Hi, <<First Name>>! We have arrived! A decade done, conventionally speaking. How fortunate we are to breathe additional days! May we live up to 2020 by seeing more clearly! May you be well, happy, and peaceful!
What will we do with this fresh start? Taking the next step seems to be our only real option; as they say, start from where you are, and life is only available in the present moment. I like the idea of beginning this day/year/decade with the first step of the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path: Right View.
According to Bhante Gunaratana, in his book "Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness (Wisdom, 2001)," Right View ("Skillful Understanding"), as the Buddha explained it, has two parts: understanding cause and effect ("The idea that actions have their corresponding results..."; "...acting in unskillful ways leads to unhappy results, and acting in skillful ways leads to happy results."), and understanding the Four Noble Truths ("...dissatisfaction, cause, end, and path."): "'Dissatisfaction' refers to the unhappiness we feel in our lives. 'Cause' is the reason for this unhappiness: our undisciplined, grasping mind. 'End' is the Buddha's promise that we can end suffering by eradicating our craving. 'Path' is the eight steps we must take to reach this goal." (30)
SEBC will get an auspicious start this year on New Year's Day (today!), which just so happens to be the first Wednesday of the month. Then we'll have our other two regular meetings in January (2nd Wed; 3rd Sun). Practice as usual. We hope to see you in 2020! Thanks for making us a community!
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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A Couple Links Worth Knowing About
- Dharma Seed hosts audio recordings of dharma talks given at over 40 centers worldwide
- Pali Chanting by the monks of Metta Forest Monastery
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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, Jan 1, 7pm - Meditation Session @ The Yoga Center
* Wed, Jan 8, 7pm - Meditation Session @ The Yoga Center
* Sun, Jan 19, 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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Spring Book Discussion
* Date TBD – "After the Ecstasy, the Laundry: How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path" by Jack Kornfield @ 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 the date has not been set, feel free to get a headstart on the reading!
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Other Area Events
* Sundays 11am - 1pm (ongoing) - Santivana Buddhist Assembly in Blythe, GA with Monk Tom (about 30 min from The Yoga Center via Deans Bridge Rd)
The services include 45 min sitting meditation, 15 min walking meditation, 45 min Dhamma Discussion and 5 min sharing merit.
**NOTE** Please see Santivana Buddhist Assembly for additional announcements and latest schedule.
* 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: Seeing Clearly
"The phrase 'right view' is a translation of the Pali samma ditthi. Here, 'right view' does not mean that there is only one right way to look at things. Samma is a rich word that translates to something like 'completed, perfected, fulfilled'... Ditthi encompasses one's 'view' or 'vision'... the perspective from which we make sense of things, the 'view' that guides our daily decisions and judgments." --Krishnan Venkatesh, "What Is Right View?"
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