Archived Newsletters: August/Sept 2003 | October 2003

Jewel Heart News CLEVELAND CHAPTER - Nov/Dec 2003/Jan 2004

Jewel Heart is an educational and cultural center whose doors are open to all. Its purpose is to transmit the essence of Tibetan Buddhism in an authentic and accessible form. Jewel Heart provides guidance and practical methods to anyone interested in spiritual development, as well as those who wish to follow the traditional Buddhist path.

 

Kyabje Gelek Rimpoche To Teach!

After many requests, Kyabje Gelek Rimpoche has agreed to give the teaching and initiation of Medicine Buddha here in Cleveland. Medicine Buddha, also known as Sangye Menla in Tibetan or Bhaisajyaguru in Sanskrit, is an enlightened being who through great unbiased compassion protects beings and helps them eradicate the three poisons of obsession, hatred and ignorance which are the source of all sickness and danger. This teaching is one of the last that Rinpoche will be offering before he takes a sabbatical and goes on retreat for several months so take advantage of this opportunity!

Saturday, Nov. 15 from 10 am -12 noon: Using Compassion to Transform Suffering 2 - 5 pm: Medicine Buddha teaching Sunday, Nov. 16 11 am to 2 pm (approximately) Medicine Buddha initiation

Please do not arrive more than 5 or 10 minutes early for the initiation. The suggested site donation is $25 per day, though no one will be turned away for lack of ability to pay. Envelopes will be available for those who wish to make an additional offering.

These teachings are especially meant for Jewel Heart and the Buddhist community, and will not be publicized outside the newsletter. We want to get a rough estimate of how many will be attending. Please sign up at any Jewel Heart event, or email aewarren@apk.net if you plan to come to this teaching and initiation.

Bollyween Film Festival Fundraiser

Bollyween Film Festival Fundraiser to be held Friday October 31st at Susan and Bill Kirchners. It will begin on Friday, October 31 at 7PM with a First Friday (The Prequel) Jewel Heart pot-luck. The Kirchners will then continue to show films all weekend through 2PM Sunday afternoon (or until the last survivor drops.) A donation to Jewel Heart is requested for films and for over-night stays. The Friday pot-luck is, of course, free and open to all comers!

For the film festival itself, reservations are certainly advised but not absolutely required. Beds are available on a first-come first served basis. There is also lots and lots of floor space and sleeping bags are welcome. So is tent camping in the Kirchner’s woods for anyone who wants to enjoy the fall weekend outdoors.

All meals, other than the Friday pot-luck, will be provided by Susie and BIll as their contribution to JH. All money donated will go to JH. The following list are the films to be shown:

“Amar Akbar Anthony”, “Hum Saath Saath Hain”, “Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge”, “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham”, “Mohabbatein”, “Hum Aapke Hain Kaun”, “Dil To Pagal Hai”, “Sholay”, “Mujhse Dosti Karoge”, and last but not least, “Devdas”. For complete film synopsis, please contact Bill Kirchner.

Ujjen Returns!

For a Tibetan Rug Sale. Sat, Nov 8, noon to 8 pm and Sun, Nov 9, 11 am to 5 pm at Jewel Heart Cleveland, 2670 W. 14th St. This will be a good opportunity to start early on holiday shopping so tell your friends, acquaintances and even enemies to come for the best deals in town! Jewel Heart is pleased to offer beautiful handmade Tibetan carpets, in stock or custom made to your specific palette and pattern choices. All of our carpets are made of Tibetan wool by Tibetan refugees in Nepal. No child labor is used in the making of these carpets. Carpet sales benefit Jewel Heart, Tibetans refugees, and Drepung Loseling Monastery.

Custom carpets can be made in sizes up to 14x18 feet, with 60 knots to100 knots per inch. The carpets are hand-knotted and colorfast. Standard delivery time is approximately 2 months for 60 knot quality and 3 months for 100 knot quality carpets. Selected antique carpets will also be available on the days of the sale.

For detailed information contact Ujjen Tsewang, Jewel Heart Store, 734-994-3385, or check www.jewelheartstore.com for photos and prices. Call Bill or Susie at 330-722-7770 for directions.

Fine Art Sale at JH Cleveland

Fri Dec. 12th 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. and Sat Dec 13th noon to 4:00 p.m. 2nd Annual Jewel Heart December Fine Art and Craft open house. Once again, we will be hosting a Fine Arts Sale to benefit Jewel Heart of Cleveland. Stop by to finish up your last minute gift buying! You’ll have the choice of many beautiful items to pick from. There will be refreshments and live music with Tremont Holler,a wonderful selection of cards and other multi-media work by Claire Bando, fine silver jewelry by John Gulyus and MaryAnne Posch. Vivian Hartman portraitist. Passionate jewelry designs by Kim Mettee. Photographs with images from Asia by Ani Palmo. Angelica Pozo and her terra cotta treasures. Sarah Ralston and her old world decorative cookies. Essential oils by Lora Swartz. Lovingly made fiber accessories and other multi-media work by Anne Warren. Functional and decorative contemporary clay work by Theresa Yondo, and bead/wire jewelry designs by Dorothy Yurkiw. The Jewel Heart Store will also have traditional Tibetan Dharma ware for sale.

Come and support Jewel Heart and the Artists!

