Finished outbuilding self-retreat block

Hi Dhamma Friends,

It has been a long time since I have posted anything up on this blog. My main postings/dhamma talks have been on the www.lionwisdom.org website. I hope most of you would by now have that website  marked for regular checking.

But here I want to describe what I've been doing during much of this Pandemic isolation.

We have finished the renovation of the old dilapidated horse stable into a nice semi-self-retreat six room outbuilding. It has a workshop/storage room, a meditation room, a compost toilet/sink bathroom and three individual retreat rooms.

We have also had a nice proper fire ring built by a local Boy Scout for his eagle Scout project. And a flourishing bog pond as an outdoor meditation area.

Here I am including some of these and other photos of the Lion of Wisdom Meditation Center.

Lion of Wisdom Meditation Center nestled amongst the trees

Main house in Springtime

In Wintertime

Back entrance

Alter in Meditation hall

Hello, my name is Mitta, the friendly LOW cat

Original condition of horse stable

Early stages of the renovation 

Part way through renovation last year

Preparing for concrete floor

View of back yard in early Spring

View in Summer

Bog pond last summer

In September

The small Lilly pond

Meditation room with French door is the first finished room

Wall painting in the small meditation hall

Progress; room with brass plaque is the bathroom....

.....with compost toilet/urinal/sink

Three individual retreat rooms

Inside finished self- retreat cell with skylight

The other room

Current status of bog pond, August 3rd '21

Bog Pond after sunset with rising Full moon

Fire ring for periodic bonfires and roasting marshmallows

Bonfire on the 4th of July '21

See ya

Please come and visit, participate in one of our meditation classes or retreats or longer self-retreat. All of our programs services are provided without monetary charge, however donations are always needed/appreciated for the ongoing upkeep running of the center, to make available the wonderful, mind healing teachings of the BuddhaDhamma to all.

MAY ALL BEINGS BE WELL, PEACEFUL AND WISE

Greetings for the New Year

 Dear Friends,

The Lion of Wisdom Meditation Center wishes you all of the best in this New Year 2021

Here are links to two Dhamma talks I delivered on YouTube LIVE the last two days of our Year Ending retreat: Dec. 31st talk on the Eightfold Path    This talk begins at minute 9.36

January 1st, Retreat Closing talk--Furthering our Evolution  this talk begins at minute 23.19

This is the link to our LOW YouTube channel: Lion of Wisdom YouTube channel

All of Bhante Rahula's Dhamma talks and Sutta Study classes are available for live broadcasts on Wednesday eve 7-9 pm EST and Sunday afternoons from 2-4 pm EST.

They are also available to participate overt Zoom at the same above times with these links:

Sundays 2-4 pm Dhamma talk and guided meditation: Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/659709393 Meeting ID: 659 709 393; passcode is,  metta

Wednesdays 7-9 pm Sutta class and guided meditation: Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/173871996 Meeting ID: 173 871 996         passcode is,  metta

Here is a list of Introductory talks and guided meditations on Mindfulness/insight meditation practice given by Bhante Rahula, good for beginners.

#1 Introduction to meditation

#2 Mindfulness of Breathing  

#3  Mindfulness in the Body

#4 : Four Foundations of Mindfulness

May all Beings be Well, Peaceful and Wise

4th of July weekend retreat

Photos from our 4th of July Retreat

Hi Friends,

Some of our meditating friends were feeling the need for a short respite from their home isolation so we offered a in house retreat over the Fourth of July. We had limited the retreat to 8 persons to keep our spacing and masks were worn when in close quarters. A few people brought their tents and camped out in our spacious grounds under the full moon. We made a bonfire for our 

4th fireworks with sparks coming off the fire, reflecting on the fire element, while the neighbors were celebrating with traditional fireworks. It was relaxed and casual with periods of yoga and intensive meditation.

I gave the Sunday Dhamma Zoom broadcast reflecting on the meaning of Independence Day from a Dhamma point of view.

Scroll down to the previous post listing the recorded weekly video talks.

