An offering to the sangha

[Cathleen Miller]

Hello fellow sangha friends,

For those who have been studying Lojong slogans (or anyone who is
interested in studying them), Sarah and I invite you to join us
tomorrow evening, Monday, November 2nd, at the Shambhala Center as we
offer up cakes to our obstacles and celebrate their value in our
lives.
The inspiration for offering this practice was our study of the slogan
"The four practices are the best of methods", as interpreted in
"Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness" by Chogyam Trungpa
and "Start Where You Are" by Pema Chodron.

Here is what we are thinking of doing:

6 - 6:30 paint/write/sketch a few small pictures of our current
obstacles and their meaning in our lives
6:30-6:35 chant "Four Dharmas of Gampopa" + "Supplication to Shambhala
Lineage"
6:35 - 6:45 sitting + silent connection with aspirations for being on
a path (aka cultivating calm abiding, connection to bodhichitta
intentions, half prostrations etc)
6:45 - 7 individuallyoffer drawings and cakes to altar and then read
passages from the texts about celebrating and being happy about
obstacles
7 - 7:30 sitting practice (15 mins Shamatha, 10 mins Tonglen, and 5
mins Shamatha)
7:30 close with "Dedication of Merit and Invocation"
...then celebrate and eat cakes, and sing "Seven Delights"

We will be baking some things to offer and will bring some basic art
supplies and cards for creating pictures of obstacles. Feel free to
add more items or just bring yourself. Also, if you don't have
experience with lojong or tonglen, you are welcome to come and sit,
watch, or participate in whatever way feels comfortable. If you have
the books mentioned above, you can review the sections (pages 55-67 in
Trungpa; pages 70-77 in Chodron). We will read a small selection
during the practice. I had intended to make available a scanned copy
of the text from "Start Where You Are" on the group, but I realized
that the first few pages were cut off on the edge. If you want to see
them anyway, email me and I will send them to you (deliciousginger at
gmail dot com).

We hope to see some of you tomorrow!

With many blessings,

Cathleen Miller and Sarah Farash