Hello, <<First Name>>! Days come and go; time waits for noone. And yet, throughout history, it's only ever been the present moment. Welcome to "November."
From Lion's Roar Magazine, "Waking Up to Your World" by Pema Chodron:
"Not only do we have a precious human life, but that precious human life is made up of precious human days, and those precious human days are made up of precious human moments. How we spend them is really important."
We hope folks are staying afloat their Dharma rafts in the flood of current events - or at least treading water. We do the best we can. In Zen tradition, they sometimes practice Vow & Repentance, over and over again: vowing to do good, serving others, setting the aspirations high, and quite often falling short; with compassion, we repent, reset our intention and continue. Keep on!
This month we'll proceed as usual: 2 Weds and a 3rd Sunday. However, we have a special guest visiting first Wed (11/6), Bhante Ariyajyoti, here from Kandy, Sri Lanka, where he's currently preparing his thesis - a fascinating blend of East/West - at the Buddhist University. Please join us if you can!
As always, please let us know if you have suggestions, feedback, or ideas on how the group can be more meaningful to you. Feel free to share with us at any event, or contact us at sebuddhist@gmail.com -- you can also find more info and resources at sebuddhist.org.
Much metta,
Matt Kaplan
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Tara Talks: Anger as a Catalyst for Change
"Anger is an intelligent emotion and, as Buddhist teacher Ruth King writes: 'Anger is initiatory, it’s not transformative.' When we move beyond our anger and 'bad othering' and remember what we most deeply care about, we can act from that compassion to bring real healing to the sickness in our society." -Tara Brach
"Tara Talks is a series of short offerings found within Tara's dharma talks; short talks that bring the teachings to life and give profound insight on the path toward living from an awakened heart-mind."
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Regular Meditation Sessions
Our monthly meditation sessions will continue on the same schedule -- first and second Wednesdays at The Yoga Center in North Augusta and 3rd Sundays at Lotus Buddhist Temple in North Augusta:
* Wed, Nov 6, 7pm - Meditation Session @ The Yoga Center
**NOTE** Bhante Ariyajyoti will facilitate this session (11/6).
* Wed, Nov 13, 7pm - Meditation Session @ The Yoga Center
* Sun, Nov 17, 4pm - 3rd Sunday Mindfulness/Meditation Get-Together @ Lotus Buddhist Temple
Note: The 3rd Sunday Get-Together includes a pot-luck vegetarian meal for all to share after the meditation session. Feel free (but not obliged) to bring along a vegetarian food or drink item.
For more info on the 3rd Sunday gatherings go to: 3rd Sunday
For more info on our Wednesday meditation sessions go to: Wed Sessions
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Book Discussion
* Sun, Dec 22, 2 – 3pm – “Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits & Fears” by Pema Chodron @ The Book Tavern
We encourage you to order your copy of the books from
The Book Tavern: (706) 826-1940 or booktavern@gmail.com
The discussions, which are held in the upstairs area of The Book Tavern, are informal and all are welcome!
**NOTE** While some knowledge of the book generally leads to more fruitful discussion, you may also attend without having read!
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Other Area Events
* From Santivana Buddhist Assembly in Blythe, GA with Monk Tom:
"Announcement: Please be informed that there will be no Sunday Service until December 1, 2019 because the monks are going to different organizations to attend the Kathina Robe Offering Ceremony. Thanks."
* Fri, Dec 20, 7:00 - 9 PM & Sat, Dec 21, 9:00 AM - 5 PM -- "Touching the Earth: Authenticity in Troubled Times" nonresidential retreat w/ Western Tibetan-Buddhist teachers Lama Rod Owens & Lama Justin von Bujdoss @ Northwest Unitarian Universalist Church in the Atlanta, GA area:
"...the event will focus on cultivating practices and building community that can accommodate the contradictions and strong emotions that often arise in moments of social turmoil."
* Ongoing retreats at Southern Dharma Retreat Center, Hot Springs, NC
* Ongoing retreats at Southeast Vipassana Center, Jesup, GA
* Regional events featured on the website AtlantaBuddhism.org
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Monthly Quote: from the Dhammapada
"Hatred never ceases by hatred;
But by love alone is healed.
This is an ancient and eternal law."
—Quoted by Wayne Muller in "By Love Alone"
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