Faith in...

Began both this morning and yesterday with pre-service Sutra Chanting a wonderful way to start the day. Each time I chant something different stands out. Yesterday it was the spirit in which a group of us chanted - very much a community practice, a shared communion of faith in the same direction. Today, after a sleepless night, I struggled with the pace and the rhythm of the text, and what stood out in the narrative of the Sutra was that Dharmakara spent many-millions of years, many life times, practicing the Dharma, forging a path for us to follow. I'm sure that this wasn't easy, but eventually he became enlightened as Amida Buddha - and offered us a much easier path to follow.

Remembering the path that others have taken, and are still taking, gives me some ease with my own journey.

Yesterday we hosted the Faith in People with HIV group, which is run by an Anglican Chaplain - we simply offer a place of refuge, and a space to be with other people who have some sense of what each of the others struggles and journey's might be like.

One of the group mentioned how lucky a friend thought she was to be able to come to The Buddhist House, and be in such a peaceful space. Moments like this always remind me how fortunate I am to be here.

namo amida bu