| |
|
~ April & May Newsletter
(Para ir a la versión castellano desplázate al Rincón Latino situado al final de la página.)
(Photo: Blossoms at Dharmaloca, by Jaya.)
In this newsletter
~ News
~ The Monthly Theme, by Jaya
~ ODStream
~ From Dharmaloca
~ Interesting Links
~ Photos
~ Upcoming Events
~ Rincón Latino
~ News
Interviews
Jaya will offer one-to-one meetings on skype or by phone during April and May throughopendharma.appointy.com. Times are flexible, and other dates may be possible if needed, though less so during the first half of April, when she is in Sat Tal for the retreats. 10-15 minute interviews are offered on a completely donation basis, and 25-30 minute interviews are offered on a donation basis with a suggested sliding scale of 25-50 Euros. But we intend not to turn anyone away because of financial lack. If you have questions or would like to arrange another time not available through the appointy site, please contact Jessica at interviews(@)opendharma.org
Throughout April & May Gemma will offer personal interviews though skype on donation basis. If you wish to have an interview please contact Gemma at gemmaji(@)gmail.com
Radio Dharma
Jaya will give a radio dharma talk over the free internet radio site blogtalkradio.com on 23 April at 10am (India time) and 26 May at noon (Spain time, GMT +1). Please go to blogtalkradio.com and search for "Jaya Ashmore" to join. And if you don't want to miss these events, then click on "follow," just under the Open Dharma logo.
Hanging Out
As part of ODStream, the online Open Dharma community, for the next three weeks Gemma will be offering weekly google hangouts on Thursdays 3, 10 & 17th April at 2:30 pm (Spain time, GMT+1). An hour and a half of reflexion and meditation together wherever you are. To help set it up and to join in, please write to online(@)opendharma.org. You can also learn more about ODStream, in an article found further along in this newsletter.
Taking Care
There is space for one caretaker at Dharmaloca, our eco-hermitage in Catalonia, Spain, from the beginning of June until mid-September. The caretaker lives, works, and apprentices at Dharmaloca--helping with the permaculture garden and facilities, welcoming guests, keeping an eye on the horses, and other essential work depending on your abilities and the needs of the time and place. There is time for your own practice, and much solitude in winter. Please email Gemma for more information: gemmaji(@)gmail.com.
Magic in Spain
There are still places available to come to the magic raku-meditation weekend in Spain12 - 13 April. For more details, please see the Upcoming Events listing below.
Volunteers in Kerala
Some friends are helping to bring music and art therapy to children at CNS Ayurvedic Hospital in Kerala, India. The patients are children of age 3 - 15, some with special needs or autism. They come as in-patients with a family member for a stay of 1 - 3 weeks. Would you be available for 2 - 4 weeks to offer simple activities for a few hours a day, depending on you, and what is required? If you are interested, contact Sophie at Sophieinfrance(@)gmail.com or Remya, the hospital administrator, at cnsayurveda(@)gmail.com.
~ The Monthly Theme
Monthly Theme for April & May ~ Instigating Freedom
Last summer on retreat in the redwoods of California, someone new arrived with two books as gifts. For Gemma, horses. For me, The Bond by Lynne McTaggart, full of scientific research on how human beings need connection like we need food. One example is Nipun Mehta, who turned his Silicon Valley ambitions towards creating a wave of giving. He gets tech experts to create websites for nonprofits, opened the family home for Wednesday dinner to rich and poor for 13 years, and encourages people to "pay it forward" by paying for the next person in line at the toll booth or restaurant. (The Bond, pg. 205) Behavioral economists have found that both selfishness and generosity spread through communities, but that kindness, cooperation and generosity "outperform" selfishness--they spread better and faster, and give more benefits even to the givers. While "both selfishness and altruism spread easily," kindness "is the more contagious impulse." (Herbert Gintis in The Bond, pp. 208-9)
2 curious things about spreading kindness.
~ One is that a small group of "instigators"--people who love to give--can change a whole community. A few people do a few "nice" things, and many others follow along and drop their selfish strategies in game experiments.
~ Second, selfishness or kindness spreads most quickly in a small group, and once established there can spread further.
So, first of all, we can already start a wave of kindness. And another. And another. With an act, or just with restful presence. In words or without the slightest motion. Open Dharma is a small group now established in generosity. Let's get on with it. We can let our generosity set an example more widely and let our wave-making go into new areas.
