A Message of Appreciation to the Sangha, family members and friends My 80th birthday occurred on 22 April (Earth Day) 2024.

Last year, Nshorna (my daughter) said to me I need to be in Totnes (Devon, England) on Sunday 21-22 April. I agreed.

She then began to organise a secret birthday event and make the primary preparations. Martin Aylward (a beloved friend and Dharma teacher based in France) gave support to the organisation of the gathering. They contacted friends worldwide, who had attended my retreats, pilgrimages, courses, trainings and more It was quite an undertaking.

Photo taken at home noting 80 years in this phenomenal existence.

I did not know the location, nor time until my arrival in the upstairs hall of the restaurant/hotel a few minutes walk from home on Sunday afternoon of 21 April.  More than 50 were waiting for me. Some people I had not seen for decades were in the hall, plus photos on screen or short clips.

It raises the eyebrows to see the aging process with us all. We cannot hold onto a single day but we can find a freedom to move with the rhythms and changes of life.

The four grandchildren, Kye, 23, D’nae, 17, Milan, 15, and Joziah 8. were all there.

There was a big screen with hundreds of  rotating photos, taken of this wallah with others over decades – sent in by people.

Then the screen showed more than 70 one minute worldwide appreciations filmed on mobile phones, lots of presents, cards, books to read and literally hundreds of emails, texts etc. With vegan food, (some vegetarian) and a big birthday cake.

How did so many hear about the birthday?

Martin gave me a birthday card, which included the amount of dana sent to my account during this week. The sum took my breath away. I’m sure my blood pressure went up. It was worth it!

I spoke to friends in the hall, introduced all four grandchildren, saw a video message from my Judy (my sister) and her three children, Paul, Mark and Cathryn in Australia. Rhiannon (Nshorna’s half sister) also joined us.

I spoke for a few minutes to the group to thank everybody. I mentioned that  Rahula (the Buddha’s son), probably organised a similar secret event for the Buddha’s 80th birthday. People travelled from all over India to be with him in Kushinagara in northern India. Rahula had to tell the Sangha on their arrival that Gotama had just died some hours earlier on his birthday. A few unenlightened ones were probably irritated having walked a hell of a long way. Why couldn’t he choose to die a day later?” one might have asked.

I added that Nshorna brought my birthday event forward a day earlier, as she and the grandkids probably agreed I was looking older. Just in case….

I said to D’nae it is “quite tiring to be the centre of attention for a few hours. I’m glad it only happens once every 10 years.”

I enjoyed every minute with everybody and the magnificent metta (loving kindness/friendship/love) shared everywhere. My eyes were  often wet with soft tears.

I taught my first retreat in Dharamsala, India  in 1974. It has been an ongoing privilege to be a servant of the Dharma for 50 years and experience 80 years  on this Earth, including such a joyous day with the Sangha, via people’s presence and benefits of technology.

On Thursday, 25 April, I start the journey to the Waldhaus Zentrum to teach the annual retreat for a week starting on Friday.

A huge thank you for all your countless kindnesses.

Lots of love

Namaste

Christopher

A Message of Appreciation to the Sangha, family members and friends My 80th birthday occurred on 22 April (Earth Day) 2024. Read More »

Ten Points to Remember for Daily Mindfulness. Plus bare info on our next online 12 month Mindfulness Teacher Training Course in summer of 2025

Currently, Nshorna (my daughter) and I teach the 12-month primarily online Mindfulness Teacher Training Course (MTTC).

A new day in Totnes, Devon, England. View from my loft window

We finished the first six-month module earlier this month (April 2024) and have started the second module finishing in October 2024. Ten of our participants attended the first module for a training in mindfulness for their personal benefit.

I am sending to these participants 10 pointers to reflect and apply in daily life. Mindfulness offers a range of practical tools to develop calmness and clarity in daily life.

Ten Points for Daily Life

1.       Mindfulness matter equally in the four major postures – sitting, walking, standing and reclining. This includes sitting on the bus to work, walking along the high street, standing while waiting for a friend and reclining before sleep at night.

2.      Eat food close to its origins and primarily drink water. Eat modest portions of processed food – rice, spaghetti etc. Eat and drink minimal highly processed food (food soaked in sugar, salt, fats, additives) that harms health in short and long term.

