iSangha

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The Buddha taught us that everything is impermanent, changing, unreliable. Tilorien Monastery set up its iSangha to meet the shifting, uncertain circumstances the Covid-19 pandemic brought so many of us across the globe as we moved into lockdown. Now, years after the pandemic, meeting in person is still not possible for many. Regardless, we are still able to meditate and discuss the Dhamma together with our friends on the path.

We can take this opportunity to put the Buddha’s teachings into action and help each other to deal with the stress and uncertainty of life; support each other, especially the vulnerable, with our kind deeds and make time for meditation, listening to Dhamma teachings and joining together with spiritual friends online.

Times like these can be the most valuable for our growth in the Dhamma and cultivation of the factors of the noble eightfold path, and we warmly invite you to join us in the Tilorien iSangha.

If you want a good start or end of the day, we hope our daily meditation sessions will give you a supportive framework, and likewise that the rest of our programme benefits your practice whether you are just dropping in, or are an iSangha regular. Some more information about our Dhamma Contemplation Group you can find below.

Programme:

The times given below are local to Belgium (CET). To find times for where you are, click on an event title.

Everyone is welcome!

For those of who would like to follow the morning and evening chanting, our chanting book is available for download. You can just sit and listen to the chantings or participate if you like.

For a link to the Zoom sessions please send a message through our contact form and select “iSangha access” (or “Dhamma Contemplation Group”) as the subject.

You can view past iSangha guest talks on Samita ASBL’s YouTube channel.

With warm wishes for your well-being and happiness,
Ven. Vimala

Dhamma Contemplation Group

The Dhamma Contemplation Group Practice on Mondays provides an accessible doorway into the rich vein of Buddha´s wisdom. Just as we can experience the intimate and insightful dialogue with a good friend or teacher, we can do so with the Buddha via his legacy in a remarkably direct way: human to human, in direct contact with the wisdom texts.

Every week we explore a new Dhamma Text and one of us is the Facilitator of the session. From time to time, a trained Insight Dialogue Facilitator visits and guides us on a DC Session. The weekly Facilitator selects the Text which is a wonderful opportunity to search for a special Sutta, a Sutta that the Facilitator wishes to share with the DC Group.

Each DC Session lasts 90 minutes: we start and finish in silence. Then, we follow 5 Stages of Practice which support the text exploration and allow us to go deeper into the many layers of each Dhamma Text. The DC Sessions help us to develop meditative qualities like intuitive awareness, deep listening, wholesome speech, inner confidence, trust in the teachings as well as gratitude, loving kindness, empathy, joy, patience and stillness. In a nutshell, we truly become Kalyanamittas, Spiritual Friends. Please, know more about the DC Practice Phases here: https://insightdialogue.org/relational-practices/dharma-contemplation/practice-phases/

Like any other skill or practice, it is necessary to attend regularly the DC Sessions in order to appreciate and deeply value its beneficial effects and positive results in our lives. For example, it is an excellent way to learn and study the Suttas in shared contemplation. We learn so much from each other´s perspectives and life experiences. Then, the Sutta stays in our hearts at least for a week, perhaps longer or for our entire lives!

You are most welcome to join us, we are a small and very international DC Group and the DC Sessions are in English. If you wish to participate, please fill in this short contact form.