Meditation and Buddhism in Portland, Maine

Hello all,

I hope your enjoying summer time in Maine and life is happiness for you. I was away the last three week in the UK on a wonderful, inspiring, deep connection with our larger movement (Triratna Buddhist Order) by attending the Chairs’ assembly and convention. At one point, during the mixed convention, I was in the presence of over 600 order members wholeheartedly practicing together in the shrine room. I look forward to seeing many of you, coming together sharing with each other the inspiration we receive from the Three Jewels (the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha).

I am so very grateful Gail and Louise came forward wonderfully facilitating Wednesday evenings while Maitrimani and I were away. Thank you! I hope you are enjoying the inspiring study book “The Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path” by our founder, Sangharakshita. It’s not necessary to read the book to join our study as Gail will lead us in the discussion. She suggests the following for this coming Wednesday (tomorrow) with meditation starting at 7 PM:

This week will be covering chapter 5, Perfect Livelihood. Since many people spend many hours a week or day at what they do to earn money it is a great idea to reflect upon how our jobs affect us, others and society as a whole. Is your job just a job, a career or a vocation? Does your work fall in line with Buddhist Ethics?

Something new is happening at Nagaloka. Louise is starting a creative movement and mindfulness class for young children starting September 13th. Louise has worked as an actor, directed and taught a wide variety of classes in creative movement and drama. She is a wonderful, lovely individual who’s friendliness creates a welcoming atmosphere at Nagaloka. The details are listed on own website and below. If you don’t have young children, but know someone that does, please pass this information onto to them. Thank you.

Come join in the fun! Creative Movement and Mindfulness, an opportunity for young children to move through space, enjoying and appreciating their bodies while they gain an awareness of balance and coordination through a creative investigation of large motor skills using music, simple instruments and props. Children will also focus on their breath as a calming factor and will become aware of centering as a source for mindfulness. All activities are done in a nurturing and safe environment that encourages loving-kindness and compassion at all times.

The next 4 week introduction to meditation and Buddhism starts Tuesday, Sept 6th. Please register now as this class fills up fast.

The Jugglers are coming to town. High Energy Jugglers come to Maine College of Art (MECA) to shake things up!

You may have seen juggling, but you haven’t truly experienced it until you’ve seen the
explosive, inventive juggling of brothers Matthew and Jason Tardy in their show, TWO: High Energy Juggling. MECA and Nagaloka Buddhist Center brings the dynamic duo to Portland for one night only, September 24th at 7:00PM at Osher Hall. The “TWO” brothers are here to show everyone what high energy juggling is all about! Matthew and Jason Tardy have created a show that features everything from high tech juggling and fire eating to physical comedy and full body contortion. They juggle various ‘props-of-doom,’ perform mind bending choreography, and in complete darkness, create streaks of color changing light that glide through the air. This is all choreographed to cuttingedge, upbeat original music!

Photos, video clips, and additional info is available at www.twoshow.com

The donations from this wonderful performance is helping to support Nagaloka programs.

Now that summer is coming to an end, perhaps you will have some opening in your schedule to attend meditation sessions at Nagaloka. The times and days are:
Mondays ~ 6:30 PM Thursday ~ 12 noon Friday ~ 6:30 PM Sunday 9 AM

Be well, be happy and have fun!

With metta,

Dharmasuri
Center Chair

The human body, at peace with itself, is more precious than the rarest gem. Cherish your body, it is yours this one time only. The human form is won with great difficulty, it is easy to lose. All worldly things are brief, like lightning in the sky. This life you must know as the tiny splash of a raindrop: a thing of beauty that disappears even as it comes into being. Therefore set your aspiration and make use of everyday and night to achieve it.
~Tsongkapa