July News 2023
Bodhipaksa can now get on with what he loves doing
Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to the Abhayaratna Trust appeal to help me cover my medical bills. It’s going to be such a relief to pay off the $3000 I owe to one hospital as well as the roughly $800 that I owe to another from a separate issue last year. Having this financial and emotional burden lifted is wonderful. It allows me to just get on with life and with teaching meditation and Buddhism - which is what I love doing more than anything. I really am touched that so many people rallied round to help. It’s a beautiful thing.
In case you’re wondering, I am in very good health. For the visit that occasioned the larger bill, there had been a suspicion of a problem with my spinal nerves - anything from a bulging disc to cancer - but the MRI and x-rays showed nothing out of the ordinary, and since then I’ve had no unusual symptoms. Thank you again! With metta, Bodhipakṣa
Until the end of July you can still register for Bodhipaksa’s 75 email meditation course - register here at letting go into joy to participate by donation.
Ujjalamati and Amritadaka’s response to their appeal
The generosity of the Order flowing through the Abhayaratna Trust is a thing of joy and beauty to experience. In our lives we have both made a practice of generosity to others, but have often found it difficult to ask for or receive support from others.
This appeal has been an opening and connecting experience. It has been wonderful getting the messages of loving kindness from sangha near and far. The financial assistance will help tremendously in a practical sense, while also alleviating a great deal of mental and emotional strain. This also alleviates some pressure on Amritadaka of being the sole provider for our household since February. Thank you for helping us at this time, may the Buddha-seeds forever thrive! Ujjalamati & Amritadaka in New Zealand
Mahasraddha talks with Paramashanti about local care networks
In 2021, the Abhayaratna Trust launched a new initiative – the Local Care Network (LCN) project - with the aim of helping sanghas develop more organised and effective local frameworks of care, leading to a local culture in which care is more explicit and in which the sangha participates as a collective.
The LCN project was originally devised in light of the ageing demographic of the Order and the anticipated increase in care and support needs. However, as we have all probably witnessed, care and support related to physical and/or mental health can arise at any age, so the Local Care Network project is actually not age-specific at all.
The LCN project has been piloted in several Triratna Centres in the UK - with international interest too - and the original concept has been further developed to allow Centres to more easily instigate a LCN. Mahashraddha
Kavyamani joins the Trust
We are very pleased to have Kavyamani join us as a Trustee. Kavyamani brings valuable experience and skills to the work of the Trust.
She writes; ‘I have long been aware of and quietly impressed by the work of the Abhayaratna Trust. I was initially approached by my good friend Danayutta, herself a Trustee, to find out if I would be interested in getting involved. After initial conversations with members of the Trust and having attended the recent Trustee meeting, I instantly sensed that my work background (15 years in the NHS in integrated community health and social care services) could be put to good use in the day to day work of the Trust, as well as plans the organisation has in future. It is a great honour to have become an Abhayaratna Trustee and I look forward to seeing how I can contribute my energy, skills and enthusiasm to the charity.’
‘Tales of death’
Former Abhayaratna Trustee Ratnachuda, has had a book called Tales of Death just published (available in different formats here from Amazon). And you might like to read this interview conversation he had Sangharakshita on the subject of death and grief.
Other ways to give?
We love regular donations and there are also other ways to give. One of our supporters, Prakashadhi, recently wrote to tell us that when she lets out her flat in mid Wales she gives most of the money to Triratna charities, including Abhayaratna Trust. We love your ways of giving.
And you might have noticed we have a new way to support some Order members in financial need, through our gallery of artwork. Follow this link to view Garava’s Gallery, and scroll down to see details of each painting and a suggested donation.
Please contact jinavamsa@abhayaratnatrust.org if you are interested in donating for one of these works. Thank you.
Donate now
Only if you bank outside the UK chose option 3 direct PayPal, or email jinavamsa@abhayaratnatrust.org for other ways to give.
Communications Support: jinavamsa@abhayaratnatrust.org - Send your ideas, reflections and feedback - we love to hear from you.