The Satsang Monthly Newsletter
The Sangha House
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The Sangha House Community |
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The Satsang Newsletter
Welcome to the latest edition of The Satsang Newsletter from The Sangha House.
This month Andy Spragg describes the Practice of the Unborn Self and we have also included an article on his new book The Magic of Noticing.
We also have articles on Hoʻoponopono [ho.o.po.no.po.no] the Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness, also what is Diwali? and why is it celebrated and what is peace of mind and how can I get it?
This month's book recommendations come from Kathryn Mcintosh a long time member of The Sangha House. She has kindly reviewed two of her most inspirational books, Living Well with Pain & Illness by Vidyamala Burch and Trusting the Gold by Tara Brach.
From our regular contributors we have articles on National Stress Awareness Day 2021 by Joanne Lawrence. Morgan Lane looks at Faith and Sean Toland explains the Gunas.
The Pause for Thought this month is a reflection on Lest we Forget in commemoration of Remembrance Sunday.
We have two new additions to our monthly newsletter for you to enjoy, a relaxing, meditative piece of music by Bliss and so a meditation on how to achieve peace of mind by Alan Watts.
We really hope you enjoy this month's edition of The Satsang.
Namaste
PuddingMcPudding
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The Sangha House, not just a yoga studio |
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The Practice of the Unborn Self
Andy Spragg
There is a simple practise we can do. We can first give ourselves a simple little Mantra. “I am Andy, I am Andy..etc” over and over again. Do this for 5 minutes or so. Then, simply stop and sit. You will immediately notice a sense of peace and quiet and a sense of relief. Running through that mantra for 5 minutes is hard work. Also, you find that the mind starts pondering the questions that the mantra invokes. Sometimes, it becomes a question all of its own. I am Andy?
The other big thing we notice is that when we stop, we become aware of the present moment through our 5 senses. There is nothing else going on. We tune in to our bodies, to sounds etc and just sit.
This is very much the practise of the unborn self. The ego. When we are physically born, do you think the ego is born as well? Or does it get developed through our formative years. The age old question of nature versus nurture arises here. I certainly don’t think the entirety of the ego is present at physical birth, even if some element of it is present. I believe that we are pretty much a blank canvas. There will be some character traits that are genetic but the main bulk of our mental habits are laid down during our formative years. Hence the name, the formative years. Actually, it doesn’t matter at what age the term formative years applies to. It may be different for different people. But key here is that at our physical birth, in terms of ego, there isn’t much there. A new born is simply aware and soaking up their surrounding directly. They aren’t interpreting very much at all, because they have no experience to base their interpretation on. They are little Buddhas! Or are they? Well they have the capacity for pure awareness, that is certainly true, but they do not have the cognitive ability yet to direct themselves in the way an adult does.
As we’ve explored before and we will explore again soon in meditation, a key factor is the practise of compassion. At this stage in life, a baby will no doubt experience Metta when it gazes at its parents, but it won’t be able to focus it with intent in a given situation. Also, even awareness at this stage is the random open awareness (that we all have and use all the time) not the calm concentrated awareness of Samadhi. Dogs are like this too. They live in the moment, beaming up at their owners with compassion and driven by continuous distraction from the world around them. They do live in the moment, very much so. But they don’t have the ability to focus themselves the way we do.
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The Magic of Noticing by Andy Spragg
Director of The Sangha House
I have been a practicing Buddhist since the mid 90's, coming to Buddhism after battling with the challenge of a tumour in my hip in my early 20's. The shock of the experience led me to a search for a spirituality that would help me understand my life and gain a new perspective.
