Hi, <<First Name>>. May has arrived, and with warmer weather descending and flowers blooming everywhere here in the CSRA, it give us an opportunity to contemplate hope. Many of us may feel that we've been on a rollercoaster, experiencing ups and downs in our capacity for hope. As vaccines become more available in some communities and we continue to see the daily horrors in the news, how do we balance hopeful optimism and reality?
Oren Jay Sofer tells us, "The Buddha’s teaching is fundamentally hopeful. It affirms that there is a reliable way to release ourselves from suffering, to protect other beings, mitigate harm, and build a better world."
It is with hopeful spirits that the SEBC will be hosting our first in person get-together since the start of the pandemic! See below for more details on the event.
In this month's newsletter, you'll also find links to online events, resources, and an article on hope from a Buddhist perspective. Additional information about SEBC - and more resources - can be found on our website and Facebook.
Online Meditation will continue to be hosted by SEBC every Wednesday in May. Turn your meditation practice into a routine! The Zoom meeting link can be found below and will be the same for all May sessions.
We at SEBC affirm our commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and interconnection. If you'd like to chat, have ideas for the community, want to help, etc., please let us know - we'd love to hear from you! And if you haven't joined us in a while (or ever), we'd love to see you (feel free to attend meetings as regularly or as infrequently as you'd like)! May we stand stronger as Beloved Community through our Dharma practice and understanding, and in our larger society as a whole. Let's keep the Dharma wheel turning!
Much metta,
Your friends at SEBC |
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Online Meditation Sessions
Our monthly meditation sessions will meet each Wednesday in May; however, due to the need for greater precautions with COVID-19, we will meet online through Zoom. Our recommendation is to have the video on whenever possible, to allow a greater degree of connection during the meetings. OPEN TO ALL & FREE TO ATTEND!!
* Wednesday, May 5th, 7 - 8pm
* Wednesday, May 12th, 7 - 8pm
* Wednesday, May 19st , 7 - 8pm
* Wednesday, May 26th, 7 - 8pm
Same link (ID/password) for all May sessions:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84322911817?pwd=M2RtNHNtdzJWSzZrWHpjVW51emE3QT09
Meeting ID: 843 2291 1817
Passcode: 809160
- To dial with phone by your location, find your local number here.
- Click here for information on how to join a Zoom meeting.
ALL levels of meditators are welcome to attend, including those with no previous experience; however, we encourage people to “bring your own practice.” We're a practice group of fellow travelers, not teachers.
Note: Click here for more info on our Wednesday meditation sessions. |
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Other Online Events & Resources
* Socially Engaged Buddhism (SEBC) - "We encourage you to visit our resource list on Socially Engaged Buddhism and we invite your participation, perspectives, and solidarity, as together we undertake the hard work necessary for transformation."
* Dharma Seed - "an online resource dedicated to making the Buddhist teachings of Insight Meditation and associated practices available to all. Our intention is to be a support for meditation teachers, their communities, students and meditation practitioners, and to provide access to the teachings to those who might not otherwise have access to them."
* Southern Dharma Retreat Center, Hot Springs, NC - "For more than 40 years, Southern Dharma Retreat Center (SDRC) has offered affordable, teacher-led retreats with a unifying thread of meditation, contemplation, and silence. SDRC continues its tradition of excellence as the preeminent meditation retreat center in the southeast and is historically ranked top 10 nationally."
* Atlanta Buddhism.org - "Due to the Coronavirus outbreak (Covid-19), all people are encouraged to stay home whenever possible, and help stop the spread. We have compiled this list of groups that are now meeting virtually."
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Monthly Article: Yes, We Can Have Hope
– "As Buddhists, we know that ordinary hope is based in desire, wanting an outcome that could well be different from what will actually happen. Not getting what we hoped for is usually experienced as some kind of misfortune."
– "Wise hope is not seeing things unrealistically but rather seeing things as they are, including the truth of suffering—both its existence and our capacity to transform it."
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SEBC Gathering
When: 5/16/2021 10AM-2PM (Join as little or as much as you can!)
Where: Barbecue Pavilion at Riverview Park, North Augusta
Details:
10 AM Greeneway bike ride or walk
11:15 AM Sharing of stories, poems, art that encapsulate our experience this past year (will also have small art projects for children)
11:50 Burning our fears and releasing our hopes and wishes (using the fire pit)
12:00 Social eating (Join the potluck or bring your own lunch)
1:00 PM Singing (recording - audio and video)
Additional Details - please read:
- We encourage everyone to be vaccinated. CDC guidelines for wearing masks for non-vaccinated people in small gatherings will be followed.
- We will setup tables and chairs with proper distancing.
- Feel free to bring friends and family members.
- If you know in advance, please email sebuddhist@gmail.com with the number of people you will bring and whether you plan to participate in the potluck to help us plan - thank you!
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