Dear friend of the temple,
What’s coming
I haven’t posted a July or August calendar, I’ll do that next month. Here’s a reminder of June:
Sunday 7th June: Reverend Master Daishin Morgan will be at the temple for the weekend. He’s driving down from North Wales on the Friday and will give a talk and meet with people on Sunday morning. We’ll have a pot-luck lunch to finish the morning, please bring food and drink to share. The day will start at 9.00am with two meditation periods. The talk will follow, starting around 10.45. It will be fine to arrive after 9.00 if you can’t manage the earlier start time. If you are planning to attend, please let me know as soon as you can.
Saturday 13th June: Sangha social outing at Stover Country Park, Newton Abbot. We’ll meet in the car park at 11.00am. Bring yourself a packed lunch and shoes for mild walking. If the weather is not on our side, we can still meet and plan an undercover alternative on the spot. No need to let me know if you are coming, though if you could either use a lift or can offer a lift, I am happy to act as a car co-ordinator.
Saturday 5th July: Memorial day for Reverend Master Myfanwy.
9.30am meditation
10.30 meditation
11.15 memorial ceremony
pot-luck lunch
walk in Haldon forest (just up the road), or Shillingford Wood (right on our doorstep)
You are welcome to come for any part or all of the day. Please bring food and drink to share if you are staying for lunch. There’s no need to let me know whether you are coming or not.
What’s been
I’m not long back from Throssel, where I was for the Jukai retreat. Since then, there’s been quite a lot for me to do regarding the planned extension, things are progressing well on that front, I think. End of year accounts too have been taking up some time too.
I’ve just purchased (soon to be installed), a double-oven (full size oven with a small oven/grill) for the temple. The similar oven that was here when we moved in, gave up the ghost pretty much immediately and can’t be repaired. The larger oven will be helpful for times when people are staying or visiting here, the smaller oven/grill will be useful for myself.
I think that the lawn-to-meadow experiment is coming along nicely, more rain would help. There’s daisies, buttercups and dandelions at least. Some birds appear to like it, for the increased insect activity I think. A couple of the neighbours cats seem to like it too. Not so much for the birds I think, it seems that longer grass makes a good litter tray. More privacy maybe? To make the little wilding lawn look cared for and deliberate, and to not drown out borders and plants, I’ve taken to mowing and trimming around the edges and adding a ‘path’, (all of 3 meters). It’s my current fun project anyway. I’m not sure whether it is newsworthy or not.
In all of this everyday activity, I aim to keep body and mind grounded in stillness and so any merit is dedicated for the benefit of all beings.
Glad to have people here joining in the schedule this last month and visiting generally.
In gratitude
Thank you for all financial donations, they keep the temple alive. Dragon Bell has recently been given audio equipment to improve our Zoom meetings, as well as donations of; firewood, new firebricks for the wood stove, and an electric combination hammer drill. All very useful, thank you.
Thank you for the lifts to and fro’ the train station in April.
Best wishes to you,
In Gassho
Willard