3.      Experience the joys of life that arise naturally and effortlessly, rather than an outcome of personal desires.

4.      Increase weekly your time outdoors for wellbeing, especially garden, parks, woods, countryside and more.

5.      Engage in mindful speech – free from negativity, gossip, backbiting, second-hand information, misleading and prejudice. Show kindness, love and understanding in the written and spoken word.

6.      Remember to en-joy moments, to laugh, to learn, to share and find renewal through the arts. Be receptive to the spiritual in life.

7.      A noble way of life includes service to people, creatures and the environment and renewal through meditation, silence and outdoors.

8.     Engage in friendships, groups, courses and retreats to learn from others and they to learn from you.

9.      Remember in tough times that “This too will pass.” – just as other previous challenges have passed.

10.  Know a freedom not depending on anything, anywhere.

Incidentally, Nshorna and I plan to start the next MTTC, probably in the summer of 2025. The course includes the two of us as senior teachers, Jude (our co-ordinator) and five assistant teachers.

We have a list of 37 names so far of people, who have expressed an interest to join the next MTTC when we start taking registrations in October of 2024. Many wish to start a new direction in their life.

If you wish to consider attending the first module, or both modules for the next teacher training, please email us at: mttcglobal@gmail.com. The teacher training provides a MTTC certificate and CPD certificate (professional certificate recognised worldwide).

See www.mindfulnesstrainingcourse.org for information about the MTTC.

May all beings see purpose in challenges
May all being cooperate together
May all beings know a fulfilled life.

Ten Points to Remember for Daily Mindfulness. Plus bare info on our next online 12 month Mindfulness Teacher Training Course in summer of 2025 Read More »

Sam Harris states German Nazis are “comparatively benign” compared to Hamas.

A trauma probably feeds his intensity of views to his one million followers

Samuel Harris, 57 is an American neuroscientist, author, and podcast host. His work touches on the rational mind, neuroscience, meditation, Islam/Jihadis, and artificial intelligence. He has attended Buddhist retreats, spent time in India, explored Advaita (Non-Duality). His latest book is called Waking Up. Sub title: Searching for spirituality without religion. Sam has attended insight meditation (vipassana) retreats since the 1990s. Senior Buddhist teacher, Joseph Goldstein, co-founder of Insight Meditation Society (IMS), Barre, Massachusetts, USA, is one of his primary teachers.

Last year, Sam Harris kindly invited me to have a dialogue with him on his podcast. He has a million subscribers. People take an interest in his views. Prior to the meeting, he kindly gave me as a gift a top of the range voice recorder and microphone for our online dialogue between Totnes and USA.

After the meeting, Sam invited me to record some short guided meditations on themes of non-duality for his listeners. I submitted them but they did not fit with what he had mind. He gave me  a donation (dana) of $3000.00 for my efforts – a generous and supportive gift.

Lady Gaga describes impact of trauma

Last month, I watched on YouTube Lady Gaga speaking to US chat show host, Stephen Alpert, on the eve of the launch five years ago of A Star is Born, a film (movie), which she had the central role.

At the end of the interview, she spoke briefly about her experience as a sexual assault survivor. I edited her words on the impact of a trauma on a person.

Sam Harris has said numerous times over the years that 9/11 had a big impact on him. I believe this horrendous event traumatised him. In Sam’s case, 9/11, seems to trigger a rage directed against Hamas, Jihadis, Muslims and Palestinians, as the closed box opens inside  of himself. It looks like it happened again last week, and other times since the massacre by Hamas upon Israeli citizens on 7 October.

Scene shows the aftermath of the Hamas massacre of 364 Israelis attending the Supernova Festival and 40 others were taken hostage.

This is what Lady Gaga said

“If someone is assaulted, or experiences trauma, there is science and scientific proof. It’s biology that people change. The brain changes and literally, what it does is it takes the trauma and it puts it in a box and it files it away and shuts it so that we can survive the pain.

It can cause complete avoidance of what to even remember, think about what happened to you.

Lady Gaga then referred to a specific example in the news in 2019.

She continues: I believe that I have seen is that when this woman saw on a television a man to be possibly put in the highest position of power in the judicial system of this country, she was triggered and that box opened ….

It seems to me this what happens to Sam – a situation like 7 October triggers the repressed trauma from 9/11.

Lady Gaga specifies one of the ways trauma manifests. Yes, some people, like Sam, can get on with their life until the trigger that exposes the trauma.

Others experience trauma as an ongoing daily impact and in other ways.

