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Contents: Words of encouragement from Dhiravamsa Newsletter Contact details Words of encouragement from Dhiravamsa During the five weeks of my teaching tour in Australia, I found that those who participated in my work were very enthusiastic and committed to the work that I presented to them. That made me happy, and inspired me to continue to render my services in this part of the world. Such qualities of vital attention, genuine enthusiasm and total commitment are, I believe, most essential for achieving that which one strives to accomplish. Those students, particularly those who attended the 10-day retreat at Camp Berringa, have amazed me by demonstrating all those qualities, for which I thank them with all my heart! I will be very happy to work with them...and all of you..in years to come. With all my love, Dhiravamsa Anicca...rising, passing and changing of things...very much the principle by which one lives in a place like this, where nothing stays the same for just one second. The place of precious faces and beautiful smiles, of ancient singing and ceremonial dances...but also a place of dust, dirt and the pain of dislocated and disowned people...very painful to "see" and "feel" with one's heart wide open....such a strong contrast after being with Dhira and all of you wonderful people. But the Dharma teaches us that contrasts like that will teach us about staying in the middle and achieving equilibrium. On Friday March 10th our beloved and precious teacher and friend Dhira left Sydney to return to his home in Spain. With that comes an end to a rewarding and very successful visit to Australia. His time here has been more than special and has laid a very solid foundation for his future work here in Australia. All the lectures and courses generated serious interest in Dhira's work and both old and new students warmed to the contents of Dhira's teaching, but above all to his generosity and warmth in how he shares the Buddhist Dharma and himself as a teacher and human being. For nearly 17 years I consider myself extremely privileged to have been one of his spiritual friends (as he likes to refer to students). I am very joyful that many of us old students had the opportunity to reconnect...and that all of you new students have become part of a very extensive circle of people all over the world, with whom Dhira shares his WISDOM and his BEINGNESS. Dhira was very impressed and pleased with the strong commitment of all us participating in the various events, but particularly by those of you who had only heard or read about his work in these last many years....he has because of this indicated for us to start a Core Group. There is only one other core group at present, which is in Spain and this has had a waiting list of 60 people for over 2 years now. So we may consider ourselves very privileged with Dhira's commitment, time and energy for our growth. Starting a core group means that once a year a special retreat will be held for those of us who would like to deepen our practice. Dhira will take the core group through more intensified processes and will introduce different modalities, e.g. Enneagram, Voice Dialogue, Dream work...and Buddhist studies. Each student will have personal contact with Dhira by correspondence and/or email once every 3 months in which he will provide guidance for further development. This is a unique opportunity because Dhira is talking about retirement in the near future, and has indicated that he will commit himself to the core group in Australia for 2 years to start with. We will start meeting from July onwards, and will correspond with students outside NSW. If you are interested in becoming part of this Core Group, Please contact Nirvair Kaur or Julia Collins (see below). Teachings on Opening Up When you see for yourself how insight is corrupted, you will understand the difference between pure insight and corrupted insight. I remember someone on a retreat remarking that I had been 'corrupted' by my experiences and was no longer following the line strictly. Expanding in new directions sometimes frightens people: they cling to the past. You can see that the growing has more to do with eliminating, emitting, peeling off like a snake. That is how a snake survives. Growing is the elimination of inhibitions, of unhealthy and obstructive states: it is having more freedom, more liberation, more clarity, more openness, more flowing. We move towards fuller and fuller being. The more we eliminate our constraints or obstructions, the unhealthy destructive qualities in our body and mind, the more good things flow in naturally. It is very interesting to see how our minds obstruct the flow of life, creating fixations and obstructions. This is why insight can be corrupted easily. Insight can be put into a definite category, or content, and then it becomes ideas, fixations or conclusions instead of immediate understanding of what is. The real meaning of insight is to understand anything immediately, and then just finish with it, not apply that understanding to other things. You cannot rely on anything, except a sensitive and alive awareness of the moment. This can be very frightening. Can we really throw ourselves into the moment without having the past to judge by, to help us deal with what is in front of us? We are afraid - we must have something - some technique. That is our burden; it shows a lack of trust in our ability and our potential. But the potential is there - expectation creates the blockage. But if you remain open, then you know when something will flow through...That is Vipassana: by being completely nothing, you can be anything and everything. Publishing of old and new material written by Dhiravamsa As many of you might already have discovered, several of Dhira's books are out of print or have been poorly distributed. Plans and ideas are in the making to self-publish some of Dhira's latest works and/or to find a publisher or sponsor to republish several books which are of immense value to the world. If you have an ideas and/or funds to support this, please contact us (see below). Love has no direction Love is an energy...being...in this world...a generosity we have to realise Love...investment of the heart, realm of equilibrium, the superannuation of the soul A baby state...once whispering in the womb of no frontiers Following in the musical apple...made in heaven by a society so secret Open...forever...invincible Love is following love, it is not exclusive...stairways with no direction, love is a discipline Footprint...translucent of self-saturated sphere of magic Intensity of being...radiating energy into the world beyond the tangible Julia Collins is offering her time and house for regular group meetings where we will practise a Chi Gong session in the park followed by a sitting in Julia's house. Contact Julia on (02) 9665 4514 4 nights Vipassana course by Nirvair Kaur The Enneagram is a symbol representing a nine-pointed figure in a circular setting, that displays nine styles of personalities. (Ennea means nine and gramma means point in Greek). The Enneagram as a personality system was first introduced to the West by Gurdjieff and in the Christian tradition by the Jesuits, but is believed to have existed in Central Asia for thousands of years, where it was the key symbol of a mystic order called the Sarmaun Brotherhood. The principles were seen as a great secret by which one could work one's way into reality. It was (and is today) used as a tool for transformation. The nine personality styles that are arranged in the circular setting represent nine views or perspectives of the world of phenomena, nine qualities of Being, or nine Divine manifestations. These paradigms are core beliefs that determine and influence our world of thoughts, feelings, perceptions and behaviour. The heart of how we perceive ourselves and others and how we interact with the world and people around us. The Enneagram has been a tool in therapy and in modern psychology, but applied with a meditative practice it will guide us into a deeper understanding of our psychological predisposition and will support us in our spiritual unfolding. It can be an endless source of understanding and inspiration enabling us to truly SEE! The upcoming Enneagram course (Sydney) will be presented in the line of Dhiravamsa's teaching, in which the emphasis is on the transformative qualities rather than the negative aspects of the different personality styles. Based on the Vipassana principle of non-judgement and the embracing of opposites within each one of us! To know is to know all, Gurdjieff The Buddha I revere, true jewel Nirvair Kaur de Ruiter |
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