Second, we humans are easily influenced, for better or worse. Countless people are in prison because they were in the wrong friends' car at the wrong time. If we listen to ourselves the way our best friend would, we can then give ourselves the advice we would give a best friend. And be a wave-maker from our own love of giving.
Third, we can start waves of kindness in a few focus areas--communication, sexuality, and power. Our role models in all these areas enact separation. They act from wounds and sense of lack. A "clear speaker" is someone who has strong opinions, a sexy person is someone intimidating and cold enough to be "hot," and power scares us because it has usually hurt someone.
But we can hear in our own tone of voice when we speak from unacknowledged pain. If I am saying something negative about someone, especially someone not present, what does that say about me? When we hear gossip, what do we say? When we listen, is it with small or big mind?
We can embody our own sexuality and sensuality without competition or power games. As a woman who has experienced sexual hurt and fear, I have found that the more connected I am to my own sexuality, the less fear I feel. In our culture of sexual alienation and victimization, I especially encourage us to find a harmony between this primal energy and our spirituality. And, as you know, I am open to meet with anyone, male or female, on skype or in person, to talk about this tender and powerful space.
And finally, can we learn to be at ease in the flow of our power to give, to love, to share, to change ourselves and our culture? Can we give up the small pleasure of being right? It diminishes us. Let us be moved by the power that loves to love.
by Jaya
(Photo by Jaya.)
ODStream
Ernest writes about ODStream, Open Dharma's latest online adventure...Please jump in.
ODStream has started the development process!
Back in December we had an online weekend retreat and that lead us to some more online experiments that are helping to shape this project.
ODStream comes from a need to get closer, connected, to enrich each other and grow together in a very accessible way wherever we are. But it can also help to strengthen the sangha community to be a supportive organism for the benefit of all. So with all this in mind, plus love and creativity, we are giving shape to this center and we felt that would be good to open this work to all the love and creativity that lays within the sangha to move together towards this objective.
To create a Center is much more than to build it... It needs economic support for the building work and the structure. It needs guidance and knowledge to shape a good structure. It needs creativity to give it a special touch and it needs passion or engagement of everyone to become our home and our need even before the work has started. Without any of these elements the structure can be weak...
So now is the time to step forward. We imagine a few energies that would be really helpful, but other ideas are most welcome. Please address it all to ernest(@)opendharma.org:
- Donor sponsors that want to help sustain the project for their own benefit and the benefit of others.
- Designers, photographers and creative friends that would like to help giving a shape to all this.
- People involved in other online platforms that could give feedback and help figure out what is useful and what is not needed.
- Any one that feels passionate for this project and has time to dedicate for it.
So we encourage you to get together to help shape, build, improve, maintain and sustain this Center as we would with our own home, as it is a home for us, open to everyone else for the benefit of all.
We are actually exploring with dharma friends a group of weekly online meetings. It is open to all the sangha as much as the google hangouts (what we are using at the moment for the meetings) allows it. To join this group just send an email to online(@)opendharma.org with the subject "DHARMA EVENING SUBSCRIPTION" and you'll receive the invitations to join. You'll need to figure out how to connect to a google hangout ( instruction / further support at ernest(@)opendharma.org) and we might be using doodle.com to schedule events ahead of time.
The present schedule for April is every Thursday from 2:30pm to 4pm (GMT+1). (If there are changes, those on the list would receive a doodle email to participate in a poll). We are also open to different time and day requests.
by Ernest
~ From Dharmaloca
Jaya shares two comments from recent visitors to Dharmaloca. One, from Virginie Berdoyes, the caretaker these months, is that "Dharmaloca seems to meditate for me."
And another is that someone has left an unloved office job and jumped into working at a market garden/farm. She said her time in Dharmaloca seems to have made this huge and happy change possible.
Jaya says, "I love how people often say that Dharmaloca 'seems' to have done this or allowed that...It is a deliciously seamless support for transformation and depth."
(Photo: Dharmaloca's caravan and blossoms, by Jaya.)
~Interesting Links
~Jaya shares a talk given in Vancouver by Charles Eisenstein, author of Sacred Economics. "Gratitude is the foundation of sacred economics..." he says. "It's a very ancient idea that the Universe runs by the principles of the gift." Follow the link for more.
