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Dharma Day Festival

6 July from 10:30 am to 4:00 pm

(With the Going for Refuge and Prostration Practice for Order Members and GfR Mitras from 9.30am to 10.30am)

Dharma day is one of the main festivals in the Buddhist calendar. Dharma day traditionally falls on the second full moon after May, two months after the Buddhaโ€™s enlightenment. It marks the occasion on which the newly enlightened Buddha managed to communicate his experience to human beings. Entering into debate and retreat with his old ascetic friends he set in motion the wheel of the Dharma โ€“ the teaching of the Buddha. This highly significant event, the First Turning of the Wheel, has been kept turning down through the ages to us.

Our day begins with an opportunity for Order Members and GfR Mitras to practise the Going for Refuge and Prostration Practice.

Then the whole sangha is invited to gather together, meditate, hear a Dharma talk from Sthanashraddha and meet each other in smaller groups to listen and share inspirations with one another.

The midday festive meal is a much loved and well-practised experience of dana. An empty table is transformed into a delicious feast with each of one of us bringing a contribution of vegetarian and vegan food to share.

In the afternoon we will have two Mitra ceremonies within the context of a Sevenfold puja, practising and celebrating together. You can read about the Mitras-to-be below. The day will conclude with tea and cake.

Festival days are a very good opportunity to come together in harmony as Sangha, community and practise together in various ways including dana, generosity. We can give of our time and energy, bringing offerings of food to the table, helping out serving tea or arranging the shrine room. We can give through money in the Dana bowl and through bringing flowers to offer to the three jewels, the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.


Programme:

9.30am Going for Refuge and Prostration Practice for Order Members and GfR Mitras

10.30am Doors open โ€“ teas and coffees

11am Top Shrine Room โ€“ meditation, talks and conversations

12.45pm Shared lunch

2pm Mitra ceremonies within the context of a Sevenfold puja

3.30pm Tea and cake

4pm Clear up and depart

No need to book, all welcome


The Mitras-to-be

Gina Sweeting

Hi, Iโ€™m Gina. I am very happy to have asked to be a Mitra and will be stepping into this on Dharma Day, 6th July.

Iโ€™ve lived in Brighton since 2020 and have been dipping my toe into the Brighton Sangha going to Sangha evenings, the Womenโ€™s Circle and a Dharma course. Iโ€™m getting to know people here and feel more at home at the Brighton Buddhist Centre.

Some of you will have seen me arriving with my cycle helmet. I am a keen cyclist and it is my main way of getting into the amazing countryside around here.

I was born in London and grew up near Tunbridge Wells and have lived most of my life in the UK. Before moving to Brighton I lived in Worthing for 20 years. My partner and I have two grown up children between us who are living in Brighton too.

Being a Psychotherapeutic Counsellor I came across many Buddhist ideas along the way and my interest in Buddhism flourished when my best friend trained as a Mindfulness Practitioner. I started going to the Worthing Sangha and received a warm welcome. It was amazing to sit in a room full of people in such peace.

A turning point for me happened early on when I realised how much I engaged with the world by trying to understand it. It blew my mind to realise how attached I was to my theories and ideas about life and people. I continue to feel this stretch of getting out of my head and into the present moment and into a deeper relationship with the world. I feel more connected with nature and a part of an interconnected whole.

Becoming a Mitra feels an important step in this regard. I notice my tendency to keep myself on the edge of the group and by stepping in I am accepting that I am a precious part of the whole.

I look forward to the journey from here and I hope to celebrate this step with you.

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