1015 W. 2nd St.
Little Rock, AR

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    Nyingma

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    Silent Sitting

 

 

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The Ecumenical Buddhist Society of Little Rock is a non-profit organization. Donations are tax deductible.

Welcome To EBSLR.org

The purpose of the Ecumenical Buddhist Society is to provide a place where anyone can meditate with others on a daily or weekly basis, to bring Buddhist teachers, retreats, classes, and social events to the Little Rock area and to help provide ways to explore different branches and practices of Buddhist philosophy. (about EBS)


Events & News



MOVIE NIGHT!!

Vajra Sky
School's Out for Summer!
Movie Night and Potluck!

Friday, July 10th,
6:30-9:00 p.m.

6:30 p.m.—Pot Luck—Bring some food you would like to share for dinner. We’ll have vegetarian food, sandwiches, and drinks. 7:00 p.m.—Screening of the movie, "Vajra Sky"

Vajra is the Sanskrit word signifying the thunderbolt of illumination, and yatra is the word for pilgrimage or spiritual journey. This enthralling documentary offers a cinematic pilgrimage to central Tibet, bearing witness to the indomitable faith of its endangered Buddhist community and the imminent threat to its very survival.

Traveling through breathtaking Himalayan terrain, Vajra Sky Over Tibet visits extraordinary temples, monasteries, and festivals. The enduring power of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism resonates in all of its sacred shrines and echoes within the bustling Jokhang Temple and the empty Potala Palace, home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Come and enjoy this film (approximately 89 minutes long) as a prelude to the pilgrimage talk by Lama Yeshe Wangmo on Friday, July 17th, about her travels through Tibet in June 2009.




Lama Dechen Yeshe Wangmo Returns to Little Rock on July 17-19, 2009
 
Lama Dechen Yeshe Wangmo
Lama Yeshe Wangmo is a practitioner and teacher in the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. She is one of the main teachers for the Vajrayana group in Arkansas.

Public Talk:
The Sacred Sites of Yeshe Tsogyal in Tibet and the Pilgrimage Experience: A Travelogue

Friday, July 17th, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
This evening will be about accounts, images, and personal reflections with Lama Wangmo, who has just returned from a three-week pilgrimage to Tibet. Read about the pilgrimage at www.jnanasukha.org/pilgrimage.
Suggested Donation: $10.00-$15.00
Location: Unitarian Universalist Church, 1818 Reservoir Road

Foundational Practices Retreat:
A Moment of Practice Is Like a Drop of Gold

Saturday, July 18th, to Sunday, July 19th
The foundational practices, known in Tibetan as ngondro, is a set of specific meditation practices which provide the basis for the complete Vajrayana path, from beginning to end. These practices cultivate the spiritual relationship we have with ourselves and with others; they purify and expand our state of mind; and, ultimately, they offer a direct experience of our own enlightened nature. This three-session mini-retreat will provide instruction, personal practice experience, and . . more personal practice experience.
Location: Ecumenical Buddhist Society Meditation Hall
Times: (3 sessions)
Saturday, July 18th 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and
2:00-5:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 19th 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Cost: $40.00 per session or $120.00 for entire retreat
Registration: Pre-registration for the weekend retreat is encouraged, so that we can make the correct number of copies of texts. The registration form for the weekend retreat is on page 3 of the current newsletter. For more information and retreat location, please call Ellis Widner at 501-590-8037 or email him at ellis@jnanasukha.org or contact Charlotte Besch at 501-664-1167.

Private Appointments: Dharma Consults and Hakomi Sessions, July 20th, 21st, and 22nd:
For information and appointments, please contact Lama Wangmo at 888-517-7121 or at yeshe@yeshewangmo.net after June 15.