~Here, also, are several links related to the monthly theme of Instigating Freedom. Servicespace.org is an online platform that helps support volunteerism and explores the unfolding gift economy. There are videos that inspire giving found here,through CharityFocus. A good article on the Gift Economy can be found here, and here's an article On Becoming a Presence Activist.
(Photo: Dharmaloca garden, by Jaya.)
~ Upcoming Retreat Dates & Details
1 - 8 and 9 - 16 April, 2014, Deep rest and meditation retreats in Sat Tal, North India.
Teachings will be in English.
Facilitator: Jaya
For information and registration, write to:
manager(at)opendharma.org
12 - 13 April, 2014, Rakú and Meditation weekend retreat in Montseny, Catalonia, Spain
Fire, clay, nature, silence, creativity, meditation
Teachings will be in Spanish or Catalan and English if needed.
Facilitators: Gemma Polo and ceramist Antoni Medalla
For information and registration, write to:
gemmaji (at) gmail.com
7 - 21 May, 2014, 2-week retreat at at Dharmaloca, Spain
Teachings will be in English and Spanish if needed.
Facilitators: Jaya and Gemma
For information and registration, write to:
dharmalocaretreat (at) opendharma.org
24 May, 2014, Day long retreat in Barcelona, Spain
Teachings will be in Spanish or Catalan and English if needed.
Facilitators: Gemma.
For information and registration, write to:
hedykramer (at) yahoo.es
29 May, 2014, Dharma evening in Israel
Teachings will be in English.
Facilitator: Jaya
For more information write to:
tovana(at)tovana.org.il
30 May - 1 June, 2014, Weekend retreat in Israel
Teachings will be in English
Facilitator: Jaya
For more information write to:
tovana(at)tovana.org.il
1 - 7 June, 2014, Weeklong retreat in Israel
Teachings will be in English.
Facilitators: Jaya
For more information write to:
tovana(at)tovana.org.il
13 - 15 June, 2014, Meditation with horses retreat at Dharmaloca, Spain
Teachings will be in English & Spanish.
Facilitator: Gemma
For information and registration, write to:
gemmaji(at)gmail.com
23 - 28 June, 2014, Deep rest and meditation at Le Moulin, France
Teachings will be in English.
Facilitators: Jaya
For more information write to:
mail(at)moulindechaves.org
2 - 6 July, 2014, Diving into meditation retreat in Eastbourne, UK
Teachings will be in English.
Facilitators: Gemma
For more information write to:
info(at) retreattogayles.co.uk
12 - 19 July, 2014, Deep rest and meditation retreat at Ter Apel, Holland
Teachings will be in English
Facilitator: Gemma
For information and registration, write to:
opendharmaholland(at)hotmail.com
13 July, 2014 Dharma immersion at Jaya Yoga, Brooklyn, NY, USA
Teachings will be in English
Facilitator: Jaya
For information and registration, write to:
manager(at)opendharma.org
15 - 20 July, 2014 Deep rest retreat in California, USA
Teachings will be in English
Facilitator: Jaya
For information and registration, write to:
california(at)opendharma.org
7 - 10 and 10 - 17 August, 2014 Deep rest retreats at Stone House, North Carolina, USA
Teachings will be in English
Facilitator: Jaya
For information and registration, write to:
opendharma.nc(at)gmail.com
10 - 12 October, 2014, Meditation with horses retreat at Dharmaloca, Spain
Teachings will be in English and Spanish if needed
Facilitator: Gemma
For information and registration, write to:
gemmaji(at)gmail.com
24 - 26 or 24-29 October, 2014, A weekend and a weeklong retreat at the Montseny mountains, Catalunya, Spain
Teachings will be in Spanish and English if needed
Facilitator: Gemma
For information and registration, write to:
retirosopendharma(at)gmail.com
31 October - 6 November, 2014, Meditation retreat in Germany.
Teachings will be in English
Facilitator: Gemma
For information and registration, write to:
manager(at)opendharma.org
14 - 16 November, 2014, Diving into meditation retreat in Eastbourne, UK
Teachings will be in English.