Dhamma talks, Q&A, guided meditation and Sutta Study via ZOOM

Hi Dhamma Friends,

I am giving a series of Dhamma talks, Q&A, guided meditation every Sunday at 2 pm Eastern Time (US) and Sutta Study on Wednesday eve. at 7 pm Eastern time via Zoom and YouTube live.
Because of security reasons to avoid "ZOOM Bombing" and unsolicited advertising etc. I am not publishing the links/invites to the Zoom sessions here. If you wish to join you should send an e-mail to: www.info@lionwisdom.org requesting such and the links will be sent to you.

These weekly Zoom sessions will also be broadcast live on the Youtube channel available at the following links:

https://tinyurl.com/LOWYTLive    

OR

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ5NGIb3SeXqKuKP5FX0__g

Otherwise, these talks are being recorded and are/will be available to see on YouTube. Please follow our Lion of Wisdom website: www.lionwisdom.org for the links to the recorded Zoom sessions

MAY ALL BEINGS BE HEALTHY, MINDFUL AND WISE

These Trying Times

Dear Friends in Dhamma/meditation

This is a very challenging time for people/beings all over the world and the modern globalization and internet bring it home more quickly. The spread of this virus in a way reflects the internal spread of ignorance, misinformation, fear, greed and hatred that has/is infected/infecting the minds of people around the world.
This is the time when the teachings of the Dhamma of Impermanence and no-self and the practice of mindfulness meditation is sorely needed in order to remain calm and grounded in the present moment with wisdom and friendliness/compassion towards ourself and others. 
Those of you who are having more leisure time and confinement to home due to being laid off, or working from home can use this 'blessing in disguise' to  practice more simplicity and meditation. Especially try to increase the practice of the M&M, 'minute of meditation'. This is to stop whenever you are moving too quickly or worrying about something, feel you feet pressing the floor and take a few deep slow breaths, holding the breath in the lungs two or three seconds and slowly let out the breath. This is one of the most simple and natural ways of letting go of the past and future, letting go or negative thoughts, and touching base with the present moment awareness which is always 'just beneath our nose'. The more you can do that at least every hour you find it a great benefit for helping to keep more relaxed and grounded during the day.

As a Kalyanamitta, spiritual friend, this is what is offered in this time of stress and uncertainty.

Stay Mindful, Wise and Healthy

Bhante Yogavacara Rahula

Year end holiday greetings

Hi Dhamma friends,

It is that year end holiday season again and along with all the negative vibrations going on in the world, we need to recharge our meditation batteries of mindfulness concentration and wisdom. So I am re-posting the Buddhamas Carol, or Ode to the Vipassana Yogi that I usually put up around this time.

Please check out this website: https://themeditationcircle.com/archives/3282 to read the history of the song, lyrics and hear the audio version of the song.

           MAY ALL BEINGS BE WELL PEACEFUL AND WISE

Summertime at LOW

 

Summertime greenery in Maryland

Hi friends,

We are now in the middle of summer here in Maryland, and we have had a series of visitors, our longest retreat, and a youth camp.

From May 31st until June 22nd we had thirteen of my old Dhamma students from Germany (5) and Canada (8) visiting and attending a special one week retreat from June 8-16th.

Over the Fourth of July weekend we had 36 young people ages 10-19 plus many of their parents here for our 2nd annual Dhamma Youth camp. Each morning I lead them in Yoga exercises and a short meditation session. The rest of the day consisted in various fun games and educational demonstrations including medical CPR, tying knots and Surveying 101; In the evening there was a bon fire with Dhamma themed skits acted out by the adults and students. Everyone seemed to have a nice beneficial time.

For the remainder of this year we are having four more weekend retreats here. Please visit our website for those dates: www.lionwisdom.org

Our improved/expanded restroom facilities here have increased our ability to hold multi-day retreats. we are now accepting people with meditation experience to come when they can to make short self-retreats or spend a few days in a more casual Dhamma environment.

Dhamma Youth Camp July 5-7

 Youth Camp participants

Work project of planting a tree

Evening camp fire

morning meditation

The new small lily pond with individual meditation tents

June 8-16th retreat

Retreatants from Germany and  Ottawa,Canada 

Enjoying the views from our large front porch

Klaus and Miyako enjoy a stroll on our large property

 Hiking on Sugarloaf Mountain after the retreat

A cake for my 71st birthday on June 21st


May All Beings Be Well, Peaceful and Wise