THE BEDE GRIFFITHS SANGHA NEWSLETTER The Bede Griffiths Sangha Newsletter The Bede Griffiths Sangha is committed to the search for the truth at the heart of all religions SPRING 2011 VOLUME 12 ISSUE 1 Each of us has come out from God and we are being drawn back at every moment. The two movements are always in operation. CONTENTS Father Bede Griffi ths - A New Vision of Reality The Sangha From Fr Bede to a friend The Wider Sangha - Argentina Joan Walters 2Hazel Eyles 6 Magdalena Puebla 14 Polish Newsletter Sanskrit Corner The Wider Sangha - Brazil Andrzej Ziolkowski 2Ken Knight 7 Marcos Monteiro 14 Summer Retreat 2011 Francis Acharya Editor’s Choice Nick & Mary Sadler 2Fr. Sylvester 8-9-10 Joan Walters 15 Sangha News Ammerdown December 2011 Sr Vandana Mataji Retreats & Resources 15 Jenny Ireland 3Stefan Reynolds 11-12-13 Regional & Overseas Femine Mystics - Sr Sara Grant Silent Retreats 2011 13 Sangha Contacts 16 Sr Bertha Wilcox 4-5-6 bgs_newsletter_spring2011.indd 1 25/01/2011 08:53:58 2 THE BEDE GRIFFITHS SANGHA NEWSLETTER Welcome to the The Sangha Spring 2011 Newsletter This Newsletter is published AM I A MEMBER OF as members of our Sangha, although three times a year to provide a THE SANGHA? some of us are more involved and have forum for articles and comment ver time we have found ourselves been around for longer! Everyone is within the remit of the Sangha Ousing the word ‘member’ to welcome. You may enjoy reading the to search for the truth at describe those who become involved newsletters and attending retreats, the heart of all religions, to with the Sangha. Consequently, or you may wish to become more record Sangha activities and people ask what they need to do to involved and help on retreats and with give details of future events become a Sangha member. In fact it is the day to day running of the Sangha, and resources available. easy – initially your interest, and then if this is the case please contact: Correspondence and contributions for inclusion in future your participation and contribution, in Joan Walters editions are welcome and will be whatever form, all qualify you! If you contact@bedegriffi thssangha.org.uk considered by the editorial team. are reading this - Welcome - please 01646 692496 To receive a printed copy of the feel part of our Sangha. When we meet to fi nd out about how you can become Newsletter, please send your at events we consider all those present more involved details to Martin Neilan, 5 Flemish Close, St Florence, Pembrokeshire SA70 8LT 01834 871433 Polish Newsletter [email protected] for inclusion on our data base. The Newsletter is free but an annual The Newsletter is now to be translated into Polish by Andrzej Ziolkowski, who is donation towards costs is invited a member of the World Community of Christian Meditators living in Poland and with the edition. Copies, for friends is happy to make the ideals of Fr.Bede accessible to an ever widening audience. or interested organisations, can be provided. Current and back numbers of the Newsletter are available on Summer Retreat with Brother Martin www.bedegriffi thssangha.org.uk In the immediate future there will his year the Sangha will be kitchen garden supplies seasonal be a rota of newsletter editors so Tholding its Summer Retreat from fruit and vegetables for meals served please send all correspondence Monday 18th to Wednesday 20th July. in the house. The main house has regarding the newsletter to the assistant editor Brother Martin will be joining us from just re-opened following complete John Careswell Shantivanam. He will be talking on renovation and now meets all modern 26 Mendip Drive, Frome, the theme of ‘A New Song of Creation’ day standards of comfort and amenity. Somerset, BA11 2HT – a retelling of the Creation story. The gardens offer space for quiet 01373 471317 refl ection and it is a lovely countryside [email protected] By the time we started to consider a for walking in. SANGHA CONTACTS retreat for next July we could not fi nd a Sangha Contact and Editor suitable retreat house with availability On the second evening we shall Joan Walters, Church House, at a weekend. As a consequence and have the opportunity of listening to Steynton, Milford Haven, Pembs hopefully for this year only we have traditional storytelling with Elizabeth SA73 1AW 01646 692496 to hold the retreat during the week. Vooght, an experienced storyteller who contact@bedegriffi thssangha.org.uk However we have been very fortunate sees her art as opening new creations Sangha Working Group in being able to book Launde Abbey. in our imagination, thus connecting Jane Lichnowski, 82 Gloucester www.launde.org.uk with Brother Martin’s