The Magic of Noticing came about because of my experience of running a business in this modern hectic world of ours alongside practicing Buddhism. This led me to thinking about my experience of Buddhism. Often, here in the west Buddhism is portrayed as a spirituality which is somehow mystical and only attainable to those who cut themselves off from the trappings of our western society. This wasn't my experience. I had found a spirituality that was grounded, very supportive of the way we live and, in my view, crucial if we are going to maintain a compassionate society in a world that is getting ever more fast-paced and complex. I truly believe that if we adopt some of the ideas and principles that Buddhism has to offer, absolutely we can take ourselves forward in a very positive way. Solve some of the challenges we have with climate change, famine and aggression in our society. I think the twin practices of spiritual mindfulness and compassion are crucial. This is what my teaching focusses on when I pass on Buddhist practice to people and I took that teaching and wrote a book. My thinking has been evolving over the recent 12 years and during lockdown I started pulling these thoughts together. After about 8 months work, the book has now been published. i hope it helps people and maybe trickles out into society in this way. Like ripples in a pond, we make a difference.
Paperback £15.99
Hardback £17.99
You can buy a copy of The Magic of Noticing in The Sangha House or alternatively from your local bookshop quoting ISBN 978-1-7398345-0-0
A kindle version is also available for £5.99.
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Faith
Morgan Lane
Faith can mean something different for all of us, but what we can all relate to is how we have to have trust and self belief for faith to be present.
In yoga on the mat, we should practice moving with our eyes closed so that we can see how we react to having to really trust ourselves with the movement.
But how can we bring this into our life 'off the mat'?
In our day to day life, there can be moments where we feel we are walking around with our eyes shut, not knowing what the future looks like for us, this feeling of uncertainty and not knowing.
What if we trust ourselves and believe in our process?
Morgan Lane is a yoga and pilates instructor at The Sangha House, she teaches every Monday at 4pm, Tuesday at 12.30pm and Wednesday at 9.30am.
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Bliss - A Hundred Thousand Angels
Allow yourself five minutes of deep relaxation, get comfortable, click on the link below and give yourself permission to switch off
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National Stress Awareness Day 2021
Joanne Lawrence
With National Stress Awareness Day (3rd Nov 2021) being so recent, I thought this was a good opportunity to talk about stress and managing stress.
#NationalStressAwarenessDay2021
As we know stress can have significant impacts on our physical health, this sometimes leading to difficulty in people realising where their symptoms come from. Mistaking them for a cold or illness or aches, rather than seeing the source of the problem.
Above is an image with a few examples of how mental health impacts us as physical symptoms.
With each of us carrying stress in our own individual way, it can be hard to see when our friends, family or colleagues are feeling stressed. The more we understand and we talk about Mental Health and stress, the further we can move away from this stigma and idea that if you are stressed it is a negative part of you. It isn’t, work can be too busy, life can be hard, stuff happens and it’s OK to not be OK. Stress is everywhere and builds up in our bodies without the release we need to clear stress hormones and reset and recharge.
You could become more aware of your stress by noticing and writing down the signs you notice in yourself when you start to become stressed. This could be helpful and raise your awareness of your own stress levels and warning signs. We all know how we can ignore the signs, until we can’t keep going. The more mindful we become about how we present when stressed, the more we are able to stop and reach out for support or just slow down and breath.
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Ho’oponopono: Healing for Yourself and Others
I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you.
What do these words mean to you? They’re phrases taken from an ancient verbal healing practice called ho’oponopono. These words act as a means of self-forgiveness and can be used by anyone to drastically improve the relationship with themselves and others.
Origin of Ho’oponopono
Ho'oponopono was created in ancient Hawaii as a healing prayer to mend relationships. Hawaiian culture holds the belief that a lack of forgiveness results in illness and imbalance in one’s body. Ho’oponopono is designed to restore balance and harmony by re-introducing the forgiveness that is missing and is causing disease.
Two or more people can speak the ho’oponopono phrases to one another in an effort to heal their relationship troubles. Now the practice has developed to include the relationship you hold with yourself. By starting with yourself—self forgiveness, self love, self identity—you can clear negative energies from trauma from the inside out. It’s simplistic yet powerful and can heal your life with love and forgiveness.
Ho'oponopono is said in 4 simple parts:
I'm sorry.
Please forgive me.
I love you.
Thank you.