When a trauma erupts, it can generate a blind spot to the traumas of all those condemned, such as much of the population of the people of Gaza, the West Bank, Israel and elsewhere. His mind does not understand the deep concerns of much of the world applying their humane and rational views to events in Gaza. Here are a few expressions of those deep concerns

·        Via the UN, 153 countries have appealed to the Israeli government to announce a ceasefire.

·        UN leaders have put out numerous appeals to Israel on behalf of member states to end the wilful destruction of Gaza.

·        USA, the primary defender of Israel and arms providers to the IDF, have finally called for an immediate ceasefire to protect Palestinian civilians.

·        South Africa has taken Israel to the International Criminal Court for allegations of genocide in Gaza.

·        Men, women and children in Gaza die daily while buried under the rubble, from their wounds, die from starvation, lack of medical supplies and denial of basic needs due to Israel’s blockage of aid supplies or allowing only a trickle to enter Gaza through the use of red tape.

·        IDF has engaged in wilful destruction of hospitals, clinics, schools, mosques, offices for international aid and kill medical staff, teachers, social workers, aid workers and journalists…..

·        Eye witness reports of acts of cruelty and terror by IDF soldiers on Palestinians, men, women and children.

Sam Harris refers briefly to the fate Gaza and its children. The immense degree of international pressure on Israel has brought about a small degree of restraint in Israel on the war on Gaza and elsewhere.

IDF has killed around 13,800 children since the war on Gaza started

“This is Sam Harris.”

This is the start of his podcast Making Sense with Sam Harris on 9 April 2024. I have made tiny tweaks for readability.

https://podclips.com/ew/YXz1

Well, it’s been six months since October the seventh 2023 and a blizzard of moral confusion about the atrocities committed on that day, and about Israel’s response to them remains something to behold.

The IDF accidentally killed some of the staff working for the chef, Jose Andrea’s aid organisation, World Central Kitchen. This is obviously a tragic accident, and yet much of the world has responded as though it weren’t an accident. That is somehow plausible that the IDF is intentionally murdering aid workers.

The fact that so many people have responded in this way tells you everything you need to know about the status of Israel and the level of moral intelligence out there.

Some people have asked me if the ongoing carnage in Gaza and in particular this killing of aid workers has changed my view of the war. The short answer is No which might be surprising to some of you.

I’ll make a few very condensed points here, which might help explain why I think Israel has absolutely to win this war. Any call for a ceasefire, especially one that doesn’t first demand, the return of the hostages, is not only absurd, but obscene.

Now, generally, I’m very hawkish on the topic of jihadism. I have been ever since September 11 2001.

Please believe me when I say that I wish I never had to touch this topic ever again. It is vile and confusion about it, especially on the part of secular liberals is also vile.

Nothing reduces my faith in humanity more than routinely confronting educated people who have no capacity to discern the moral hierarchy here but difference is so stark and so simple.

There are people who use their own children as human shields or worse as bombed. Or the people who kill their own daughters for the crime of getting raped because they have stayed in the families either.

As is the question of why so many Palestinians have come to support (Hamas), it would be like asking in 1941, why the SS became so radicalised and why do so many millions of Germans support it? I feel exactly the same way about jihad.

Jihad is worse than the Nazis in my view. They don’t have the same power than theirs is heading in the 30s and 40s, which is very good thing and we should keep it that way. But their ideology is actually worse.

Jihadism is essentially Nazism, plus religious fanaticism, plus an eagerness to be martyred and to see their children martyred.

There are many differences between Nazism and jihadism, of course, but they only make the Nazis look comparatively benign.

I have made clear many times before my support for Israel in this conflict is not born of my identity as a Jew, not born of my attachment to the religion of Judaism, of which I have none.

My support for Israel… is born of a spiritual connection to civilization to the norms of open societies to individual rights and freedom of thought, and to secularism and rationality and basic decency that is defined everything that jihadist seek to destroy.

As for the loss of civilian life in Gaza is absolutely horrific as I said before.  That makes sense when you’re watching the bodies of dead children pulled from rubble.

As terrible as the destruction of Gaza is, Hamas is ultimately culpable for what has happened there since October 7.

There was a ceasefire on October 6. IDF has done a better job in waging this war ethically than we (USA) have done

Israel really must destroy Hamas, I haven’t known  how they should go about doing that. Surely the strategy of bombing and occupying Gaza can be debated.

But after October 7th, what can’t be debated is whether Israel is justified in doing what it needs to do to destroy Hamas…

What it needs to do to destroy Hamas, and it does seem quite plausible that some significant invasion and destruction and occupation of Gaza was the only way to do that.

