Showing posts with label center. Show all posts
Showing posts with label center. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Friday, May 16, 2025
Thai Buddhist Temple Tour, LA (5/17)
Azusa Thai Buddhist Temple Tour
 |
| What used to be rural became suburban: DIMC |
The Buddhist temple is called the Dhammakaya International Meditation Center (USA), and the tour is:
- Saturday, May 17, 3:00-4:00 pm (PDT)
- Dhammakaya Int'l Meditation Center
- 865 E. Monrovia Place
- Azusa, Los Angeles, California 91702
- By donation.
 |
| This exists in Los Angeles, in the United States? |
Come immerse in the serene atmosphere of this retreat from the city and explore the preserved 20th century architecture of Old Azusa, back when the city used to be a citrus grove.
The meditation center sits on the property of The MacNeil House, a beautiful historic landmark built in 1932 by Louise Slauson MacNeil, the daughter of Azusa Founder Jonathan Sayre Slauson.
 |
| Dhammakaya meditation is a special technique near the navel |
 |
| Dhammakaya main hall, Azusa, SGV, LA |
Quoins on the edge of the building’s adjacent wings mimic stone building techniques that were used in ancient Rome. The multi-paned grille windows in the middle of the mansion are designed in the Colonial Revival style popular in 1932.
In 1947, the Jesuit Order of the Society of Jesus took ownership of the estate and established the Manresa Retreat center on the grounds.
Since 1997, the Dhammakaya International Meditation Center has been honored to play a role in preserving this cultural and historical landmark of Azusa, California.
 |
| Secular Peace Point Meditation at DIMC |
Friendly guides will share fascinating insights into Thai culture and Theravada Buddhism, providing a unique cultural experience.
Stroll through the peaceful gardens and enjoy the tranquil ambiance.
Schedule
- 3:00 pm - Introduction to the history of the Center
- 3:15 pm - Walking tour of the historical MacNeil House building
- 3:25 pm - Visit the main meditation hall, rose garden, retreat grounds
- 3:40 pm - Short meditation session in the MacNeil House Library
- 3:50 pm - Refreshments in the dining hall
- 4:00 pm - Departure to return again soon
- Azusa Thai Temple Tour Tickets, Sat, May 17, 2025 at 3:00 PM | Eventbrite; Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation) (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly
Friday, February 7, 2025
LA Fire FREE healing session (2/8)
WHAT HAPPENED?
As above, so below. There are two stories to The Awareness Center, a Kundalini Yoga studio in Pasadena. Entering the room, participants spread out on borrowed yoga mats on the hardwood floor, most of the group was already on stage, waiting for Seven to make an entrance.
The large shamanic drum began to drone, the bowls came alive with their unique vibrations attuned to each of the chakras, and the rainstick began to pour.
Event details
 |
| The natural elements are for us, even fire. |
We're offering a FREE sound bath and emotional healing to support Los Angeles residents affected by the recent fires.
Experience Tibetan singing bowls, harmonium, shamanic drum, rainstick, temple muyu, gong, and more.
Sound has no power to vibrate or cleanse
 |
| Shamans connect us to unseen energies. |
Soothing vibrations restore balance, ease stress and strain, and bring back peace of mind. It's time for the recovery to start by resetting our own nervous systems. First, attend to the body, the mind will follow, and wholeness is in sight.
WHO IS IT FOR? Those most impacted whether emotionally, psychologically, or physically by the Eaton Fire/Los Angeles Fire. (Yeah, this means you). RSVP FREE:
- Disclosure Project: LA FIRE FREE HEALING, sound bath, meditation for all impacted by disaster, Sat, Feb 8, 2025, 4:00 PM | Meetup
- PasaDharma: LA FIRE FREE HEALING, sound bath, meditation for all impacted by disaster, Sat, Feb 8, 2025, 4:00 PM | Meetup
- Nature Center: LA FIRE FREE HEALING, sound bath, meditation for all impacted by disaster, Sat, Feb 8, 2025, 4:00 PM | Meetup
- Email: dancinglunarin@gmail.com
Sunday, November 3, 2024
Bodhi Tree Bookstore co-founder dies
 |
| Stan Madson and the late Phil Thompson inside Bodhi Tree Bookstore (wikipedia) |
Goodbye, Bodhi Tree Bookstore! Melrose Ave.
As part of our continuing series "Adventures in Church," we this morning enjoyed a peaceful Sunday service with the Quakers, one of the best forms of Christianity we have ever come to know (which also has a few others worth mentioning: Gnostic, Unitarian Universalist, and Seventh Day Adventist). This morning at the Friends' Meeting in Pasadena, one Friend stood up to remember Bodhi Tree Bookstore Co-Founder Phil Thompson.