Here are some uses in everyday situations:
1. To make peace with someone or something that caused you pain
2. For self forgiveness over any wrongdoings, judgments, self contempt and/or criticism
3. As a general form of inviting love into your heart
The most important aspect of ho’oponopono is to say each of the phrases genuinely, while feeling the meaning of them from deep in your heart.
Four Steps for Ho’oponopono
1. I’m Sorry
We might think that there’s nothing to be sorry about in our lives, but truth is, we hurt ourselves and others in more ways and more often than we think. Have you ever been in situations where someone has hurt you and that person had no idea that they did? Just like that, we can be the cause of hurt and pain for others without our awareness of it. What about the voices of self judgment and criticism that you might be playing over and over in your mind? That is also a form of hurting yourself too. For all the wrongdoings you’ve done to others (knowingly and unknowingly), say: I’m sorry. For all the criticism and judgment you’ve had against yourself that have made you sad and feel not good enough say: I’m sorry. Focus on these reflections with a sincere and open mind. It’s important to resonate with this feeling and not let any pride or defensiveness get in the way of the inner healing.
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What is Diwali? Why is it celebrated? 4th November 2021 |
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Diwali is a five day Hindu festival, and it is one of the most important events in the Hindu religious calendar. However, Hindus are not the only religious people to celebrate Diwali. Jains, some Buddhists and Sikhs also celebrate this festival, or a similar festival.
It is known as the ‘festival of lights’ and celebrated annually. It is also called ‘The Festival Of Lights’. This is because lights and candles are a huge part of Diwali celebrations.
Lights are placed on top of houses, on water, along streets and everywhere that you might imagine. To enhance the effect, Diwali takes place during the darkest new moon of the year.
Diwali is characterized by the cleaning and decoration of homes, spending time with loved ones, huge displays of fireworks, and the exchange of gifts. It is a time of thanksgiving and merry-making.
Another name for Diwali is Deepavali, and so it is not uncommon to hear the festival referred to by this alternative name. The word Deepa means light, and so again, this is a reference to the fact that Diwali is a festival that is all about lights.
Why is Diwali celebrated?
There are numerous reasons that can be given for the celebration of Diwali. Some of them are strictly religious, whilst some of them are more cultural. The main reasons for celebrating this unique and beautiful festival are detailed below.
Celebrating spiritual and moral values: Diwali is also a festival that has a profound and abstract meaning. One reason for people celebrating Diwali is because they agree with these spiritual ideas and values. This festival is all about recognizing that good will triumph of:
- light over the darkness,
- good over bad,
- inner light (enligtenment) over the darkness (ignorance) of the spirit,
- courage over cowardice,
- justice over injustice,
- right over wrong, and
- knowledge and wisdom over ignorance.
To invite the goddess Lakshmi into homes: Diwali is also celebrated by the lighting of lamps to help Lakshmi, the wealth goddess, find her way into people’s homes.
To honor Lord Rama: Diwali is marked to honor Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile having defeated Ravana.
Other Religious stories: Some Hindus link Diwali to the story of Yama and Nachiketa. This story describes the way in which knowledge will triumph over ignorance, right over wrong and spiritual wealth over material wealth.
Harvest customs: In many countries throughout the world, Diwali coincides with what is traditionally the time of the harvest. Diwali thus has long been a kind of harvest festival, too, and a way of celebrating the plenty of nature and the hard work of the harvesters.
Personal rejuvenation: Many people in India celebrate Diwali by cleaning out their offices and homes, putting on new clothes and generally starting anew with their projects. It is great to have a festival such as this one in the year where we can give ourselves an opportunity to start again, rejuvenate our relationships and put past mistakes behind us. Many people appreciate the psychological boost that going through the rituals of Diwali gives to them.
In conclusion it is clear that the lights that are celebrated in Diwali are not just physical lights – they are also spiritual ones. Diwali – or Deepavali – is a time when we celebrate all of those things that light up our lives: knowledge, love, kindness, forgiveness and all things good. The way in which the lamps, candles and lanterns in Diwali celebrations conquer the darkness of the new moon is a metaphor for how all of these good things conquer the darkness of ignorance, materialism, bearing grudges and hate. Diwali has important lessons for us all to learn.