Facilitators: Gemma
For more information write to:
info(at) retreattogayles.co.uk
For more information about retreats organized by our sister organizations visit www.SanghaCalendar.org
~ Welcome to Everyone
We would love to share your inspiration in an upcoming newsletter. Photos! Poems! Drawings! Musings! Reflections on a recent--or not so recent--retreat! (You can even tell us that you'd like to contribute anonymously.) Please feel free to send any contributions to: newsletter(at)opencentre.es
Rincón Latino
En esta newsletter
~ Noticias
~ Reflexión mensual por Gemma
~ Photos
~ Los Lunes También Sienten, por Hedy
~ Próximos eventos
~Noticias
Raku-Meditación
Aún quedan plazas para el fin se semana mágico de raku y meditación en el Montseny el próximo 12-13 de abril, 2014 (para más info por favor mira la lista de próximos eventos)
Entrevistas Personales
Gemma ofrece entrevistas personales a través de donaciones vía Skype o teléfono. Si deseas concretar día y hora manda un email a gemmaji(@)gmail.com
Cuidador de Dharmaloca
Hay una plaza libre para hacer de cuidador o cuidadora de Dharmaloca empezando a principios de junio, lo ideal sería comprometerse un mínimo de 3 meses. Se trata del privilegio de hacer una experiencia de conocerse a uno mismo en contacto con la naturaleza y haciendo unas horas de trabajo de manutención del eco-eremitorio a cambio de la estancia y la comida. Para más información: gemmaji (@) gmail.com.
~Reflexión Mensual por Gemma
 Qué hacer con la tristeza? Me pregunto.
A veces la tristeza trae sabiduría y a veces es vacía, tan vacía que a uno se la encoge el alma y le parece haber caído en un pozo sin fondo.
Cuando la oscuridad no contiene luz, nos desesperamos incapaces de encontrar alguna razón para seguir andando. No hay razón, y a través de los sentidos no se nos va a mostrar ningún indicio de luz o de serenidad.
En este estado, en el que la mente y los sentidos no encuentran dónde anclarse, solo queda contemplar otra dimensión, mas allá de la razón y los sentidos, entregarnos a un sinsentido que curiosamente lo sustenta todo.
Es en este silencio, en este límite dónde las palabras no valen, que de repente oímos el pájaro cantar, o vemos la tímida luz entrando por la ventana.
Seguimos sin razones, vacíos de palabras, desconociendo que somos sabios, pero quizás de nuevo todo empieza, lentamente la vida se levanta de nuevo y nos encontramos lavando platos, volviendo al trabajo, andando…
A veces el camino es aprender a bailar con esta oscuridad tremenda, sin rechazarla ni atraerla, sin pensar que no debería estar aquí sino abrazándola como abrazamos los tiempos de sonrisas. Quizás con el tiempo podemos ir conociéndonos e intuir su llegada, para así encontrar un espacio que nos permita inventar nuestros propios trucos para no caer tan fondo. Y así quizás podemos, justo antes de su llegada… escuchar una música que nos enamora, mantener una vela encendida, encontrarnos con un amigo, acercarnos a las flores, o descansar, simplemente descansar…
por Gemma
(Photo por Gemma.)
Photos
Feliz Holi desde Lucknow! Fiesta de bienvenida de la primavera. Fuego que quema lo viejo para dar espacio a lo nuevo.
(Photos por Gemma.)
Los Lunes También Sienten
Este mes Hedy comparte un cuento en honor a nuestros lunes internos
Comparto un cuento que escribí hace unos meses en honor a los lunes.
“Había una vez 7 hermanos. Lunes era el mayor e iba siempre solo, todos le temían y odiaban por ser el primero, por ser el más responsable, por ser serio y cumplir con sus obligaciones.
Le hacían la vida tan imposible que decidió irse muy muy lejos. Y cuando se fue todos se alegraron, montaron una fiesta que duró una semana entera.
Después de la fiesta volvió la vida normal y poco a poco todos empezaron a odiar a Martes. Martes no entendía nada ¡él no había hecho nada para merecer eso! Fueron tan crueles que también decidió irse.
Y volvió a repetirse la fiesta... y la vida normal... y entonces le tocó a Miércoles sufrir las consecuencias de la marcha de Martes. Y así hasta que solo quedó Domingo, el más alegre, ocioso y tranquilo de los 7 hermanos.
