This page has the temple's most recent newsletters.
Please see the full list for older issues.
January 2020 Newsletter
Events on New Year's Eve
On New Year's Eve we will be holding the traditional New Year’s Eve Ceremony, starting with meditation at 7.30pm.
During the ceremony we recite the Scripture of Great Wisdom, and a ceremonial copy of the scripture arranged in a fanfold design is "revolved", symbolically showing it and offering it in all directions. After this we all drink a glass of celebratory New Year juice together, making a wish for the peace and prosperity of the temple and the Sangha during the coming year.
After the ceremony there will be tea and cake in the common room, and the evening will end at about 9.30pm or so.
New Year's Day:
The Festival of Maitreya Bodhisattva
Then on New Year's Day we will have the Festival of Maitreya from 10am to 4pm. This festival celebrates the Bodhisattva Maitreya, known as "the Buddha who is yet to come". It is said that Maitreya will appear when the teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha has completely disappeared and been forgotten. Associated with new beginnings, the Festival of Maitreya is often celebrated on New Year’s Day.
A Japanese statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva
The day will start at 10am with a meditation period, followed by the ceremony. After the ceremony there will be a Dharma talk, and at about 1pm there will be a bring-and-share vegetarian lunch. In the afternoon there will be two periods of meditation from 2pm, followed by a Dharma discussion and tea. You are welcome to come for any part of the day.
For other events in January, please see the events calendar.
Closed Period in January
The temple will be closed to visitors for much of the first half of January, from Saturday the 4th to Monday the 13th inclusive, to allow Rev. Aiden to have some retreat time.
There won't be any events at the temple during that time; after the Dharma Evening on Thursday the 2nd, the next evening event will be the Dharma Evening on Wednesday the 15th. You will still be able to contact the temple by email during this period, but not by phone or text.
Update on Building Plans
As many of you know, we have been hoping to have some building work done on the property, mainly so that we don't have to go through the Meditation Hall in order to get to the kitchen or the upstairs. To acheive this we hope to build a porch at the front of the property and change the layout of the stairs, as well as some other minor changes.
Below is a comparison of what the front of the property will look like, before and after the addition of the porch.
The front of the property with the proposed added porch.
Over the past few months we have been working on the plans for these changes. We have had an architect draw up the drawings, and in mid-December we submitted our planning application to the local council. We hope to hear back by mid-February.
We will include some more of the drawings in future newsletters, so that you can get a better idea of what we are hoping to do. We currently have sufficient funds to carry out the first phase of the work, but we also hope to raise some additional funds in order to complete it.
Wishing you all a Happy New Year
Thank you to everyone who has come and shared their practice,
and supported the temple in so many different ways,
throughout the past year.
Wishing you all a peaceful and prosperous 2020.
Let us offer the merit of our practice to all beings,
so that all may be able to realise the truth.
Alms Bowl Requests
Thank you to all those who have donated items to the temple. We are very grateful for donations of any household or other items that the temple might be able to use. Please contact Rev. Aiden if you have an item to offer but are not sure whether it would be useful.
Donations of Food
Offering food is a traditional way to support a monk, and all donations of vegetarian food are most welcome. In particular:
- porridge oats
- peanuts or other nuts
- fresh fruit and vegetables (except garlic or peppers)
- dried herbs
- cheese, eggs and yoghurt
Any other suitable items would also be appreciated.
Donations
The temple is dependent on donations for its continued existence, and any financial support you are able to offer is greatly appreciated. Details of how to offer support can be found on the Donations page of the website.
Season’s Greetings
Season’s Greetings.
Wishing you all a very merry festive season and best wishes for 2020.
Thank you all for your support during this past year, which is very much appreciated.
December 2019 Newsletter
Festival of the Buddha’s Enlightenment
and Fifth Anniversary Celebration
The understanding that the Buddha came to during his enlightenment is the basis for the whole of Buddhist practice, and on Saturday the 7th of December we will be celebrating the Festival of the Buddha’s Enlightenment to mark this important event in the life of the Buddha.
November 2019 Newsletter
Forthcoming Events:
Festival of Founders Day
On Saturday the 2nd of November we will be celebrating the Festival of Founders Day. This festival is an opportunity to offer our gratitude for the life and practice of all those who have practised Buddhism, from the far distant past to the present day. In particular we celebrate those in our own lineage who have passed on the teaching from generation to generation for over 2500 years, and are the founders of this temple. These include Rev. Master Jiyu (the founder of our order), her master Koho Zenji, Great Master Dōgen(1200-1253) and Great Master Keizan (1268-1325).
October 2019 Newsletter
Monastic Gathering at Throssel Hole Buddhist Abbey
As many of you know, Turning Wheel Buddhist Temple is part of a larger organisation, the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (OBC), which is an umbrella organisation for monks and temples in the lineage of Rev. Master Jiyu Kennett. The order has temples in the US, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands, as well as here in the UK. With such a wide geographic spread it is important that we meet together regularly, and we currently have monastic gatherings every other year, with the venue alternating between the UK and the US.
September 2019 Newsletter
Recent Trustees’ Meeting
On the 24th of August we had a meeting of the charity’s trustees, with Rev. Alicia from Sitting Buddha Hermitage joining local lay Sangha trustees and Rev. Aiden for the day.
