Maitreya, Buddha to be
born
I have love for the footless,
for the bipeds too I have love;
I have love for those with four feet,
for the many-footed I have love.
- Buddha
Where and when does Tortoise Mountain gather?
In 2010,
Tortoise Mountain will sit reduced times. We'll meet once a month in
Balmain, Sydney, with the teacher present;
this will be on the last Monday of the month, from 7:30 to 9:30. Email
(below), if you have any questions. Everyone is welcome, especially
beginners.
Christopher McLean is
the Dharma Teacher on
these evenings.
(See below for some extra activity, in the form of a Kalyanamitta (KM) group on the
North Shore.)
On the Balmain evenings, we will meditate for forty-five minutes
and then we'll practice mindful discussion (with a cup of tea) for the
remaining time. The discussion is on death and dying.
The program in
2010 will be exclusively focused on DEATH AND DYING. The primary text
(and practice) for the year will be Stephen Levine's A Year to Live.
For many of us, we will be starting the practice, based on the book, on
New Year's Day. However, the first meeting of the group will be on
Monday 25th January.
Please note that you need not practice
the 'Year to Live' practice, and you can simply join us to contemplate
'death and dying' at your own pace and depth.
We are an open group dedicated to exploring human life through the practice of Vipassana & Inquiry. (See
Insight page &
Links for more on Insight Meditation.)
No membership necessary, no pledges required. It is customary to give a donation,
"dana," which is a contribution to support the continuance of Buddhist
teachings.
Kalyānamitta (KM) Group
The Tortoise Mountain ‘kalyānamitta’
(spiritual friend) group meets
once a month.
The nights begin with a 45
minute meditation followed by an opportunity for members to share their
individual experiences with the dharma in an open space – speaking into
the silence. To ensure that we nurture mindful speaking, the
speaker holds a talking stick while they are sharing. The
intention is that the space remain open allowing members to feel free to
follow a line of enquiry or to share anything that comes up for them in
relation to the dharma. The facilitator role for this group rotates
through those attending.
The group meets at the
Grail and donations for the venue are welcome. A box will be provided
at the meetings for these donations which will go towards a ‘kitty’ to
cover ongoing cost. Our intention is to provide the opportunity for
everyone on an ongoing basis rather than having those attending on a
given night having to split the cost.
The Tortoise Mountain KM Group
meeting dates for this year are:
14 June
12 July
16 August
13 September
11 October
November (TBA)
In the KM group, Meditation begins at 7 and we finish
sharing promptly at 9.
The Grail
22 McHatton St
North Sydney
Feel free to call the number below to ask about the activities of the group.
Retreats and Mindfulness Weekends
Contact:
Christopher 0421 346 919
Phone: 61 02 4787 -5662 (Wednesday to Saturday)
Fax: 61 02 4787 -5847
