The Sangha Skills share returns! Raising more money to give away 

As part of Sangha Day celebrations last year we ran a selection of sangha skill sharing sessions. Sangha members hosted informal Zoom sessions teaching various skills and together we raised over £500.

Now we return with a second instalment of these fun, interactive sessions.

We invite you to donate to do the sessions, raising money to be given away by the Centre to good causes after Sangha Day. This year we missed out on fundraising with the cancellation of the summer fair, so if you can attend a session this would mean we get another chance to be generous as a sangha, as well as a great way  to come together and have fun.

You will be able to make a donation online. In March we will vote to decide where to give our collected donations. In the past we have given to projects in Sheffield, Venezuela and in India. If you can’t make any of the skills sharing sessions, you are welcome to take this as an opportunity to give anyway.

Click here to Give

The sessions will run at various times on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th February and will be about 40 minutes long. Scroll down this page for more information on all of the sessions, including what you’ll need to prepare for the culinary or artistic creations!

Zoom Meeting ID: 817 4384 2626
Passcode: sangha

Zoom link for all of the sessions

Cake Baking with Pretti – Saturday 10am

On Sat 27th at 10am, do tune in for ‘Cake baking with Pretti’ – a fun baking session where we will bake one of my favourite ever cakes – the chocolate banana upside down cake. It is truly delicious and quite large so you can share slices with neighbours and friends!

Here is a link to the recipe so you can get your ingredients ahead of time: key note: you will need a minimum of 5 ripe bananas so you need to get those this weekend really so they are really ripe by the time we come to bake! And ideally something like a 23cm cake tin.

You’re also welcome to join the Zoom with a cuppa just to enjoy the show! (A bit like watching Bake Off – comforting and amusing)

Finger Painting with Sian – Saturday 2pm

Not Just For Children!!!

Can you remember how much great, messy fun splating and schmushing paint around with your fingers (or other body parts) is? Finger-painting also allows you to directly access and express your energy and feelings, without mediation or judgement. Here’s an opportunity to re-experience that sheer joy, fun and freedom of expression again. 

Suggestions for the workshop

Clear a space, put some old clothes on and protect the carpet. 

Get a large sheet of paper (lining paper is great, even newspaper will do), cardboard or even (dare I suggest?) a wall! 

Get plenty of something to paint with (ready-mix, poster paint, acrylics, mud, ketchup, yoghurt or leftover vinyl silk/matt paint tinted with watercolours or food colouring, all work well). 

Have a bowl of soapy water and an old towel to hand. 

Put on some music if you like and let rip.

Baking Biscuits with Bernadette – Saturday 4pm

Today you have the chance to try your hand at making those legendary biscuits… Once famous at the Sangha Night shared meals and adored by Buddhists across Sheffield, it’s the incredible ‘date and apricot biscuits’ by Bernadette.

Click here for a link to the recipe by Tamal Ray.  The ingredients however include a bottle of date syrup which I have found in Beanies or in the Healthy corner in Atkinsons (not sure if it’s open now).

Brown dried apricots are better as they don’t have the added sulphur (that the orange ones have).

Medjool dates again can be found at Beanies as can unsalted butter & ground almonds. 

Organic orange is better as the zest is used and we don’t want pesticides for our state of the art biscuits!

Finally, baking powder and Plain flour and we’re all set to go!

SANGHA DISCO with Vajramandala – Saturday 8pm

Come and disco on down with the Vajramandala Community. We will take requests for your favourite dance track so email the Centre with your idea – and why not donate a little bit more for the privilege of having your favourite song played? Dressing up is optional but its a great opportunity to wear those dancing clothes that you haven’t had a chance to wear for a year.

If you are shy about your dancing you can switch your camera off. Look forward to dancing with you!

Qigong with Siwan – Sunday 10am

Lovely Sunday morning qigong. Move your body, calm your mind.

