[UD News] Weekly Happenings
"This storm is you."“Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing directions. You change direction but the sandstorm chases you. You turn again, but the storm adjusts. Over and over you play this out, like some ominous dance with death just before dawn. Why? Because this storm isn't something that blew in from far away, something that has nothing to do with you. This storm is you. Something inside of you. So all you can do is give in to it, step right inside the storm, closing your eyes and plugging up your ears so the sand doesn't get in, and walk through it, step by step. There's no sun there, no moon, no direction, no sense of time. Just fine white sand swirling up into the sky like pulverized bones. That's the kind of sandstorm you need to imagine.
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And once the storm is over you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about.”
– “Kafka on the Shore,” by Murakami Haruki.
Progress at the Drikung Forest HermitageDr. Lye (now back in town from his recent travels) and volunteers from Urban Dharma recently visited the site of the Drikung Forest Monastery in Green Mountain to check on the progress of the newly erected Dharma Hall. Check out more photos on the Drikung Kagyu Foundation's post here! Development at the site is proceeding nicely thanks to generous donors, the supervision of project manager Bill L., and the much-appreciated work of many helpful volunteers! Stay tuned for updates and opportunities to help out with this project. Upcoming: Freedom from FearsStatistically speaking, we are living at a time where violent crime rates are down, life expectancy is higher than we have ever seen, and technology has made life more secure and less difficult. Yet, fear and anxiety seem to drive many of the decisions we make whether as individuals or as national, ethnic, class, or religious collectives. Why is this so? Is there an alternative? Dr. Lye invites you to a special retreat on Lady Tārā—a buddha who vowed to always appear in a female form to protect beings from any and all fears. Dr. Lye will help us consider this paradox of fear and offer traditional vajrayāna resources on working with fear through the principle and practice of Tārā. You are encouraged to attend both days but can choose to attend only one.The only commitment to taking the empowerment is a desire to benefit self and other. Program will be in English. Register here!
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Notice:
Please note that we will not be holding Sunday Smoke Cleansing on 2/23 or 3/2 due to the temple hosting other programs currently scheduled for those days. We will send additional reminders of this on the respective weeks.
Urban Dharma
This Weekend: Blessing-Empowerments from H.E. Drikung Tritsab Rinpoché Achi, Mahakala, & Guru Rinpoche Empowements Photo from His Eminence's last visit (2023) There are still spots to join His Eminince Tritsab Rinpoché’s programs this weekend, June 14 & 15.You can join in-person in West Asheville or via Zoom. Registration link below. There are details on these empowerments and participation prerequisites in the link. Visit Registration Page His Eminence giving a Blessing Empowerment
Blessing-Empowerments from H.E. Drikung Tritsab Rinpoché Achi, Mahakala, & Guru Rinpoche Empowements His Eminence Drikung Tritsab Rinpoché Registration is now open for His Eminince Tritsab Rinpoché’s programs at Urban Dharma NC on weekend of June 14 & 15.You can join in-person in West Asheville or via Zoom. Registration link belo. There are details on these empowerments and participation prerequisites in the link. NOTE: Only 100 spots for online participation & 50 for in-person. Visit...
Tomorrow is Buddha Day Please join us tomorrow for Buddha Day—a celebration of the birth, life, and death of the Buddha. This joint event between Urban Dharma NC, Great Tree Zen Women's Temple, and the Zen Center of Asheville will happen this Saturday, May 10th from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Urban Dharma's temple in West Asheville. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience the depth of traditional buddhist practice, with chanting, guided meditation, and ritual offerings. We will also be...