Lama Dechen Yeshe Wangmo is a practitioner and teacher in the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism. Her Buddhist training began 31 years ago in Canada with meeting Kalu Rinpoche and the XVI Karmapa. Today, her teachers are Lama Tharchin Rinpoche of Repkong and through guru yoga practice, the late Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, one of the greatest masters of the 20th century. In 2001, she established Jnanasukha (Wisdom Bliss), a nonprofit dedicated to serving the revealed mind-treasure of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche known as "The Dakini Heart Essence" (mkha ‘gro thug thig). An accomplished author and translator, she is the director of Orgyen Dechen Cho Dzong on the Big Island of Hawaii. Yeshe is also a certified Hakomi Therapist and Teacher. www.jnanasukha.org; www.yeshewangmo.net




Featured EBS Practice of the Month - Rinzai Zen Practice

Rinzai Zen
During our practice on Thursday evenings, we follow the form that Keido Fukushima Roshi taught during his retreats with students in Arkansas every February at Camp Mitchell on Petit Jean Mountain. We chant the Heart Sutra, sit zazen (sitting meditation), do kinhin (walking meditation), sit zazen and chant the Four Universal Vows. Roshi emphasizes the experiential nature of Rinzai Zen and the importance of doing zazen every day. It is said that the effect of the daily practice of zazen on the ego, is like the effect of water steadily dripping on a rock - wearing away or cutting through the rock of the ego or the small self. The result is a state of mind that is free, empty, creative and fresh; able to respond with wisdom and compassion to whatever arises.

Here are the experiences of some of the practitioners of Rinzai Zen at EBS: "It helps me invite clarity, sanity, serenity and discipline into my life." S.J. "Sitting meditation allows the calm before the clarity. Ever so slowly, the chaos in my mind is recognized and I can allow it to go. In time, by just sitting, I may see my impure actions. I never leave the practice without experiencing some measure of relief from my current suffering and appreciation of life around me that I had forgotten." R.W. "Zen is free of dogma and experientially based. The Great Doubt keeps me from falling into a conceptual trap. I have experienced an 'opening', feeling very grateful. I trust that which I can’t define or label that is precious, loving and healing." M.M. "Through the practice of zazen, I have become better able to see and accept "what is", without judgment, and am better able to respond authentically to what ever I might encounter." J.E.




Rinzai Zen, Quarterly Zazenkai (Day of Zen Meditation)

When: Saturday, August 8th, 2009, 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Cost: FREE! [Donations welcome & tax-deductible.]

Details: Silent meditation, chanting, walking meditation, and a recorded lecture by Roshi Fukushima. Please bring a vegetarian brown bag lunch. The bookstore will be open during the silent lunch hour, Noon-1pm. Tea and light refreshments are available during the breaks. We welcome you to join us for all or part of the day.

For any questions, please leave a phone message at EBS: 501-376-7056 and our practice leader, Judith Elane, will return your call, or you may email Sister Joy at gettingorganized@comcast.net.




Wednesday Nyingma Practice Location Change

For the months of June and July the 5:45 - 7:00 pm Wednesday night Tibetan Nyingma practice group will meet in the small meditation room at EBS.  The new time for the practice is from 6:00 - 7:00 pm.




Donate Online


NEW: We are now accepting pledges and donations online through our donation page. If you would like to make a one time donation or even setup monthly donations to EBS using your credit card, PayPal account or bank account you can now do that through our website.




Introduction to Buddhism

First Monday of each month - 7:00 PM at EBS Center
(There is no Intro to Buddhism in January, July or September)
1015 West Second Street - Little Rock, AR. 72201

This is an excellent starting place for people with little or no knowledge about Buddhism. One of our members will present some history of Buddhism and talk about the different traditions of practice. Meditation technique is also covered. This is very informal and questions are welcomed.




Children's Program

Third Sunday of the month at 4:00 pm at EBS Center - We sit in a circle and start by breathing with the bell, walking together and then listen to a story read from a Buddhist children's book. Then we share fresh fruit, served in a tea ceremony style, and introduce ourselves and share mindful conversation. Contact Steve Evans (email) or 501-663-1882.




EBS Support and Mailing List Information

Please help support the Ecumenical Buddhist Society and stay in touch with EBS.
Keep your information current with the above form.




The Latest Newsletter

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PLEASE NOTE: If you are signed up for the EBS email announcements and have not received them, this is most likely caused by some form of email "Spam" filtering. We have had a number of "failed" deliveries. If you have this sent to you at your business email, it will need to be dealt with through them. If through a personal address, it is probably done through your ISP. You may also need to re-send me your address. Emails which have failed repeatedly have been removed from the list.
- Thank you, EBS




Loving Kindness Request
If you would like prayers offered for a loved one or to make request for assistance in times of need, please click the link "Loving Kindness Request" above to send an email. Give us a few details about your situation and someone will contact you.