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| Buddhist Faith Fellowship at the Mansfield Freeman Center |
Welcome!
Buddhism is a life long education to learn how to realize our human potential by transforming
suffering into peace, joy and liberation.
Come and Join
Come
and practice with us on most Sunday mornings,
overlooking
a Zen garden at the inspirational
Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies,
Wesleyan University,
Middletown, Connecticut,
10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Please arrive 10 minutes
early but if you are late,
feel free to join us. Dress informally and comfortably.
Open to all beginners and advanced seekers.
All new guests will receive a free gift book,
Living Meditation, Living Insight
by Dr. Thynn Thynn.
Sunday
morning activities are offered Free of Charge
but
a donation is greatly appreciated.
See our calendar
below.
e-mail
us at
amida@bffct.net
or call us for more information
(860) 805-2078
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| Practice and live a happy life. |
BFF
of Ct's Facebook and MySpace. Have you seen our Facebook and Myspace sites? Are
you a member? Our Facebook is fairly new and our Mysepace site has been revamped for 2009. See Facebook and MySpace web
page for links.
Summer Calendar Below.
We are offering a full array of activities, field
trips, retreats in July & August and beyond Our Sunday morning gathering recess starts on 7/19 and will start
up again on 9/13.
Interested in Hosting a Buddhist
Group? If you feel the drive to deepen your practice and serve the Buddha by sharing
the teachings with others in your local area, you may be a candidate to start up an affiliated chapter. See
our web page Start Up a Buddhist Chapter? for more information.
Recommended Books and Buddhist Reading Room. This updated web page has now a link to The Buddhist Channel which
provides current worldwide news, TV, articles etc. It's a wonderful resource. Also, our suggested
Shin books includes the modern classic River of Fire, River of Water by Taitetsu Unno.
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| Sunday Mornings at the BFF of Ct |
(Updated on July 1, 2009)
Summer Themes:
Buddha Nature & Faith
06/14.
Buddhist Mindfulness Retreat. Our annual 8 hour retreat theme is "Here and
Now" focusing on presence through mindfulness. It includes: sitting, walking and voice meditation, yoga, noble silence (no
talking), mindful eating and drinking, and insightful dharma talks by BFF of Ct's teachers. Open to all. Beginners to the
most advanced. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Dae Yen Sa Temple in New Hartford. For further information and registration see
our Buddhist Courses and Workshops webpage. No Wesleyan gathering.
06/21. Sacred Journey: Why I believe. (re)Discover the Buddha and his teachings,
and the meaning of faith. Amla, our BFF of Ct's friend, will discuss, in a multi-media presentation, her spiritual journey,
what lead her to Bodh Gaya, India (where the historical Buddha realized enlighten-ment) and
what inspired her to Buddhism. Presented by Amla. Also, come and honor the Summer Solstice and Father’s
Day.
06/28. Buddhism is Bullsh*t. How is Shin Buddhism like fertilizer? How can it nourish us in the face of trials and tribulations?
What do Shin take refuge in? Excerpts read from the Buddhism of the Heart by Jeff
Wilson.
07/05. No Wesleyan gathering. Fourth
of July weekend.
07/12. Trusting
the Dharma. What do the Shin take refuge in? Does ultimate truth transform
us? How does fear corrupt our path? Excerpts read from the Buddhism of the Heart
by Jeff Wilson plus Graduation for all 101 Course.
07/19.
Did Hilter Have Buddha-nature? Are some people beyond any hope of redemption?
According to Shin Buddhism, who is "saved" and who is "condemned"? Excerpts from the book Buddhism of the Heart by Jeff Wilson.
Buddhist Summer 2009
Field
trips, activities, retreats
(Sunday Morning Gatherings are on recess from 7/19 –
9/12)
7/17.
Shakespeare in Middletown. Come along with us to watch Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare.
This outdoor performance is presented by Artfarm. Location: Middlesex
Community College campus in Middletown:
Begins at 7 pm, with live music starting at 6 pm. Getting together @ 6:15 p.m.
near the front of the stage. Free but Artfarm asks for a $20 donation. E-mail to sign up by 7/15.
7/22.
Blueberries & Mindfulness. Pick
your own blueberries and practice mindfulness, and also let’s have fun. Location: Rose Berry Farm, Matson Hill Road, Glastonbury. Time: 9:30 a.m. Google
Rose Berry Farm for details & directions. E-mail to sign up by 7/20.
Mid-Summer Buddhist Weekend
(7/25
– 26)
7/25.
Tibetfest V Field Trip. This annual festival celebrates the Buddhist nation
of Tibet and is dedicated in helping to
preserve its endangered culture. Includes Tibetan food and performances, and art and religious items for sale. Location: Goshen Fairground, 116
Old Middle St, Goshen. Time: car pooling at 12 noon from Wethersfield. Goshen Ct
$10 admission $5 for children 116. Google Tibetfest V for more details. E-mail
to sign up by 7/24. Volunteer(s) needed for car pooling.
7/26.
New York Buddhist Church & Rubin Museum Field Trip. Leaving: Middletown @ 8:30 a.m. English service: 11:30
– 12:30 p.m. followed by lunch in the City. Dharma Talk topic: “Life
in this Human Form.” Location: 331-332 Riverside Drive, Manhattan. Then, a visit to Rubin Museum of Art to look at NYC’s most comprehensive
collection of Himalayan (Buddhist) Art. Tentative
trip: volunteer(s) needed for car pooling & alternate co-field coordinator(s).