Section of my podcast conversation with  Sam Harris with little signal of trauma when we spoke in 2023 – (00:36:43):

Sam

After speaking of his love for his time in India, he said: “ This also could be a remnant of how I came to the conversation in the first place. I came to talk about these things publicly first in the immediate aftermath of September 11th, when we had people flying planes into our buildings thinking they’re going to get to paradise. We had fundamentalists to speak specifically of the American experience. We had fundamentalist religious Christians calling for a holy war against Islam. We have delusional people saying that Islam is a purely a religion of peace that’s been hijacked by extremist and there are no religious or spiritual concerns wrapped up in what Al-Qaeda was doing.

So there’s just an immensity of confusion around people’s existential concerns and beliefs. So I wandered into that morass with at least two very strong convictions. One is, there is a reality to recognize through meditation and other contemplative methods, and that part is true, and yet, there’s no reason why humanity needs to be divided from itself on the basis of religious dogmatism. We have a common project, so.

Christopher

I mentioned to you of having the benefit of my experiences through the Catholic upbringing with all the limitations…I travelled through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Sumatra and Java (in Indonesia) – all Muslim countries, plus six years as a Buddhist monk.  I spent more than seven years in India and made annual visits to Palestine and Israel for nearly 30 years (1992-2020) . I have experience of Muslim and Jewish communities, a reasonably wide range of international experience. I teach people of all faiths, no faiths, secular and scientific. Years of experience have  a significant influence (of my views).

There are the varieties of extremism and idealism in  religion there, but there are much more as well.

I am not a Buddhist…I think there is a healthy dialogue to be made between the religious, secular and spiritual. That’s the way forward in the 21st century. What’s your response?

Sam Harris

Well, I think most of what people are getting from religion are right to want to get from religion, which is to say the right to value, the good stuff. Community can be gotten without religion. Right? I would be the first to admit that we don’t have great secular alternatives for every aspect of community….

Final Response

I believe Sam has much to offer but his compulsive desire to promote his rage on podcast towards Hamas, Islam and Palestinians blocks the capacity to see outside his probable trauma.

In my view, his decades of Buddhist meditation practices and non-dual practices have not addressed this unresolved issue within, though he surely benefitted in other areas, as his recent book shows.

Teachings of Non-duality (Advaita) includes absence of identification with claims to ‘civilization’ of the West/Israel as one extreme and absence of hate of Hamas as the other extreme in dualistic thinking, so often prevalent in trauma.

I believe it is time for Sam to look into secular therapies to develop a humane and civilised view rather than explore Buddhism/spiritual teachings.

A humane and civilised life shows itself in the dedication to resolve suffering through wise means – regardless of secular, spiritual or religious beliefs.

I am sending this post onto Sam.

May all beings understand dynamics of the mind
May all beings live with clarity
May all beings speak and act with wisdom.

Sam Harris states German Nazis are “comparatively benign” compared to Hamas. Read More »

Our beloved school in Bodh Gaya, India. A school report revealing happiness

Our beloved Prajna Vihar School (School of Wise Abiding) in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India provides classes for more than 500 children, plus meditation, the performing arts and steps to liberation from severe poverty.

Most of the children come from many of the poorest families in the area.

School includes prayer, singing, dance, mindfulness, meditation, sharing and giving. Pupils have an excellent record with learning/exams and winning local competitions from essays to the performing arts.

In 1992, the school took root in a modest way with around 40 children in a class in a monastery and gradually expanded over the years. Plenty of children attending our school were beggars on the streets of Bodh Gaya, a major place of pilgrimage for Buddhists worldwide. These same children went on to attend university, learn foreign languages to become tourists guides, work in Bollywood, manage hotels and are CEOs of their own growing businesses.

Education has the power to liberate young and old from desperate hardship.

Years ago, we used to have a sign hanging up in the school. “Boys learn for themselves. Girls go home and teach all their family reading, writing and arithmetic.” Some of the boys got the message!

You cannot imagine the happiness of the parents, many illiterate, who spent their life living in mediaeval poverty. They witness their children become confident citizens making a real contribution to India, to society, their community and their parents.

Prajna Vihar School (School of Abiding Wisdom) welcomes children of all backgrounds and religious faith. Our head teacher is a Catholic nun. Teachers and pupils are Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, secular and more.

School Report

This week our beloved school sent a report to supporters of the school from late December 2023 to late March 2024. Here is an edited version.

