Letter from the Buddhadharma Personal impressions of the Wangapeka Buddhadharma Study and Meditation Program 2005by Dawa Rowley* 14 March 2005 Dear Thelma** - where do I begin?? So much info!!!!! We are putting in about 16 hours a day most days. Morning puja at 6am (for those who get there, and I have to admit the day I was finding out how the snooze function worked on my cellphone clock, I didn't!!) Class at 8am with instruction, and theory plus exercises to do during the day to help integrate the instruction. Another class at 3 pm and a sit at 7.30pm. Next week because Tarchin and James are setting the telescopes up at James's for some astronomy classes, but the day is unlikely to start later, despite the necessary late nights to look in telescopes. We spent last week peering at micro life down laboratory quality microscopes under instruction from Mark Webber. It was fascinating seeing some of the multitudes of life forms permeating water, earth and air beyond our usual ken. Once, watching creatures busy going about their lives in a drop of pond water magnified 400 times, I had an overwhelming sense of looking down on the Queen street Victoria street intersection in central Auckland. The same forces of hunger, survival, keeping warm enough, cool enough, following likes, avoiding dislikes. I'm not putting this at all well, but do you see what I'm getting at? Coming up for air after an hour watching a rotifer a few microns in length - I felt like I was walking round on a slide in the microscope myself, with the universe watching. It was interesting weaving dharma classes through the scientific study. In the afternoons Mark gave meditations working with the central and side channels which helped keep the energy moving when so much emphasis was on the thinking function during the rest of the day. The main dining hall became a laboratory and we ate outside. We each had to find a microscopic creature, study it (Mark had brought heaps of university texts with him) and make a presentation to the group. Given that there was a range of experience from someone who flew through seventh form biology chemistry and physics last year, several with science degrees and me with neither expertise nor vocabulary in the area - it was fascinating to see how the group worked together helping each other locate information, taking an interest in each others studies, and absorbed in their own. The thing was it was a field none of us had ever explored deeply, so in a way it was new to everyone. There would be bodies, books and equipment sprawled in apparent disorder everywhere. But when you looked closer the room was humming with orderly activity and very focussed energy. I haven't described it very well, but the trained schoolteacher in me, who was disappointed in how systems (and class sizes) (and lack of equipment) limited learning opportunities until the kids were being fed in spurts dictated by small segments of the clock, who often longed to let a group run with something that interested them for a week on end and to hell with the curriculum, but wasn't permitted to- is fascinated with this educational experiment. It is also interesting to note that the group willingly worked 16 or more hours a day for nine days while we had the teacher and the microscopes there - so when you say we studied this for a week, it doesn't mean in the same way as when we are at school where a week's study can mean three one hour lectures and some reading!! Tarchin is giving ongoing teaching and exercises to develop sensory/bodily awareness including complex exercises with the chinese balls - two in each hand. I am really excited about the programme and enjoying a real pleasure in learning. It almost feels like a physical expansion as the mind gives up it's limitations and let's itself grow. Did I mention that there is an ongoing study of anatomy and physiology - using textbooks and the net etc to be able to enliven the classical meditation on the thirty-two parts of the body? Also that we are using art projects (such as weaving at the moment) to explore the skandas and such? Did I mention participants range in age from 17 to 77?? Male and female. I'm running out of time. Use this if any of it works for you. Edit at will. I'm off to Rohana's graduation this week. Rinpoche's Ashes are being installed in the pagoda this weekend, but I won't be there for it. A shame as I'd love to hear Terry teach! Anyway dear friend, I hope the first bit of teaching** hasn't been too much of a strain and that all is well with you. Take care. There is a very competent person doing liason for the web site, and a keen photographer, so you should get plenty of pictures. lots of love, Dawa* * Dawa Rowley is attending the Buddhadharma Program 2005. ** Thelma Rodgers is the Wangapeka webmaster, in March 2005 teaching an architectural design project (on Buddhadharma!) at Auckland University. Click here for the printfriendly version of this page About Us / Program / Teachers / Treasury / Buddings / Images / Links / Books / Stay / Contact Us / Members
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