E-mail to sign up.
08/07 - 09. Shin Buddhism Weekend Retreat @ the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in Barre, Massachusetts with Dr. Taitetsu and Mark Unno. This is not a BFF
of Ct retreat but is highly recommended for beginners and advanced practitioners. Register soon because it fills up quickly. See
link below.
Registration & Information Here
8/15.
BFF of Ct’s Buddhist Pilgrimage 2009. This annual event explores the
Buddhist monasteries of NY State. On Sat. visiting Kagyu Thubten Choling (10 a.m. prayer service) & Chuang Yen Monasteries.
Car pooling & leaving from Wethersfield @ 7:15 a.m.
Tentative
Extended Pilgrimage: If there is interest, there may be a possible overnight
& second day trip on Sunday to Zen Mountain Monastery to experience Sunday morning practice @ 9:30 p.m. in Mt. Tremper & then to KTD Monastery in Woodstock
with a walk, lunch and window shopping in Woodstock center.
Motel or hotel accommodations necessary in Woodstock area.
Returning 6 p.m. E-mail for information, interest or sign up.
8/22.
Blueberries, Black Raspberries & Mindfulness. Pick your own berries and practice mindfulness, and also let’s have fun. Location: Rose Berry Farm, Matson Hill Road, Glastonbury. Time:
3:30 p.m. Google Rose Berry Farm for details & directions. Tentative trip: volunteer(s) needed
to be field coordinator(s). E-mail to sign up.
Summer
Recess Ends
09/13. Welcome Back.
Discussion topic. "Interdependence and Gratitude." Includes the annual Water Ceremony. Please bring a vial of water from a location visited over the summer that symbolizes
an experience of either inner interconnectedness or deep gratitude to Life. All water vials will be poured into a larger vase
that represents the Oneness of Reality.
09/20. How to Practice.
A down-to-earth look into the basis of Shin Buddhist practice. What do Shin take refuge in? What is deep hearing and how do
people get confused on its application? Excerpts read from the Buddhism of the Heart
by Jeff Wilson.
09/23. to
be announced.
09/27. to
be announced.
Autumn 2009 Field Trips & Activities
10/10.
Peace Pagoda & Foliage Field Trip.
Experience the beautiful autumn peak foliage in New England with the sangha. Peace Pagoda, located in Leverett, Mass, is a huge inspirational
stupa depicting the life of the Buddha and dedicated to world peace. Later, the return trip includes dinner at Lhasa Tibetan
Restaurant and window shopping in Northampton. Car pooling &
leaving @ 12 noon from Wethersfield. Returning
approx. 7 p.m. Volunteer(s) needed. E-mail to sign up (after 9/25 & before
10/8).
11/21. Buddhist Symposium Field Trip. This annual seminar, by the American Buddhist Study Center @ 331-332 Riverside Drive, NYC, explores the teachings and practice of Shin Buddhism. Includes
various notable speakers and Japanese style lunch is provided. Transportation: Car pooling or Metro North. More information
is forth coming. volunteer(s) field coordinator(s) needed.
OUR BUDDHIST CHAPTERS WORLD-WIDE
To visit our Chapter/Practice
Groups’ web sites
visit our Connecticut &World Wide Chapters page
Ongoing. The East
Alabama Buddhist Fellowship in Alabama gathers
on a regular basis. Hosted by Practice Leader Mr. Chris Marbutt.
Ongoing. The Central
Coast Buddhist Fellowship in California gathers
on a regular basis, serving Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Hosted by former Brevard County Buddhist Fellowship's
Practice Leader Ms. Shanti Johnson.
Ongoing.
The Sarasota Buddhist Fellowship in Florida gathers on a regular basis. Hosted by former Connecticut
member and now Practice Leader Ms. Geena Tomlinson.
Ongoing. Grupo Budista de Benito Juárez meets
once a month in Benito Juárez, Argentina with meditation
and nembutsu. This
group's Practice Leader is Sebastián Calo.
Ongoing. Grupo Budista de Córdoba meets
once a month in Córdoba Argentina with meditation and nembutsu. This
group's Practice Leader is Rodrigo Pedraza
Cécere.
Ongoing. North
Country Buddhist Fellowship gathers in Malone,
New York at the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation. Hosted by Practice Leader Mr. David Brunelle.
Ongoing. The Lincoln City Buddhist Fellowship in
Oregon gathers on a regular basis. Hosted by Practice Leader Mr. David Cowan.
Ongoing.
Brevard County Buddhist Fellowship
(BCBF) serves Titusville, Cape Canaveral, Satellite Beach, Merritt Island and
more. This active and growing community has three sanghas. The County Coodinator is Tim Nutter.
Ongoing. Southington
Buddhist Fellowship gathers on the first Friday of the month, serving Southington, Chershire,
Wolcott, Waterbury and Meriden Buddhists and Friends. Hosted by Bob W.
Ongoing. Social Action Project. Our active Buddhist human and environmental advocacy group meets regularly
with field trips and activities. Get involved! Visit web site.
Ongoing.
Albuquerque Buddhist Fellowship Group. Meets
on most Sunday mornings at the First Unitarian Church
in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Hosted by BFF Practice Leader Dug Corpolongo. Visit web site.
Ongoing. Northern Ontario Buddhists. Meets in Massey, Ontario.
Hosted by S. Dreaver. Visit this Canadian Buddhist
web site for more information.
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