Three members of the Bristol White Clouds Sangha (WCS) were able to attend the February weekend retreat at Purley Chase titled Discourse on the Five Ways of Putting an End to Anger. 26 people attended in person and 22 people joined on zoom, which was seamlessly managed by the highly competent tech team.
The retreat wad led by UK dharma teachers Vari McLuskie and Theresa Payne. As Vari pointed out in her opening remarks, this is a huge topic. The weekend provided an opportunity to introduce the subject and offered ways and approaches to practicing with this challenging topic.
Vari and Theresa, supported by Rehena Harilall and Gary Greenberg on line, offered personal insights and examples from their own lives of practicing to cool the flames. I found these immensely supportive and useful in providing me with accessible, kind and, in some cases, humorous ways to approach this topic.
The retreat helped me to look at the causes of my feelings of anger and offered some very practical ways to practice with these feelings which can help cool the flames. For both online and in person retreatants, there were three dharma sharing group opportunities in groups of 5 or 6. For me, some very deep sharing took place, held tenderly and with great compassion by the sharing group, for which I am most grateful. This is a big topic and one to which I will return. I feel blessed to have been able to attend and was so grateful to have fellow WCS members with me during the weekend.
The organisation of the weekend, the accommodation and catering created a welcoming and supportive atmosphere within which to practice. And, the beautiful grounds at Purley Chase offered the opportunity for quiet walking meditation, accompanied by bird song and the delights of coming across snowdrops, blossom and the fairy grotto.
Vari will be leading a Day of Mindfulness in Bristol on 21st September 2024
Written by Hilary Templer