- (Ronnie Pontiac) PHIL THOMPSON of the Bodhi Tree Bookstore, West Los Angeles, shuffled off the mortal coil yesterday [Halloween 2024]. Many people owe him gratitude. Phil had a high paying job designing weapons of mass destruction for the U.S., but instead he decided to quit it and open a spiritual bookstore. What a magical place the store was! Read about its amazing history below.*
(Wisdom Quarterly) It's hard to overstate the importance of LA's own New Age mecca, Bodhi Tree Books, second in importance only to its namesake, the original tree in ancient Proto-India even before the area came to be known as Buddhist Bihar.
There would be no Wisdom Quarterly (which began in print form) without it because so much that was learned and is now shared in these pages was gleaned from one corner of the store that sold Buddhist Publication Society books. (Hundreds of those Bodhi Leaves and Wheel titles are now available FREE from BPS.lk in Kandy, Sri Lanka).
All the other books about other religions in the emporium are out of print or available on storekiller Bezos' venture (amazon.com). We prefer to support independent bookstores like Alexandria II and Vroman's so long as they last. Thompson is survived by his fellow founder and family.
Filmed on location (with actors)
WARNING: It's hard to film a movie, even in West Hollywood, so close to where the movie industry became a worldwide business. This good idea devolves into a violent and sophomoric attempt, funny only for its location and what it may have been trying to say originally. Blood, gore, bad acting.
FILM: Foxfur: Bodhi Tree Bookstore
(Damon Packard) 12/16/11. Set in December of 2012, following the arrival of Foxfur and Khris at the Bodhi Tree Bookstore and following Khris' encounter with the Pleiadian beam ship above the Bodhi Tree. Foxfur disappears and Dewshine appears. Bob Lazar is wandering the aisles, wondering why no one came to his book signing.
Semjase is a real Pleiadean or Plejaren ET, a beautiful Nordic alien, who contacted Billy Meier. He is the founder of a UFO religion called the "Free Community of Interests for the Border and Spiritual Sciences and Ufological Studies" and a contactee whose stacks of UFO photos are claimed to show alien UFO spacecraft (vimanas). Meier claims he is in regular contact with ET beings, which he calls the Plejaren [2]. He further presented metal samples, sound recordings, and film footage as evidence. How is it possible? It is said that Meier claims to be the seventh reincarnation after six prophets common to Christianity, Judaism, and Islam: Enoch, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Immanuel (aka Jesus), and Muhammad [3]. More
Are all Plejarens blond beauties?
David Icke is discovered working the cash register at the bookstore under new cholo (Mexican gang member) management after his vanishing in early 2012. The bookstore was located under the Hollywood sign, just a few miles from the studios, next to the glass pyramid that is the Beverly Center. Scenes from the upcoming mini feature FOXFUR.
Scenes featuring Paris Wagner, Khris Kaneff, Rigg Kennedy, Erica Rhodes, Bob Ellis, Jared Cyr, Ervin J Ross, Kristine Caluya, Joseph Olibrice, Christopher Turner, Rick Klu, Linda Mintz, Stanley Griego, Abraham Rubio, Craig Henderson, Vincenzo De Ghoulie, Bogart Linares, Carlos Minoz, Tony Mendera, and Stephen Walter as the property manager. Written and directed by Damon Packard. A Stephen Carter Production.
*Illuminate Heart and Mind: Bodhi Tree Books
Ronnie Pontiac, via Threads, Nov. 1, 2024, and medium.com, March 8, 2020
 |
| How do you know if you're hip? |
Like a Tibetan wind horse, for decades the flag of the Bodhi Tree Bookstore rode the breeze above Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood.
At first the freak flag flew to attract only the most underground. Then it became the flag over the capitol of the New Age. Who could count the number...that have known the complementary Bodhi Tree bookmark, with its tree logo, and the slogan: "Books to Illuminate the Heart and Mind"?
At first, run by hippies for hippies, with only a few portraits of spiritual masters on the walls, it seemed like a mirage conspired by a couple of dropouts. Then punk rockers arrived, because at the Bodhi Tree they could find books by William Burroughs, Patti Smith, and Bukowski.
As the New Age grew from a mild trickle to a mighty river, for enthusiasts the Bodhi Tree became not only the top destination in Southern California, but for many, in the United States...
[Co-Founders] Stan Madson and Phil Thompson were a couple of literal rocket scientists, aerospace engineers to be exact. They weren’t the only young people who wanted to do something more positive with their lives at the end of the 1960s.
