Meditation posture, mindfulness of breathing and ‘metta bhavana’ meditations
Venue: Quaker Meeting House, 98-100 Crown Street
Date: 17th of November, 10:00 to 13:00
Cost: by donation
Programme September to December 2012
05 Sep Khemaka – Feelings
12 Ian – How I Came To Buddhism
19 Meditation and reading by Thilini
26 Julian – Death of a Cat
03 Oct Alan – Self and Non Self
10 Nigel – Metta Bhavana
17 Khemaka – Elements
24 Double meditation
31 Mhairi – subject to be confirmed
07 Nov Nigel – The Breath
14 James – Practicing the Four Contemplations
21 Dan – Buddhist Global Relief
28 Sangha Day Festival
05 Dec Julian – Being Peaceful, Peacefully
12 Alan – Deceit and Self Deception
19 Double meditation
26 Closed
Thai Buddhist temple in Aberdeen
The Thai Buddhist community in Aberdeen is working towards building a temple and have started a programme of events. You can read their new website here.
Wednesday group restarts
The Wednesday evening meeting is back from its summer break, starting again on the 22nd of August. The first two meetings will be:
22/8/12 – Introduction to meditation – Alan
29/8/12 – Working in meditation – Nigel
The September-December programme isn’t quite ready yet, but will be kicking off with a talk by Khemaka on the 5th.
Study Group book – Tales of Freedom
The study group’s new text is ‘Tales of Freedom’ by Vessantara, which discusses the teachings through stories from the Buddhist tradition. It seems to be out of print at present but there are lots of second hand copies available online.
The first meeting to discuss the first chapter will be on Sunday the 29th of July. Anyone can come, so long as they have read the text.
Summer Break
The Wednesday evening meeting will be taking a break for the duration of the school summer holidays. Ian’s (re-)rescheduled talk, ‘Buddhism and Helicopters’ on Wednesday the 4th will be the last meeting in July. We’ll be back on the 22nd of August and will have a beginners’ class some time around then.
Programme: April to June 2012
Download: ABG programme 2012 Apr-Jun
Theme: Different Approaches To Buddhism
25 Apr Theravada and Mahayana on the Wheel of Life
Sometimes it is easier to understand something through a visual image. This talk by Alan uses the image of the Wheel of Life to illustrate the differences between the Theravada and Mahayana approaches to Buddhism.
02 May Teachers and Spiritual Friends
On the idea of ‘vertical’ and ‘horizontal’ relationships on the path of development.
09 May Buddha Day Celebration
Saturday the 5th of May is Wesak or Buddha Day, the traditional anniversary of the Buddha’s enlightenment. Julian will lead a double meditation.
16 May The Triratna Buddhist Community
The Aberdeen Buddhist Group is currently affiliated to the Triratna Buddhist Community, also known as the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order. Alan will talk about the history, organisation and teachings of the TBC.
23 May The Thai Forest Sangha
The Thai Forest Sangha is a movement within Theravada Buddhism that seeks to get back to the original practices of the Buddhist sangha. It is now established in the West with teachers like Thanissaro Bhikkhu at the Metta Forest Monastery in San Diego County, California. Nigel will talk about the approach to Buddhism taken by this tradition.
30 May Discussion on the Future of the Aberdeen Buddhist Group
It has been some time since the group has discussed how it is organised and what its affiliations are, to the extent that the situation has become rather vague. This discussion will help to clarify things and give everyone a chance to contribute to decisions about our future.
06 Jun Compassion
A talk by Mhairi about this core Buddhist quality.
13 Jun Buddhism and Helicopters
Ian will talk about an example of applying Buddhism to daily life – applying it to a job that you hate.
20 Jun Double Meditation
27 Jun The Four Contemplations
A talk by James.
Day Retreat
Theme: Supportive Sangha – a day for practice
Venue: Quaker Meeting House, 98-100 Crown Street, Aberdeen
Date: Saturday 31st March 2012
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Lunch: bring food to share
Cost: donation
Programme February to April
February
8 Julian Persistence
15 Ian Is Buddhism a Religion?
22 Alan Cultivating Sangha
29 Khemaka The Buddha’s Last Year
March
7 Mhairi Happiness
14 Ian Buddhism & Helicopters
21 Nigel Purity of Heart
28 Julian TBC
April
4 Emma Good Conditions for Practice
Introduction to Meditation and Buddhism
A new introductory course-
Introduction to meditation
Saturday 4th Feb, 10:00 to 13:00
Introduction to Buddhism
Tuesday 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th Feb, 19:30 to 21:30
All meetings are in the Quaker Meeting House, 100 Crown Street