8th December 2023

We had farewell program for our 9th and 10th class students. It was a great joy for each one of us that they have completed their schooling in Prajna Vihar School for 10/12 years most of them. That they have received good knowledge/education & learned many things for their future. So, in remembrance of PVS (Prajna Vihar School) a small gift, a pocket Dictionary was given to them. And our wish is that pupils may have a long life, a better future and become good citizens.

23rd December 2023

We had today Christmas celebration in Jeevan Sangham with Inter -Religious people. Our students took part in the Christmas quiz competition, and our students won the Ist prize. Everyone congratulated them and they were very happy & thrilled with joy. They received the shield as a personal and in the name of the school. Wherever our students take part they always win the prize. We feel proud of them and thank God for our students.

6th January 2024

Three friends from France came on the 5th to our school and expressed the wish to distribute for our students a sweater and pen. We cannot forget their love towards our students, who were in great need. May God Bless them in their every endeavors.

26th January 2024

On this day we celebrated 76th Republic Day. We invited our Chief Guest Prof. Kailash Prasad, who willingly accepted our invitation and came. After hoisting the flag and playing the National Anthem there was March Past, P.T., Patriotic & action songs and dance performed well by our budding stars.

29th January 2024

Today from Corian Temple two Dhamma Buddha’s came with flowers and two Guava Plants which were planted in the campus. We are grateful for their generosity.

31st January 2024

Today the friends of Vietnamese came along with our old students. They distributed some eatable things for all the students. They brought and distributed Maggi packet, Rusk and Chocolate among our all students. Our students were excited with joy and the Vietnamese friends were also very much delighted.

1st – 3rd February 2024. In Mahabodhi Society there was 133rd Anniversary Celebration. They invited all the close by school students to take part in their celebration. They have kept 1st day Prayerful dance, 2nd day dance program outside and 3rd day a dance from Shri Lankan dancers performed. it was very excited to see. At the end, all the students and the teachers were given a small gift.

7th February 2024

Today in Mahabodhi Society there was Meditation training conducted by the Hyderabadi persons. Our students were called specially to join the meditation training for their future life. So, we sent the 7th and 8 class students for this training. We believe that this may help them to their lifelong journey.

12th March 2024

The Vietnamese group came on 11th March to find out with our old student Awdhesh Kumar from Mastipur Village. They asked what is needed at present for the children? So, we suggested them that if you give writing material. They asked us how many? We also asked: We asked, “Will you provide for all the students or some of them.” They replied enthusiastically that they will provide for all the students. So, we arranged with the shop keepers and brought the copies. The group distributed to the students at our school with delight. We were very grateful for their generosity of heart. May the Good Lord bless them in all what they do.

13th and 14th March 2024

Special Guest Radha Nicholson from NSW, Australia and Mr. Bryan Tucker from Boston, USA (two Dharma teachers) visited our school over several days. Mr. Bryan gave beautiful motivational stories, which Sapna Mam helped the children understand. The children were very happy to hear the stories.

16th March 2024

Today, we said farewell for the 8th class students. Beautiful prayer prayers were said by students and teaches for their successful future life. There was a small entertainment program and farewell song by the students of class 7th. After that Sr. Udita, the Principal appreciated the students being with us for 10 years or from 5-9 years. Snacks were served for the outgoing students and all those who were present for the program.

27th March 2024

Today we were filled with great joy, because being a Holi feast. We were untouched by any Holi color. We welcomed Radha Nicholson, Mr. Bryan and 27 friends from different countries like Australia, France, Israel, Sweden and India. We were very much exhilarated with joy. Our students were very. happy, active. Everybody danced and enjoyed together. And Mr. Bryan too played his musical instrument. People sang a song with much expression – (Raghupati Raghaw Raja Ram Patita Pawan Sita Ram.) We enjoyed singing together. We were thankful to everybody for their sacrificing spirit, mind and Heart.

May the Good Lord bless the students and keep them under his loving protection,

May they be able to continue the work which they are continuously doing.

May Good Lord fill them with Peace, joy and Happiness.

Some gave a donation for the running costs of the school.

Sr Udita, the Principal, acknowledge their presence among us.

May God bless you all.

www.pvschool.in

To learn and see more about our school, look at our website.

You can also donate. See link at top of home page.

We plan to provide a brand-new website in the weeks ahead.

Our beloved school in Bodh Gaya, India. A school report revealing happiness Read More »

Scroll to Top