Domingo se sintió tan solo que no pudo aguantar y corrió a buscar al resto. Les fue encontrando desperdigados y solos por el mundo. Le costó mucho convencer a cada uno de ellos, ya que él siempre había sido el más cruel. Pero se sentían tan solos y Domingo parecía tan apenado que fueron cediendo y uniéndose a él.
El último que encontraron fue Lunes. Lunes seguía muy dolido, habían sido muchos años de crueldades. Hasta que se dio cuenta de que todos habían pasado por lo mismo, de que por primera vez le entendían. Entonces hizo una gran sonrisa y les abrazó.”
Todos tenemos una parte de Lunes en nosotros mismos, a la que achacamos todas nuestras dificultades, a la que machacamos y negamos. Pero cuando conseguimos entenderla y acercarnos a ella, solo nos encontramos con amor.
por Hedy
Próximos Eventos
(Aquí listamos solo los que se harán en castellano y/o catalán)
12 - 13 Abril, 2014, Retiro de Rakú y Meditación en el Montseny, Catalunya
Fuego, barro, naturaleza, silencio, creatividad, meditación.
Las enseñanzas se darán en castellano o catalan y en inglés si es necesario.
Facilitadora: Gemma Polo y el ceramista Antoni Medalla
Para más información y para inscribirte, escribe a:
gemmaji(@)gmail.com
7 - 21 mayo, 2014.
Retiro de dos semanas en Dharmaloca, Tarragona, España.
Meditación a través de la naturaleza, el silencio, la belleza y el apoyo de las enseñanzas.
Las enseñanzas se darán en inglés y castellano.
Facilitadoras: Jaya y Gemma.
Para más información y para inscribirte, escribe a:
dharmalocaretreat(@)opendharma.org
24 mayo, 2014.
Retiro de un día en Barcelona, España.
Invitar a la meditación a través del profundo descanso y la conexión auténtica con el anhelo.
Las enseñanzas se darán en castellano o catalan y en inglés si es necesario.
Facilitadora: Gemma.
Para más información y para inscribirte, escribe a:
hedykramer(@)yahoo.es
13 - 15 junio, 2014.
Retiro de meditación con caballos en Dharmaloca, Tarragona, España.
Las enseñanzas se darán en castellano e inglés.
Facilitadora: Gemma.
Para más información y para inscribirte, escribe a:
gemmaji(@)gmail.com
10 - 12 octubre, 2014.
Retiro de meditación con caballos en Dharmaloca, Tarragona, España.
Las enseñanzas se darán en inglés y castellano.
Facilitadora: Gemma.
Para más información y para inscribirte, escribe a:
gemmaji(@)gmail.com
24 - 26 o 24 - 29 octubre, 2014.
Retiro de fin de semana o de 5 días en las montañas del Montseny, Cataluña, España.
Profundo descanso, meditación, silencio, naturaleza y enseñanzas.
Las enseñanzas se darán en castellano y en inglés si es necesario.
Facilitadora: Gemma.
Para más información y para inscribirte, escribe a:
retirosopendharma(@)gmail.com
31 octubre - 6 noviembre, 2014.
Retiro de meditación en Alemania.
Silencio, descanso profundo, reflexión genuina y conexión con el corazón.
Las enseñanzas se darán en inglés.
Facilitadora: Gemma Polo.
Para más información y para inscribirte, escribe a:
manager(@)opendharma.org
14 - 16 noviembre, 2014.
Retiro de profundo descanso y meditación en Eastbourne, Inglaterra.
Conexión con el anhelo profundo a través del silencio y la belleza.
Las enseñanzas se darán en inglés.
Facilitadora: Gemma.
Para más información y para inscribirte, escribe a:
gemmaji(@)gmail.com
Bienvenidos a todos!
Nos encantaría compartir tu inspiración en las próximas newsletters. Puedes mandar fotos, poesías, dibujos, reflexiones, comprensiones que vinieron durante o después de un retiro… (lo puedes hacer incluso de una forma anónima y en castellano o catalán). Por favor, manda tus inspiraciones a od.newsletter.latino (@) gmail.com.
Recuerda que si quieres recibir nuestros próximos eventos y posibles actividades de última hora vía email, puedes unirte al grupo informativo enviándonos un correo electrónico en blanco a la dirección: opendharmalatino-subscribe @ yahoogroups.com.
|
