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Este Boletín electrónico de la Asamblea de la Fe Budista está en inglés.
Aún no tenemos la capaz de traducirlo a castellano. Si hay alguien aquí quiere
tiene el tiempo para traducirlo, favor de hacerlo y reenviarlo al Grupo Yahoo.
Para ellos que leen inglés, este Boletín electrónico le ofrece un vistazo
a las actividades y enseñanazas de nuestra organización.
Namu Amida Butsu, -- Senpai (Presidente)
This BFF of Ct/NASBA Newsletter includes:
Middletown Schedule for November 2009
Buddhist Symposium in NYC (info &
sign up)
Buddhist Film Festival in Middletown
Volunteer Opportunities @ the Sangha
(Family Dharma, Social Action)
Our Mindfulness 12 Step Group
Mansfield Freeman
Center's exhibition
NASBA/BFF of Ct's Facebook (join us)
Become a Member
MIDDLETOWN BUDDHIST CALENDAR
Fall
Theme
Touching Peace,
Discovering Faith
11/08. I Met the Buddha and He Winked At Me. An
insightful, fun and spontaneous talk and discussion on how the Buddha touches
and transforms our lives, and to explore if people in
general are ready to encounter this transformational experience. Sachi
relates her often amusing personal experience to initiate the conversation.
Presented my Sachi.
11/15. Suicide and Abortion. What is
the approach that Buddhist takes to these controversial issues? Is it ever
ethical to commit suicide? Is abortion a "sin"? How can women deal
with abortion? Explore the realms of applied Buddhist ethics. Excerpt readings
from Buddhist Ethics by Damian Keown and Ocean by Kenneth Tanaka.
Presented by Daikan.
11/22. The Most Shin of all Holidays. Gratitude
is what Shin is all about. This Thanksgiving gathering will explore how waking
up to our indebtedness and learning to live a life that makes Thanksgiving an
everyday experience. Presented by Senpai.
11/29. The Art of Breathing. We all
have a powerful tool for healing and relaxation at our fingertips at all times
which is the breath and is integral to Buddhist practice. Learn about the
healing and transformative properties of breathing along with some practice of
different breathing exercises taken primarily from Kundalini Yoga. Presented by
Myo-on.
For BFF of Ct's 2009-10
schedule & directions click below
www.bffct.net
Autumn 2009 Field Trips & Activities
11/21. Buddhist Symposium Field Trip. This
annual seminar, by the American
Buddhist Study
Center, is titled Japanese Spirituality and The Demon of
WWII: State Shinto and Buddhism.
Buddhism throughout the world is known as the religion of
peace and compassion. Japan
was introduced to Buddhism over 1,400 years ago and the Japanese people made it
their own religion. So how could it be that a country that practices peace
enters into the conflicts of World War II? We will explore the conflicts, the
rage, and blind passions that World War II caused.
- Rev.
Kemmyo Sato, head minister of the Three
Wheels Temple
in London
will speak about D.T. Suzuki and his ultimate stance towards war from a
Buddhist perspective.
- Rev.
Kodo Umezu, Director of the Center for Buddhist Education in Berkeley will talk
on what role the Nishi Hongwanji and other Buddhist temples and sects
played during World War II.
This year marks the 50th Anniversary of D.T. Suzuki's
landmark book Zen and Japanese Culture.
A reception will follow the symposium to meet and talk with
the speakers
A suggested donation of $20 for ABSC members, $10 for
students, and $25 for all others to help cover our costs.
November 21, 2009 (Saturday) from 7:00
to 10:00 pm
Victor Borge Theater
in Scandinavia
House
58 Park Avenue, New York,
NY 10016
If you are going, just RSVP admin@...
to reserve your seat and then e-mail us to let us know you are going so we can
help coordinate car pooling or other transportation like taking the the Metro
North train from New Haven.
Also, Senpai cannot attend this event so volunteer(s) field
coordinator(s) is/are needed to lead the field trip. Please let us know.
For more information,
visit www.americanbuddhiststudycenter.org
or call 212-864-7424
12/18. Annual Holiday
Party. Come and celebrate Bodhi Day, Christmas, Chanukah and the
Solstice with food, dance, socializing and Secret Santa. Date is tentative. To
be announced.
Buddhist Film Festival
Our Connecticut Valley
Buddhist Film Festival kicked off as a great success on October 27th
with the movie Departures. Attendance was out the door with people from all
quarters. Our next film is How to Cook
Your Life and we hope you can attend and support our sangha and Buddhist
culture. Please spread the word and bring some friends too.
Tuesday Nov. 24th. How to Cook Your Life - Find Nirvana
in the Kitchen, from 7:30- 10:00 p.m. Charismatic Zen master Edward Espe uncovers
the guiding principles of Zen Buddhism as they apply to life and the kitchen.
It's a delightful experience that will help you appreciate the everyday life
while opening the joy of cooking. http://www.cookyourlifemovie.com/home.html
All movies are offered to
the larger community free of charge at the Buttonwood
Tree Performing Arts and Cultural Center at 605 Main Street, Middletown,
Connecticut. http://www.buttonwood.org/cgi/calendar.pl.
What is the Connecticut
Valley Buddhist Film Festival? It is a showcase of cinemagraphic works that
explore the Buddhist religious experience or take on Buddhist spiritual themes.
Two movies will be shown in the autumn of 2009 and at least two in the
winter/spring of 2010 in Middletown,
Connecticut.