August 2019 Newsletter
Forthcoming Events:
Festival of Great Master Dōgen
On Saturday the 10th of August we will be celebrating the Festival of Great Master Dōgen. Dōgen was a thirteenth century Japanese monk, and he has a very important place in our tradition, as he brought the Sōtō Zen school of Buddhism from China to Japan. This festival is an opportunity to celebrate his life and teaching.
July 2019 Newsletter
Forthcoming Events:
Festival of Achalanatha Bodhisattva
On Saturday the 13th of July we will be celebrating the Festival of Achalanatha Bodhisattva. Achalanatha, the "Immovable One", represents commitment and determination in Buddhist practice. Achalanatha is portrayed sitting in meditation amidst the flames of the passions, and is not driven away from the place of meditation by them, however much they seem to burn. Achalanatha holds the Sword of Wisdom to cut through delusion, and offers us the rope of the Buddhist Precepts. To begin with this may seem like it constricts us, but when we look more closely we see that it liberates us.
June 2019 Newsletter
Forthcoming Events:
The Festival of Kshtigarbha Bodhisattva
On Saturday the 8th of June we will be celebrating the Festival of Kshtigarbha Bodhisattva. Kshtigarbha is usually depicted as a monk, carrying a staff and a “wish-fulfilling jewel”, and symbolises gentleness and the importance of offering.
May 2019 Newsletter
Forthcoming Events:
The Festival of the Buddha's Birth
We will be celebrating Wesak at the temple on Saturday the 11th of May. Everyone is cordially invited to come and celebrate the Buddha’s birth with us on this festive day, and you are very welcome to bring family and friends along to see the temple and join in as well.
April 2019 Newsletter
Invitation to Wesak:
The Festival of the Buddha's Birth
We will be celebrating Wesak at the temple on Saturday the 11th of May. Everyone is cordially invited to come and celebrate the Buddha’s birth with us on this festive day, and you are very welcome to bring family and friends along to see the temple and join in as well.
March 2019 Newsletter
Forthcoming Events:
Festival of the Buddha’s Renunciation
On Saturday the 9th of March we will be celebrating the Festival of the Buddha's Renunciation. Renunciation, or letting go, lies at the heart of all Buddhist practice, and the story of the Buddha’s Renunciation is a way of conveying the importance of this aspect of training. This festival day will focus on renunciation and letting go, and how we express this within our daily life.
February 2019 Newsletter
Forthcoming Events:
Festival of Avalokiteshwara Bodhisattva
On Saturday the 2nd of February we will be celebrating the Festival of Avalokiteshwara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. The name Avalokiteshwara is Sanskrit (Japanese: Kanzeon, Chinese: Kwan Yin, Tibetan: Chenrezig), and means “The one who hears the cries of the world”. To live with compassion is to hear the cries of suffering within ourselves and within all beings, and to be willing to respond, and the festival day will focus on this centrally important aspect of Buddhist practice.
January 2019 Newsletter
Events on New Year's Eve
On New Year's Eve we will be holding the traditional New Year’s Eve Ceremony, starting with meditation at 7.30pm.
During the ceremony we recite the Scripture of Great Wisdom, and a ceremonial copy of the scripture arranged in a fanfold design is "revolved", symbolically showing it and offering it in all directions. After this we all drink a glass of celebratory New Year juice together, making a wish for the peace and prosperity of the temple and the Sangha during the coming year. The evening will end at about 9.30pm or so.
Continue reading →Season’s Greetings
Season’s Greetings.
Wishing you all a very merry festive season and best wishes for 2019.
Thank you all for your support during this past year, which is very much appreciated.
December 2018 Newsletter
Celebrating the Festival of
The Buddha's Enlightenment
The understanding that the Buddha came to during his enlightenment is the basis for the whole of Buddhist practice, and on Saturday the 1st of December we will be celebrating the Festival of the Buddha's Enlightenment to mark this important event in the life of the Buddha.
November 2018 Newsletter
Forthcoming Events: Festival of Founders Day
On Saturday the 3rd of November we will be celebrating the Festival of Founders Day. This festival is an opportunity to offer our gratitude for the life and practice of all those who have practised Buddhism, from the far distant past to the present day. In particular we celebrate those in our own lineage who have passed on the teaching from generation to generation for over 2500 years, and are the founders of this temple.
October 2018 Newsletter
Forthcoming Events: Festival of Vimalakirti Bodhisattva
This coming Saturday, the 6th of October, we will be celebrating the Festival of Vimalakirti Bodhisattva. Vimalakirti, whose name means "spotless reputation", is the main figure of the Vimalakirti Sutra. He is portrayed as the ideal Buddhist lay practitioner, and is said to have lived at the time of the Buddha. In the scripture he has encounters with each of the Buddha's most senior disciples, and debates with Manjusri Bodhisattva, all of which demonstrate his great wisdom.
September 2018 Newsletter
Visit from Rev. Master Haryo, the Head of the OBC
It was lovely to welcome Rev. Master Haryo to the temple over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Rev. Master Haryo is usually resident at Shasta Abbey in California, but is currently visiting the UK, and is spending several weeks visiting a number of temples both in the UK and in the Netherlands.