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Most Inspirational Read
Books recommended by Kathryn Mcintosh, long time member of The Sangha House
Living Well with Pain & Illness
by Vidyamala Burch
Grounded in Buddhist teachings and influenced by Jon Kabat-Zinns’ mindfulness approach to pain management, Vidyamala Burch has written a comprehensive guide to living with chronic pain or illness.
Suffering herself from debilitating pain as a result of a spinal injury and already a meditator, Burch discovered that applying mindfulness to her pain .. accepting it and opening to it .. had the effect of lessening it.
Our usual reaction to pain is to recoil against it, to tense up and assume flight or fight mode which only intensifies the pain. Burch challenges anyone suffering from pain to dramatically change their relationship with it. The Buddhist teaching of the 2 Arrows is helpful: The first arrow is the reality of the illness or the chronic pain. The second arrow is how we choose to process that pain. Becoming more aware of our physical responses and relaxing and accepting through mindfulness it is possible to manage the reality of the first arrow and achieve a sense of wellness in spite of it.
The book is full of exercises and mindfulness strategies that can help to alleviate not only physical pain but also fatigue, anxiety and depression and help the sufferer to ‘shift away from fragmentation and isolation toward wholeness and connectedness’ (p.86).
Burch offers exercises in gentle mindful movement as well as breathwork and wisdom gained through her own studies and personal journey through chronic pain from denial, through bargaining, to acceptance. A rich resource.
Vidyamala Burch is also the founder of Manchester-based Breathworks which has a worthwhile website offering resources, practices, retreats, teacher-training and more. Check it out here: www.breathworks-mindfulness.org.uk
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Trusting the Gold
Tara Brach
Designed as a 'Gift Book' this little gem is truly a gift to the reader.
Long-time meditator and mindfulness teacher Tara Brach brings to this highly accessible volume, a treasury of her favourite stories, quotes and reflections drawing on both ancient wisdom and personal experience.
'Trusting the Gold: Learning to Nurture your Inner Light' is filled with life-affirming pearls of gentle compassion accompanied by ethereal watercolour.
Illustrations by Vicky Alvarez in which to linger. A lovely Christmas gift for your dearest friends ... or for your own well-being.
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We would love to hear about your most inspiring reads so please do contact us to enable us to share with our readership. |
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Pause for Thought
Pudding McPudding
Remembrance Sunday – 14th November 2021
Lest we Forget
The numerical relevance of Remembrance Sunday, 11.11.11 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month) when a minute of silence is observed as a mark of respect for those who gave their lives defending our freedoms is significant. The vibrational resonance of the date 11 11 11 carries both the opportunity for new beginnings and the potential for revelation, greater unity and spiritual connection.
At a time when our freedoms are being challenged and the divisions amongst us being highlighted it is important to remember we all have the same stream of life running through our veins that brings us into unity, regardless of colour, race, gender, politics or religion. We are all able to find joy in the same moments, we all love those closest to us, we all are striving for a better life for ourselves and those closest to us. We all feel joy at the same simple pleasures in life. How different are we really if we shut out the noise?
Let us show our respect by honouring one another.
As within, so without.
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The Gunas
Sean Toland
According to Samkhya, one of the six schools of Indian philosophy, (of which Yoga is closely related) the following two eternal separate entities (prakrti + purusha) have somehow become intermixed.
prakrti = nature, material world (including the mind, emotions and body. (changing/cyclical)).
purusha = Self, consciousness, awareness, witness, Seer. (unchanging)
This samyoga (coming together) is a consequence of avidya (ignorance), this is where the purusha (Self) misapprehends prakrti (mind/body etc) to be its true nature. This is the fundamental cause of duhkha (suffering) and repeated samsara (death + rebirth).
