurable thoughts of love, compassion, joy and equanimity. Meditations involving deities are particularly powerful as they help us to open our hearts to the pure energies of love, compassion, wisdom and strength that are all around us, wherever we may be. The Bodhisattvas'
Confession of Moral Downfalls Regardless of your age or condition you can use the Five Tibetan Yogas as a simple, extremely efficient yoga routine that increases mental clarity, energy, physical flexibility and strength. They are renown to promote longevity for lamas in the Himalayas. When practiced as a long term daily practice, they balance the subtle elements in your body and transform confusion, anger, attachment and other negative mental states. Sutras are the actual teachings of Buddha Shakyamuni that transform all those who hear or recite them. They are extraordinary literary adventures, full of stories, discoveries and magical transformations. Reading sutras purifies negativities, deepens our spiritual practice, and removes obstacles. They have far-reaching karmic consequences that last for many lifetimes, assuring the future happiness of those reciting, all the way up to enlightenment. The recitation also bestows a powerful blessing on the actual place where the recitations are done as well to the surrounding areas and beyond. Lama Zopa Rinpoche on the Sutra of Golden Light: Sufism is the religion of the heart in which the most
important thing is to seek God in the heart of mankind. Zikr (Divine
Rememberance) is a devotional concentration practice, designed to
open the heart of the seeker. It can be experienced by reciting, chanting,
moving or breathing the sacred phrase La Illaha Il Allah Hu
(There is but one reality and we are all part of it). About Dances of Universal
Peace Learn the definition of Tantra, how it works and why it is a powerful form of practice. Learn how to intergrate the practice of Kriya tantra meditation in order to enhance your own development of non-attachment, compassion and wisdom in your daily life. TANTRA PRACTICE DAY: Saturday 15 March, 9.30 am - 4.30 pm, Cost: Ł10 - 20 sliding scale Vajrasattva Purification Meditation If
only I could be happy, clear and confident! Try this meditation to
purify negative energy with the nectar visualisation and mantra
recitation of Vajrasattva, the deity of absolute purity. There are certain days in the Tibetan calendar when it is particularly auspicious to make food offerings during Lama Choepa (guru puja). This is being prepared by us at the center, however, you are very welcome to bring some food and/or drink to add to the offerings or to make donations towards the food offerings provided at the center. At the end of the puja all the food and drink is shared by all the participants. The precepts are a set of eight vows, which are taken at dawn, in a short, simple, ceremony, and kept for 24 hours. Once the transmission has been received, the precepts can be taken by anyone, at any time, and for as long as one chooses. If you haven't taken the 8 Mahayana precepts before we suggest you talk to us beforehand to find out exactly what is involved. “Others don’t want you to harm them; all they want is benefit and happiness, just as you don’t want any harm from them, only benefit. You are completely responsible for gaining happiness for all beings. By your taking a vow and abandoning harming them by killing and so forth, the numberless other sentient beings stop being harmed by you and receive peace instead. In this way you become completely responsible for the happiness of all beings. Therefore, practicing the 8 Mahayana Precepts is the supreme method of avoiding harm and obtaining happiness and benefit for all sentient beings. It is easy to do and has immeasurable benefit. With this fundamental practice of morality – abstaining from harming others – you can help effect world peace.” (Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche) Specific Benefits of the Individual Precepts: 1) The benefits of the precept of abandoning
killing: 2) The benefits of abandoning taking that which
is not given: 3) The benefits of abandoning the sexual act: 4) The benefits of abandoning telling lies: 5) The benefits of abandoning intoxicants (alcohol,
cigarettes and other mind-altering drugs): 6) The benefits of abandoning large and high
beds and thrones: 7) The benefits of abandoning food at improper
times: 8) The benefits of abandoning singing and dancing:
|
||||||||||||||
Findhorn Bay, Moray IV36 3YY, Scotland Shambala
Retreat Centre is part of Shambala Trust, which is a recognised charity
in Scotland |
|||||||||||||||