However, they are among the few who actually did it. They created the Bodhi Tree Bookstore. In an interview with Ray Hemachandra in 2006, Stan talked about the origins of the Bodhi Tree Bookstore. It all began when he attended an event headlined by Timothy Leary:
“Tim Leary was there in a white gown, and he opened by having The Grateful Dead play music. I had never heard of The Grateful Dead. Leary said the idea was to tune in, turn on, and drop out.” But Stan was working in aerospace, he couldn’t take the plunge.
Next came Zen meditation. Then a serendipitous meeting while on a walk in Calabasas led to “a session of private talks with Krishnamurti on an estate in Malibu. So about 30 of us were sitting around talking with Krishnamurti.”
Transcendental meditation followed. “Out of all of this, and sitting around and talking amongst ourselves, we decided that there was something intrinsically wrong with doing aerospace and supporting the practice of thermonuclear war.” Years later, looking back on his life, he expressed his happiness that he had found [Buddhist] “right livelihood.”
 |
| The Beatles travel to India to meet their guru. |
On July 10, 1970, the Bodhi Tree opened. Bodhi Tree’s first Christmas, George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” was Number 1. But Janis Joplin had just died that October. Jimi Hendrix had died only a few weeks before Janis. Jim Morrison would die the following summer.
Soon the clean mellow sound of California folk pop, the introspection of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Carole King, ruled the airwaves. People turned inward in search of answers to suddenly pressing questions about the meaning of life, the laws of good health, and the history of human spirituality.
By 1976 the Bodhi Tree’s business had doubled then redoubled and so on so rapidly that they bought the building they had been leasing. The labor of love they themselves didn’t expect to last very long had become a success.
Dan and Marj decided to move on, perhaps because the Bodhi Tree was turning into a demanding business. On the last day of November in 1972, Phil and Elsa along with Stan and Fran formed a corporation called Bodhi Tree Bookstore Incorporated. They dropped the tea shop but always offered free tea for customers to drink and a wide selection of exotic and rare blends, both packaged and bulk, the latter to be scooped out of big glass jars and poured into ever present plastic bags.
In 1978, the small bookcase of used books grew into a stucco cottage next door that became Bodhi Tree Used Book Branch. It had a few shelves on the porch outside the old wooden door offering free books at any hour.
When shoppers entered, they breathed in the aromatic delights of the bulk herb room. Shelves of big mason jars filled with dried lavender, rose petals, licorice root, eyebright, star anise, chamomile, eucalyptus leaves, teas, and of course catnip. More:
- Illuminate the Heart and Mind: The Bodhi Tree Bookstore (Ronnie Pontiac | Medium)
- Laziness does not exist. Psychological research is clear
- I'm 72 years old, healthy, retired for 5 years and completely bored with my life — I want to go back to work but no one wants to hire me because of my age. What can I do?
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Indigenous Peoples' Day Party (10/19)
 |
| We're still here even after our language was made illegal to speak and our sustainable way of life was destroyed to assimilate us. |
 |
| Party: Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, 11:00 am-4:00 pm, Jerry Moss Plaza, The Music Center, DTLA |
.jpg) |
| "Native American Day" in Berkeley, California, became the first Indigenous Peoples Day. |
 |
| We're here to conquer, so get in line and wait for welfare checks, and say, "Thank you, sir." |
 |
| Native American foods on Indigenous Peoples' Day: Three Sisters of amaranth, beans, squash |
.
The Music Center presents: The Chapter House Indigenous Peoples' Day Party
 |
| Native American blended beauty (Fiiliia) |
Celebrate Los Angeles’ Indigenous communities on October 19th, 2024, at Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center. FREE.
The Music Center’s programming arm, TMC Arts, in partnership with The Chapter House, create a space on two Saturdays in October for cultural affirmation and joy among the county’s Indigenous communities.
 |
| We were the guardians of this land. |
The goal is to foster greater awareness, respect, and understanding of the ongoing cultural contributions of Indigenous people among Los Angeles County residents.
These events are by and for Indigenous Peoples. ALL are welcome to join in.
Coinciding with Grand Ave Arts: All Access, one of L.A.’s longest-running, FREE open house experiences for arts and culture exploration in Downtown Los Angeles, The Music Center will host a live drumming performance, live DJ sets, art workshops as well as the return of the marketplace — on Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center.
Performances by:
 |
| Full Circle Indigenous Planning + Design (ABC) |
- DJ Brian Frejo; Hale & Company Drum Group; Native Voices in residence with Center Theatre Group; comedians and storytellers: Joey Clift, Solange Aguilar and Gigi Modrich
- Solange Aguilar, Joolie Fiveash, Sierra Edd, and Tekenya Sanchez
Art Workshops:
 |
| Native American march (photo by Dulcey Lima) |
- Coloring with Blue Bird Flour design outlines with The Chapter House; block printing workshop with meztli projects; “Tovaa'ngar - Toongvey Tribal Ancestral Lands” workshop with Virginia Carmelo; Ethical Sage Harvesting workshop with Nolan Eskeets
Let us know you're coming: The Chapter House Indigenous Peoples' Day Party RSVP (typeform.com).
