Musings on Awakening, and upcoming retreats

Beneficial action in Buddhism is to give thought constantly to how we can cause everybody, all sentient beings, including inanimate beings, to awaken to themselves, and beneficial action is to lead them to the Buddha Way--a peaceful, harmonious life--day by day. The Way means the practice we do with all sentient beings, not practice just for ourselves. The Way is the universal path. We have to actually pass along this universal path practically, day by day. This means to live our daily life with all sentient beings in peace and harmony. This is our hope, the target we have to aim at, whatever circumstances we are in.
     ....Dainin Katagiri in Returning to Silence, pg. 165

Awakening is the purpose that enfolds all purposes. Whatever we do is meaningful to the extent that it leads to awakening, meaningless to the extent that it leads away from it. Dharma practice is the process of awakening itself: the thoughts, words, and deeds that weave the unfolding fabric of experience into a coherent whole. And this process is participatory:  sustained and measured by communities of friendships...  Stephen Batchelor in Buddhism Without Beliefs, pg. 42

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Awake Awhile

Awake awhile.
It does not have to be
Forever,
Right now.

One step upon the Sky's soft skirt
Would be enough.

Hafiz,
Awake awhile.
Just one True moment of Love
Will last for days.

Rest all our elaborate plans and tactics
For Knowing Him,
For they are all just frozen spring buds
Far,
So far from Summer's Divine Gold.

Awake, my dear.
Be kind to your sleeping heart.
Take it out into the vast fields of Light
And let it breathe.

Say,
"Love,
Give me back my wings.
Lift me,
Lift me nearer."

Say to the sun and the moon,
Say to our dear Friend,

"I will take You up now, Beloved,
On that wonderful Dance You promised!"
...from Renderings of Hafiz... I Heard God Laughing
 pg. 73


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First upcoming retreat:  May7/8 Alert Bay

Second retreat:              May 14/15  Courtenay

Third retreat:                 Time:    3-day   6/24-6/26

                                                   7-day   6/24-6/30

Place:  Loon Lake Research & Education Centre

            14500 Silver Valley Road
            Maple Ridge, B.C. Canada

             http://www.loonlakeretreat.org/lllrcframe.htm

Fee:  $80 + Tax / per night

         (Including meals and accommodations)

Activities in this retreat will include sitting and walking (indoor/outdoor) meditation, and yoga exercises.

It will be really helpful  to get a rough idea of attendance if people can let Adrian know whether they want to participate.

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Also check  out:

Master Cheng Yen in Facebook; 

http://chancommunitycanada.wordpress.com/ 

and the Western Chan Fellowship at http://www.westernchanfellowship.org/

Call Adrian at 250 898 8201,

email adriansymonds@telus.net

Please notify me if you wish to be removed from the email list.