|
 From
the Acting Dean’s Desk
Turning
Points
What
does it mean to live life as a bodhisattva?* In this
issue’s,
‘Movies to Learn From’
column,
A Knight’s Tale
is discussed as a story of a bodhisattva. If you have
seen this movie, you viewed the moment when a young man
of no apparent means or status stepped up to the plate,
meaning he took a stance of first level bodhisattva. Of
course, he didn’t know the word bodhisattva, and he
probably didn’t realize the significance of his moment
until he looked back on it much later. But, it was a
turning point in his life, a choice to become someone he
had always dreamed of becoming, but until that moment,
the opportunity had never arisen. And when that window
of opportunity opened, the young man stepped forward.
It begins with
an inner nudge, a feeling of wanting more, a deep inner
knowing that there is more to life than what is seen on
the surface. This nudge can express itself in many
different ways, but it usually begins with an event or a
situation that is oddly out of context from one’s
everyday life.
The essence is always a
longing to wake up, and once that longing becomes strong
enough, it must be accompanied by action, or it will
begin to fade into a memory of something we vaguely
remember wanting to do. Without action, there is no real
stance and therefore no real shift in consciousness.
The Path of HÜMÜH, under the guidance
and vision of Wisdom Master Maticintin, is a Path that
provides the opportunity for one to wake up, to make a
shift in consciousness to align their actions with their
dreams, to become that person that they always wanted to
be but never quite had the confidence to know how to
begin.
What this means is that Wisdom Master
Maticintin offers the bodhisattva vow to students whom
She feels are ready to take that first step toward
becoming a spiritually awakened being. If the student
accepts the vow, it becomes a turning point in their
lives. And opening is created and the journey begins.
There will be two opportunities this
summer for individuals to take the bodhisattva vow and
to attend Bodhisattva training classes. This is the
first time these classes have been offered.
The first session is a two-week class
beginning June 8, 2008 and ending June 21. It is titled
“The Seven Powers.” The second session for bodhisattva
training begins August 10 and ends August 23. It is
titled, “The Light of Wisdom.” Ideally, one would take
both classes, but that may not be possible, and so the
Wisdom Master is also allowing students to enroll in one
or the other class, whichever they can attend.
There will be opportunity for any who
are not already bodhisattva to take the vow prior to
each class by special arrangement with the Wisdom
Master. You may call the office if you have questions or
write (e-mail is fine) to the Wisdom Master to make your
request, and then reserve space at the HÜMÜH Monastery
and Retreat Centre for your visit.
Other classes offered over the nest several
months include:
The Lotus Sutra (Part 1)
July 6-19
The Light of Wisdom August 10-23
Secrets of Death and Re-Birth
September 7-20
Lotus Sutra (Part 2)
October 5-18
Ways of the Ancient Masters:
Weekend
intensives
October through November
The Wish-Fulfilling Gem Mantra December 14-27
Please tune in to the HÜMÜH website
for more detailed information and updates. New classes
are continuously being added to the schedule.
Linda Bell
Acting Dean of HÜMÜH’s T.A.I.
* A bodhisattva
is one who aspires to enlightenment through living a
life of service. There are 10 levels of bodhisattva
attainment, the 10th
Level being that of
‘all understanding and
immeasurable virtue.’
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Article To:
TAnews@HUMUH.org
© HÜMÜH 2008
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