On to page 3 Dear Sangha friends,
I hope everyone is enjoying the onset of spring. I know I am! We've had a quiet winter at GBLT, though we did manage to pull off a fine Tsong Kapa Day celebration back in December. Our regular activities have continued with meditation at the center on Sundays and celebration of the first Tsog of every month there as well. Rinpoche recently gave us some new guidelines for practice which have led us to rearrange the usual Sunday program. We've added a recitation of the Heart Sutra to our usual mantras and prayers.
We recently started a Buddhist Book Club. It has been meeting every other Tuesday evening at the home of Patricia Maarhuis in Pullman. We have been discussing Heart of the Buddha's Teachings by Thich Nhat Hanh. At least that has been where discussion starts; we tend to be rather wide ranging in our conversation. The next gathering will attempt to finish the current book and select another. That meeting will be at Patricia's home at 415 High St., Pullman on March 23rd. We try to start at 7:30. These have been very enjoyable sessions and I would invite everyone who can to try one.
Some sangha members have committed to taking personal retreats this spring at the Gaden Tashi Choling Retreat Center up in Nelson, BC. Rinpoche has always emphasized the importance of retreats for all students. It's heartwarming to see folks actually getting up to the gompa and doing some intensive practice. There are also some GBLT members going to Vancouver to attend teachings by HH Dalai Lama in April. We'll look forward to hearing about that experience when they return.
The next big event we'll be taking on here at GBLT is operating a food booth at the Renaissance Fair on May 1st. This opportunity fell into our lap recently, so now we are scrambling a bit to get organized. We hope to donate the funds raised to Gaden Relief Projects. This is the organization Rinpoche founded to promote health care and cultural preservation projects in Tibet and Mongolia. The booth will also allow us to get some more exposure in the community. I hear that the fair organizers are very curious to see what kind of foods we will offer. I'll be happily accepting all volunteers to work on this undertaking!
Farther out on the schedule, we have requested Rinpoche to come and give teachings on the Heart Sutra. He has graciously agreed to do so, but the date is not yet set. We also hope to have Jhampa return to GBLT center sometime this year. We are thinking of asking him to speak on Powa practice as part of working with the dying. So after our long winter, it looks like we have some events to look forward to as well as opportunities for study and practice. I look forward to seeing each of you sometime soon and hope your experience of the Dharma continues to be fruitful.
Best Wishes,
Brian
Please feel free to contact members with any questions.
Brian Gardner: President
Noreen Graham: Vice-President
Veronica Millard: Secretary
Marilyn Wright: Treasurer
Members-at-large:
Carolea Webb
Martha Foster
Linda Brady
Ruby Valentine
