Movie Night at the Temple – POSTPONED
Movie Night scheduled for Saturday January 20th has been postponed till further notice. We will share information once a new date has been set.
Sangha Engagement Committee
Calgary Buddhist Temple Blog
Casino Volunteers Needed
Sunday, March 4 and Monday March 5 208 – Cash Casino 4040 Blackfoot Trail SE
If you can volunteer for this very important Temple fundraiser, please contact me or sign up online. Support of these casinos are so important to maintaining our beautifully renovated temple and also help to “keep the lights on”.
We need 36 volunteers for the 2 days. All volunteer jobs are simple and straightforward, and there is expert assistance available at all times. Volunteers are provided with dinner and snacks at the casino. This is an opportunity to socialize with new and existing friends of the temple.
Please feel free to use the online volunteer signup page: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050C4EADAA28A46-casino2
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
December 31 – New Year’s Eve
Join us for a fun family night that is warm and safe.
We begin with an old Japanese tradition, a dish of noodles. Long noodles are thought to bring us long life so the longer your noodles the better!
Following the dinner, we will proceed upstairs for a short service. We then celebrate the end of 2017 and welcome in 2018 by ringing the Kansho bell. (the large hanging bell) The Kansho bell is rung 108 times. The ceremony is said to have originated in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) as a Chinese custom and was then taken over to Japan later.
Why 108? Some doctrine suggests that there are 108 imperfections that humans must overcome before attaining complete awakening. Each ring represents one of these 108 earthly temptations. The number 108 is created by a matrix of the multiple of:
- The 6 senses – smell, touch, taste, sight, sound and mind
- The 3 differentiators – pleasant reaction, neutral or unpleasant reaction
- The 2 possible outcomes of the causes and conditions – wholesome or unwholesome
- The 3 time periods – past life, present life, future life
Everyone who wishes can have a turn ringing the bell.
Start time 6:00 pm until usually around 8:00 pm. That still leaves time to take in the fun and fireworks at Olympic Plaza or head over to the Zoo and enjoy the lights!
January 1 – New Year’s Day Service
Welcome in the New Year with the Sangha/community by attending the service at 2:30pm
Temple Refuge Circle
This Tuesday group is a small meditation- & awareness-focused Practice ‘circuit’ meant for people who have been exploring Buddhism but wish to improve in: Meditation (25mins),Loving-Kindness, Equanimity, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy, Deep Listening, & Gratitude.
We will get to know each other while we deepen our Practice in a safe and caring environment. Members will have the opportunity to run a weekly of session (voluntary).
This is a different form: that of a Circle, with each member contributing and learning from each other.
To join, I am asking interested people to have a commitment to this Circle for a ‘season’. This is much the same as if you were to join a sports team. You can certainly miss a weekly session, but I ask that you are committed to being there for yourself and each other as if you were on a team.
This ‘Season’ Practice will run Tuesday evenings from Jan 23rd through Apr 10th, starting at 7pm, at the Temple (IE: 12 weeks). We usually finish about ~8:30pm, then a little shared cleanup of teacups that we used etc.
You can come on Tuesday Jan 16th to try it out before the ‘committed’ Season starts.
It is a gentle group, led by it’s members. Membership is limited.
Dana to the temple: $25/person, speak to me if you cannot afford that, it should not be an impediment to attending.
In Gassho,
Ken,
Assistant – Calgary Buddhist Temple
Please contact me here if interested or if you have questions. Feel free to pass along to interested persons.
December Gifting
Once again the temple will collect donated items to assist the Women’s Centre in providing some cheer to those that would appreciate a little extra help at this time of year.
Donations can be made through the temple only up until December 17 so don’t delay!
Follow the link to the website for suggestions if you are wondering what to gift: Women’s Centre
Thank you!
All items can be placed on the table in the lower level!
Bodhi Day
Please join the Calgary Buddhist Temple on Sunday, December 10 in recognition of Bodhi Day. There will be a service and pot-luck meal afterwards.
December 8 marks the official day many Buddhists the world over celebrate as Bodhi Day. It is the day when Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree and became the Buddha, the “Awakened One.”
The Buddha’s enlightenment has for over 2,500 years been the central event as well as being the vision and underlying motivation of all Buddhist teachings.
Bodhi Day is an opportunity to acknowledge our dedication to the principles of wisdom, compassion and kindness — the distinguishing features of the Buddhist worldview.