“All the Real Indians Died Off”: And 20 Other Myths About Native Americans
 |
| 21 myths about American Indians debunked |
This book unpacks the 21 most common myths and misconceptions about Native Americans.
In this enlightening book, scholars and activists Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz and Dina Gilio-Whitaker tackle a wide range of myths about Native American culture and history that have misinformed generations.
Tracing how these ideas evolved, and drawing from history, the authors disrupt long-held and enduring myths such as:
“Columbus discovered America”
The classic history explainer - “Thanksgiving proves the Indians welcomed Pilgrims”
- “Indians were savage and warlike”
- “Europeans brought civilization to backward Indians”
- “The United States did not have a policy of genocide”
- “Sports mascots honor Native Americans”
- “Most Indians are on government welfare”
- “Indian casinos make them all rich”
- “Indians are naturally predisposed to alcohol”
 |
| We set the record straight for everyone to know |
Accessibly written and revelatory, “All the Real Indians Died Off” challenges readers to rethink what they have been taught about Native Americans and history. More
Sunday, September 8, 2024
Adventures in Church: Full Moon Day
 |
| What is Theravada Buddhism? — Theravada Buddhist Council of Malaysia (squarespace.com) |
 |
| Marching in front of the temple grounds at the LA consecration (srilankafoundation.org) |
 |
| It is good to keep the fasting day |
Just as the Abrahamic faiths keep the "Lord's Day" (which had always been Saturday not Sunday, given the very word Sabbath means "Saturday," like the pagan, pre-Christian, Wiccan, Jewish Shabbat, the holy or rest day for spiritual stuff.
The Buddha could see back in time that this custom was very good and should be continued. He gave it a Buddhist spin -- like previous buddhas, observing the Eight Precepts rather than the ordinary daily Five Precepts, fasting (eating only between dawn and noon), practicing intensive meditation, hearing and studying the Dharma and Discipline, the path to liberation pointed out by the Buddha.
He taught a path-of-practice that includes calm and insight meditation (shamatha, the jhanas, satipatthana, and vipassana). These are the practices of:
- serenity (silence and stillness)
- the meditative absorptions (samadhi)
- systematic mindfulness (of the four foundations or domains)
- insight ("clear-seeing") and the Seven Factors of Enlightenment.
- The Buddha taught that the fasting day is for "the cleansing of the defiled mind/heart," resulting in inner calm and joy. On this day, Buddhists intensify their practice, deepen their knowledge, and express communal commitment through millennia-old acts of lay-monastic reciprocity. More
 |
| Rains Retreat (Vassa) schedule lists weekly Dharma talks and monthly Poya or Lunar Observance Days. |
It would be nice and could be very helpful to speed things up to fruition, but it is not necessary. That means a normal, ordinary householder (workaday family person with possessions and worldly obligations) can practice what the Buddha taught and advance in this very life. There's no need to wait.
What are the Four Enlightening Truths, particularly the fourth, which is known as the Enlightening Eightfold Path?
 |
| Buddha-Vajrapani-Herakles in art Uposatha |
Due to scheduling constraints, September's lunar observance day is being conducted today, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, beginning at 8:00 am with a day of scheduled sitting and walking meditations, Dharma talks, lunch, and question and answer periods.
Lunar observances during the three-month Rains Retreat period
 |
| We're spiritual seekers in LA looking for Truth |
The Rains Retreat continues in Los Angeles, so we trekked over to visit the Mindfulness Meditation Center of the Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara in the suburbs of LA's San Gabriel Valley:
- Mindfulness Meditation Center
- 1023 N. Glendora Ave.
- Covina, CA 91724
- INFO: (626) 364-7497
The Center has a vision. It is to bring people to a depth of realization of the Buddha’s path to liberation through direct experience.
 |
| Why would anyone be a monk? We should ask. |
 |
| American Col. Henry Olcott in old Sri Lanka |
Mission
 |
| The Citadel of Sigiriya atop a massive rock in Sri Lanka, once a Buddhist monastery |
 |
| Maha Moggallana̞, Sri Lanka |
It is a spiritual center and a sanctuary dedicated to the study and practice of mindfulness meditation according to the Theravada Buddhist lineage. It provides Los Angeles and neighboring communities with opportunities to practice meditation, study Buddhist teachings, and apply those teachings in the context of daily life.
 |
| August's lunar daylong retreat |
The Center supports and encourages compassionate actions locally and globally to help people who are in need of support materially and spiritually around the globe. mindfulnessmeditationcenter.org
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