The Film Festival 2010 and 2010 includes:
Baraka
- December
Visitor –
January. This 2009 film did not get nearly enough attention- even though
Richard Jenkins received Best Actor nomination for his performance. The
theme of film is "just connect". It is a beautiful story of what can
happen when lives intersect and people are willing and able to drop their story
lines- and "just connect."
Nobody Loves Me - February
Cherry Blossoms – March. This film is directed by Doris Dorrie, a German Buddhist
film maker- who also directed How to Cook
Your Life. It takes place in Japan during very special cherry
blossom season. It deals with life/death with Buddhist concepts subtly
interwoven.
We hope you can join us
and explore Buddhist filmmaking.
Volunteer Opportunities
2009-10
The BFF of Ct is looking for volunteers to help us out in
effective sangha building. For 2009-10, we are looking to expand participation
in our community so as to deepen and share the dharma and fruits of its
practice with our families and the local community.
If any of the below projects interest you place reply to this
e-mail and let us know. Include your 1)
name, 2) phone number, 3) town, 4) interest and 5) skills
you can offer. We cannot exist without your help. Thanks so much for your
consideration.
1. Social
Action Project. We need part-time volunteers to get the BFF of Ct involved
in local charities, environmental action, etc (like walk for the cure). See web
site http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/project/
2. Capital
Fundraising Project. We are looking to continue fundraising financial resources in
order to establish our own center in Middletown.
We are looking for people who can help out in events like our Meditation-a-thon
2009 etc. See web site http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/giving/
3. Family
Dharma. We are looking for volunteers who have a family (any size) to
host and coordinate a once a month "BFF Family Dharma Sangha". We will support
you all the way with advice and the supplies. We just need one volunteer (with child/children)
to have the monthly sangha in their home. There are so many people who would
like to come to our Sunday morning gathering but cannot due to children. The
BFF of Ct's Family Dharma Group would consist of parents and their children,
and would meet on a Friday evening or Saturday morning or evening for approx.
90 min. to 2 hours. This is a wonderful vehicle to help instill Buddhist values
to children and deepen the family's experience with the teachings. Please let
us know. We are open to ideas in order to get started.
So, if you can host our Family Dharma Group or are interested in
participating, please e-mail us with the information requested above and the
number and age of your children.
4. Outreach
Project. Are you interested in sharing the Buddhist teachings and get the
word out about the BFF of Ct? We are looking for a few dedicated volunteers to
help us put up flyers in the local community in places like supermarkets,
libraries, stores, bookstores and universities. If you are interested in
getting involved and/or have other ideas in sharing the teachings, please reply
to this email.
Please consider helping out. E-mail us if you can. Thanks for your
consideration: e-mail amida@...
Mansfield Freeman
Center's Exhibition
The Mansfield
Freeman Center
for East Asian Studies at Wesleyan
University is the Sunday
morning location of the Buddhist Fellowship of Connecticut. From September 16 –
December 13 the Center will have in exhibition Buddhist art works. We recommend
that you take some time to look at and enjoy the gallery and the seminar room
where the BFF of CT gathers.
http://www.wesleyan.edu/east/mansfieldf/exhibitions/derge/derge.html
Our
Mindfulness 12 Step Program
Owe are looking to establish possibly the first Buddhist 12 Step Program
for addiction in the State of Connecticut.
Very soon, in the next week or so, we will meet up to organize the 12 Step
Group in Middletown,
possibly at the Russell Library and at a nearby home. Some books that we
might use are The 12 Step Buddhist by
Darren Littlejohn, One Breath at a
Time: Buddhism and the 12 Steps
by Kevin Griffin, Mindful Recovery by
Thomas Bien, and The Zen of Recovery
by Mel Ash.
If you are interested in participating and are looking for
more information about our Mindfulness 12 Step Group, please e-mail Lori at lrugle@...
NASBA/BFF
of Ct
Join us online
Join BFF of Ct & the North American
Shin Buddhist Association (NASBA) Facebook infuse Buddhist spirituality
and a healthy dose of enthusiasm, with a modern 21st century vision of
Shin. BFF & NASBA Facebooks are social utility vehicles that
connect people with friends and others who are interested in our style of
Buddhist practice. Share your stories, practice and photos etc. People use
Facebook network to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos,
share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet. Looking for
a web community? Come and join BFF & NASBA Facebook.
NASBA Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=52973615820
BFF of Ct Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Middletown-CT/Buddhist-Faith-Fellowship-of-Connecticut/19836119560
Become
a Supporting Member
Please consider becoming part of our dynamic and
inspirational spiritual community that is diligently working to deepen and broaden
the practice of Buddhism.
We need your financial support to pay for our operating
expenses so that we can keep teaching the Buddha Dharma to Connecticut
and help continue the growth the NASBA affiliated community throughout North America. Supporting Membership funds are separate
from the Capital Campaign Fund which is earmarked solely for the creation of
our new dharma center. However, any "left over" Membership funds will be
transferred to the Capital Fund. Join or rejoin us by becoming a member and collaborate
with our uniquely American Shin Buddhist community.
Thank you for renewing your membership. You may do so during
a Sunday morning gathering or online on an incremental monthly basis. Thank you
for your assistance.
This is a reminder of the six membership categories to
choose from:
Basic BFF
Supporting Member
BFF Sponsor
BFF Benefactor
White Path
Supporter
Patron of
the Dharma
To see what it's all about: visit http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/memberships/
The BFF is
a tax exempt organization, under section 501 (c) (3) of the IRS code.
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