The goal of yoga practice, according to Patanjali, is to still the fluctuations of the mind so that purusha (Self) is no longer identified with prakrti (mind and body). Then purusha (Self) can rest in its own true nature.
Prakrti is comprised of the three gunas (qualities or energies):
Sattva - lucidity, clarity, stillness
Rajas - movement, desire, agitation
Tamas - dullness, delusion, rigidity
These gunas are cyclical, meaning they are constantly fluctuating between one another, each one is always present to some degree or another whilst another might be more dominant.
Whilst all gunas are essential to the function of life itself, as a yoga practitioner we’re trying to encourage sattva. Rajas, and especially tamas, are gunas that need to be kept in check so that we aren’t overwhelmed with a restless or dull mind.
The gunas show up everywhere... in our practice, the way we’re feeling, the food we eat (ayurveda is great for researching this), the time of day it is etc. It’s helpful to understand this so we can adjust our lifestyles to maximise the presence of sattva!
Sean Toland teaches Ashtanga yoga at The Sangha House every Tuesday at 6.30pm
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Coming up at The Sangha House |
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ITS PARTY TIME!
Come along and help us celebrate our fifth anniversary.
Music, comedy and a licensed bar.
13th November 7.30pm at The Sangha House in Taunton
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Reiki Share
with Jo Halstead
Sunday 21st November 3pm to 6pm
A quick heads up to all Reiki Practitioners, Reiki Masters and Reiki Master-Teachers…
We are resuming monthly Reiki Shares at the Sangha House in October. Hosted by Jo Halstead.
Reiki Shares at the Sangha House are a monthly event and an opportunity for Reiki practitioners to tend to their own reiki wellbeing. During a session we give a group treatment to each participant (how often do you receive a treatment yourself?) and practice energy cleansing and clearing and various techniques together. It’s also an opportunity to ask other practitioners questions and share experiences.
Our Reiki shares are only open to those already qualified in Reiki and we will ask to see proof of your experience to date.
Hosted by Jo Halstead who is a Reiki Master and Reiki Master teacher trained by Penelope Quest. Jo qualified as a Reiki Master teacher in 2012.
New format: three hours running from 3pm until 6pm in the large top floor studio.
Time to each receive treatments, learn new techniques, meditations plus discussions etc. and all in a relaxed and friendly environment.
The first session will be held on 17th October. Each months reiki share will be on the third Sunday in the month.
No fixed charge, donations invited.
For further information or to book your place please contact us at [email protected] or call us on 01823 428156.
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WHAT IS PEACE OF MIND AND HOW CAN I GET IT?
There is no greater wealth on earth than peace of mind. To be at peace with yourself is to accept yourself with all your limitations, frailties and insecurities. But it also entails rising above the petty boundaries of animosities, prejudices, and trying to be happy with what one has.
Holistic health experts, nowadays, place much importance on achieving peace of mind. They say that peace of mind is a particular emotional and psychological state in which the mind experiences utmost happiness, a sense of calm, and, most importantly, a feeling of contentment.
Let us look more closely at the ‘peace of mind’ meaning, and how to find peace of mind in today’s time.
Why do we need peace of mind?
The importance of peace of mind cannot be overemphasized in our daily lives. With levels of stress increasing, it is hard to be at peace with oneself. But psychologists believe that having peace of mind in daily life is crucial for overall wellness:
- Reduces stress: Stress can lead to a range of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Hair experts say that stress also happens to be the primary cause of hair loss and hair damage. Reducing stress leads to physical wellness and allows you to lead a healthy life.
- Promotes optimism: Attitude is the key to success. A positive attitude fills you up with hope and energy. You can work harder and try to achieve things, which you previously thought were impossible to be achieved.
- Reduces fear and anxiety: Feeling anxious or fearful can sap your energy and affect your working ability. This may hamper both your personal and professional lives. Having peace of mind can lessen your chances of being fearful and can significantly improve the overall quality of life.
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How to achieve Peace of Mind
Alan Watts
To listen to this discussion click on the link below
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