theme. Road, Cirencester, GL7 2LJ 01285 651381 [email protected] Launde Abbey which is probably one of To receive the wisdom of Brother UK Contact with Shantivanam the fi nest retreat houses in England is a Martin’s teaching within the beauty Michael Giddings - 07810 366860 lovely country house within extensive and deeply spiritual space of Launde [email protected] gardens and 450 acres of parkland. Abbey is an exciting prospect but Bede Griffi ths Charitable Trust Situated on the Leicestershire/Rutland spaces are very limited and we would Adrian Rance, border 15 miles east of Leicester and urge all those who would like to come Weir Cottage, Weir Road, Saddington, 6 miles west of Oakham it has good to book as soon as possible. Leicestershire, LE88 0RD road and rail communications. The 07775 600 385 house dates back in part to the 16th A booking form is enclosed with [email protected] Century and has a magnifi cent 12th this newsletter. Newsletter Designer Century chapel. Within the gardens Ricardo Insua-Cao www.rdo.org.uk - [email protected] is a labyrinth which we plan to use Nick and Mary Sadler during the Retreat. A Victorian walled bgs_newsletter_spring2011.indd 2 25/01/2011 08:54:08 THE BEDE GRIFFITHS SANGHA NEWSLETTER 3 Ammerdown December 2010 by Jenny Ireland A HOME COMING daily meditation, chanting/singing with not only the evergreens but here Following the Returning and prayer sessions with otherwise and there gold tinged leafy branches, to Centre Retreat at loosely arranged activities was blissful not yet quite bare from autumn’s (if somewhat turbulent on a personal de-robing. Frosted, crunchy leaves Ammerdown level, reaching a place in me that until underfoot adding scrumptiously to the tepping through the front door now has been left scarcely un-tapped, already overfl owing senses, witnessing of the place I call home with a S resulting in repeated, out of the blue such glorious, natural scenes. reluctance sensed deep in my belly to abundance of tears. Might then this be begin the transition from one ‘ home- a ‘home coming’?). coming’ to another. From a time of warm welcoming and togetherness Seeing Bede Griffi ths projected on and sharing; a time of holding; back the big screen from a DVD, life- to the ordinary ‘stuff’ of life, checking sized, as if sitting within our circle phone messages, emails, opening post; speaking in our intimate midst… (in activities happily left behind over the reality a talk on non-duality to an past 48 hours, and getting on with it in audience of Mystics & Scientists) was ‘mono’, this life of mine. an extraordinary introduction to this truly wise and wonderful man. Oh to How then, to re-enter the regular day have met him… to day, yet keep a-hold of the richness of experience and of being, after such Being at Ammerdown, a serene, a retreat? caring environment with its cosy accommodation, bountiful meals so I shall continue to read Shirley du delicious it was hard not to over-eat, Boulay’s oh so digestible ‘Beyond the and the smiling staff and volunteers Darkness’; I shall dip into the little eager to make our stay as comfortable booklet of prayers, bhajans and chants as comfortable can be. All this was a Meeting again with friendly familiar and try to recall the tunes which so treat. faces from the Gaunts House retreat enchant me; and I shall challenge (my fi rst experience of the Bede myself to sit in silence and solitude Taking time out to wrap up and go Griffi ths Sangha) was a joy. And new (as suggested by Father Lawrence at outside, discovering nature’s ‘temple’ faces soon became known, easy and Gaunts) and meditate… until the next – breathtakingly beautiful! What a safe to be around. Bede Griffi ths Retreat. stunning part of the countryside in all it’s white and wintry glory, glistening Slipping back into the “wonder-fi lled” With heart felt thanks to all who were there with such delicate silvery frost and (quote Jane L!) structure of thrice- Jenny Ireland yet offering great depth of colour too bgs_newsletter_spring2011.indd 3 25/01/2011 08:54:09 4 THE BEDE GRIFFITHS SANGHA NEWSLETTER Feminine Mystics - Sr. Sara Grant by Sr. Bertha Wilcox I am grateful to Val Cherry for the following piece on a most In 1956 Sara was sent to India to remarkable woman. It is reproduced here with the permission head the newly formed Department of Philosophy at Sophia College, Bombay, of the Sacred Heart Congregation. a “sending” which she described as “a In Memoriam: Sr. Sara Grant, RSCJ death and rebirth for which I can never (1922-2002) be grateful enough.” Her fi rst interest was the students, their personal growth One of the great pioneers of of life there, and the infl uence of her to mature life.