Zen and the art of Sushi Roll Making with Anna and Tee – Sunday 11.30am

Have you ever wanted to make your own veggie or vegan sushi style roles but didn’t know where to start? This session, with a Zen flavour and some Korean twists, is the perfect introduction to creating your own rolls with a range of tasty ingredients. It is suitable for supervised children as well.

Here is a list of what you will need for sushi making:

• Bamboo sushi mat – can be bought online or from an Asian supermarket (possibly some supermarkets like Waitrose)
• Sushi seaweed sheets
• Sushi rice
• Rice vinegar
• Sesame oil and sesame seeds *toast them in a pan
• Sugar and salt
• Soy sauce

For fillings:

• Omelette and/ or smoked tofu strips, cucumber, carrot, avocado, red pepper and any other vegetables cut into thin strips. I steam or roast the carrot.
• Optional: Korean style spinach – I will send a recipe in once I’ve got the measurements as I don’t usually measure it! But it needs a bag of spinach leaves and garlic and then some of the above ingredients.

In terms of where to shop, Beanies sells things (but expensive), Ozmens, larger supermarkets like Tesco’s on Infirmary Rd, or Asian supermarkets like the new one on West St or down London Rd.

Sangha Improv with Rachael and Alice – Sunday 1-3pm

These sessions, led by Rachael and Alice (both Mitras), will use games and exercises from dance, music and drama improvisation to explore Buddhist principles. We hope they will offer a playful group context to explore our relationships with ourselves, others and our environment. No experience necessary, curiosity desired!

Scone Baking Masterclass with Amoghavamsa – Sunday 4pm

Amoghavamsa takes you through how to make the perfect scone. Scone Recipe – Makes 8 scones
Ingredients
6 tbsp marj
225g/8oz s r. Flour
15g sugar
Pinch salt
80g/3oz sultanas
100 ml milk-like fluid
Desert spoon nat. yoghurt
Oven temperature 220C
Wire rack/grill pan to cool scones on
Cooking time 8/10mins
Scone cutter or whatever you have to hand that is 5cm.circular ……….

These sessions, led by Rachael and Alice (both Mitras), will use games and exercises from dance, music and drama improvisation to explore Buddhist principles. We hope they will offer a playful group context to explore our relationships with ourselves, others and our environment. No experience necessary, curiosity desired!

Sunday 28th February 1-3pm
Saturday 6th March 1-3pm
Sunday 21st March 1-3pm

Each event will be different, so you could come to just one, or many. Clearly it is different doing the work online, but we have been pleasantly surprised by the experiences we have had of the work via Zoom.

Please email Alice McHugh [amchugh@hotmail.co.uk] if you would like to book

Join the men’s community in the Great Hall for weekday morning meditations. Please book if you would like to reserve a place, or you can drop in as it’s unlikely that we will reach our social distanced capacity.

It is an un-led meditation practice; mindfulness of breathing and metta bhavana on alternate days.

Please arrive a few minutes early to get set up.

*** You can now join Morning Meditation through Zoom! ***

For a limited time, morning meditations will also be live on Zoom for you to join. Log in before 7am to hear the bells straight from the Great Hall every weekday morning.

Zoom link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88363873849?pwd=T3hVTWYvd2xsNURLZ2docGU1UGVWUT09
Passcode: awake

In person meditation in the Great hall is still available.

Join the men’s community in the Great Hall for weekday morning meditations. Please book if you would like to reserve a place, or you can drop in as it’s unlikely that we will reach our social distanced capacity.

It is an un-led meditation practice; mindfulness of breathing and metta bhavana on alternate days.

Please arrive a few minutes early to get set up.

*** You can now join Morning Meditation through Zoom! ***

For a limited time, morning meditations will also be live on Zoom for you to join. Log in before 7am to hear the bells straight from the Great Hall every weekday morning.

Zoom link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88363873849?pwd=T3hVTWYvd2xsNURLZ2docGU1UGVWUT09
Passcode: awake

In person meditation in the Great hall is still available.

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