Many factors contribute to the general spiritual vitality of a sangha, but one crucial factor is caring for one another. According to one leading anthropologist, Margaret Mead, evidence of care marked the beginnings of human civilization, highlighting its fundamental importance to human existence including the capacity for spiritual growth.
During this afternoon event, Mahasraddha will propose that the spiritual vitality of a sangha can be enhanced by developing more explicit and organized frameworks for mutual care within local sanghas. He will reference a project initiated by the Abhayaratna Trust (Sangha Support Networks), which has both national and international reach, as a basis for exploring the proposal and its relevance to the sangha of the Sheffield Buddhist Centre.
The evening will include a short meditation, a talk and discussion, as well as an exploration of concrete next steps for the Sheffield Sangha. What does spiritual vitality look like for the Sheffield sangha, and could a Sangha Support Network be beneficial? If so, how?
Open to everyone who has finished our 12-Week Introductory Course
I first became interested in Buddhism as a teenager from a chance encounter with a book found in my school library. I was immediately struck by how Buddhism taught that I could change how I experience the world and that I could grow as a person. However, it wasn’t until many years later at the Sheffield Buddhist centre, that I began to commit myself fully to Buddhist practice as I saw that practicing Buddhist teachings was having a very positive impact on my life and on the lives of others.
I was delighted to join the Still Learning Team in November 2018. My previous work has been as a teacher and as an artist and I feel privileged to be able to bring those skills together with my passion for Buddhism in order to teach children and young people about Buddhism.
I first came into contact with Buddhism in my final year of university when I attended an introductory course at the Sheffield Buddhist Centre. I was instantly captivated by the revolutionary yet practical nature of the Dharma (teachings of the Buddha).
I began to meditate and apply Buddhism into my daily life and found that it actually worked! I had started to view the world differently and in a way that made me happier. I gained great confidence by this and became a committed Buddhist practitioner soon afterwards.
I enjoy sharing with others what I have learnt and how Buddhism has transformed me so I was delighted to join the Still Learning team in October 2013.
We have a range of exercises and activities, depending on ages and ability levels, exploring Buddhist ethics and their implications for how we might live as Buddhists.
How did the Buddha become the Buddha? Who was he before? What is enlightenment?
An understanding of the Buddha’s life story is an indispensable introduction to the religion. We draw out the key aspects using a beautiful painting that depicts the different events from the story.
We often theme our tours and visits around the Three Jewels of Buddhism, the Buddha, the Dhamra and the Sangha. Find out why the Three Jewels are common and central to all schools of Buddhism.