Coming Cleveland Events

Good Life, Good Death - Based on Gelek Rimpoche's best selling first book, this course will explore how the Tibetan Buddhist perspective can be utilized by anyone, of any faith, to bring depth, meaning and joy to our daily life. This course will be run in a study group format with each session beginning with a brief presentation by the instructor. It will then center on discussion and end with a guided meditation. This course is open to both new and seasoned spiritual seekers. Wednesdays, 7:00-8:30 pm November 26 - December 17 and January 7 - 28 Instructor: Anne Warren Supporting Members free; Members $70; Non-Members $80 Enrollment limited. Contact Anne at aewarren@apk.net or 440-576-1190 to register.

The White Tara Saddhana study group which began October 27 will continue Mondays, 7-9 pm through Dec. 15 and will resume Jan. 5. Open to those with Highest Yoga Tantra Initiation or full 1000-Armed Avalokitesvara Initiation only.

Lama Chopa Tsoh with Ganden Shartse monks
On Thursday, Dec. 18, we will honor Ganden Ngachu or Je Tsongkhapa Day with a Lama Chopa Tsoh from 7-9:00 pm. This joyous event is the Tibetan festival of lights, so the center will be illuminated. All are welcome! The Lama Chopa, which we will chant along with the Ganden Shartse monks, includes all Seven Practices for generating positive energy and purification. Everyone may bring a generous food or monetary offering, which we share with each other and people in need after the ceremony. Vajrayana students - please bring the text, bell and dorje, damaru, inner offering and mandala sets, if you have them.

Center Clean up - Thurs Nov 13th 5pm – please stop by to lend a hand (or a broom) with the clean up of Jewel Heart Center and helping our center to look even more beautiful. We would like the place to sparkle for Rinpoche’s visit. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated!

Sept/Oct. News

JH Cleveland hosted an open house Sept. 28th for members and new visitors. The Tara Mandala Dance Workshop with Prema Dasara and Anahata Iradah was offered Oct 3-5 with a good attendance and wonderful photos taken by Terry Keller - rumor has it that Michele may audition for a Bollywood role!

At least 11 members of Jewel Heart Cleveland made the trek to NYC to see and hear His Holiness The Dalai Lama give a fantastic, though rigorous, four days of teachings. Jewel Heart was also well represented at the First Conference of Tibetan Buddhist Dharma Centers of the Americas at the Garrison Institute, one day of which was attended by His Holiness. Gelek Rimpoche was one of the presenters and discussants, and it was moving for all of us to see the great respect he receives from other high lamas.

APPEAL - Newsletter on line! – If you received a printed copy of this newsletter in the mail, please consider accessing it on line and removing yourself from the mailing list! Helps save $ for production/mailing costs. Email Anne at aewarren@apk.net to have your name removed from the regular mail list. THANKS! Anyone wishing to donate a book of stamps to help defray cost of mailings, the generosity would be greatly appreciated!

Additional Newsletter Editor! Michele Keller has generously offered her services in helping with the production and distribution of the Jewel Heart Newsletter. She will take on these new responsibilities with the next newsletter. Thank you Michele! If anyone has any items for the newsletter, please forward to Michele at her email address: katrinlya@hotmail.com.

Other News

Here in Cleveland we have benefitted greatly from Ven. Thubten Chodron's yearly visits. Here is some exciting news she recently shared with us:

Fantastic news! We found a wonderful site for the Abbey near Newport WA, four miles from the Idaho border, and escrow closed on September 30. It's an hour north of Spokane WA and an hour from Coeur d'Alene ID, so there's easy access to an airport. The house is beautiful, with lots of natural light. Even the basement has large windows and a door opening onto the garden. The garage and cabin are made of beautiful logs; the barn is huge has has a shop inside. Meadows surround the house, and we'll build a temple and more housing there. The rest of the 240 acres is covered in evergreen trees, with many meandering paths and lots of wildlife. The elderly couple who built the house and lived in it for 18 years are wonderful. He knows every inch of the forest, and she has created the gorgeous garden with lots of love. There are lots of pictures on the website. Take a look at www.sravastiabbey.org. As I look over the list of people who are contributing to the Abbey in one way or another, I'm humbled and encouraged by the kindness and generosity each one of you has shown in so many ways. Our work together is the practice of compassion and wisdom in action. While you may be as excited as we are, keep meditating on bodhicitta, reciting Tara mantra, and dedicating for the spread of the Dharma in the West and the success of Sravasti Abbey. You're welcome to visit, and together we'll invite all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas to come to their new home in the USA. How auspicious this is! How fortunate we are! Bhikshuni Thubten Chodron and Friends of Sravasti Abbey

JH Cleveland Calendar of Events

For most events the suggested donation is $5-10.

Mondays, 5:30 to 6:30 pm, open for meditation

Wednesdays, 5:30 to 6:30 pm, open for meditation

Mondays, 7-9pm Vajrayana study group

Wednesdays, 7:15-8:45 pm Odyssey to Freedom, Good Life, Good Death

Fri, Sat Sun Oct 31, Nov 1 and 2 Bollyween Film Festival Fundraiser

Mon, Nov 3 5:30-6:30 pm Lama Chopa Tsoh

Sat and Sun Nov 8 & 9 Rug sale with Ujjen-la!

Sat. Nov 8, 5:30 am, Mahayana Precepts at JH center.

Thurs Nov 13th, 5pm - ? Center clean up

Sat Nov. 15, 10am – 12 and 2-5pm Gelek Rinpoche teaching

Sun. Nov. 16 11-3pm Medicine Buddha initiation

Wed Nov. 16 5:30-6:30 pm Lama Chopa Tsoh

Sat. Nov. 22 10-noon Taradhatu Tara Dances, with Kris

Sun. Nov. 23 5:30 am, Mahayana Precepts

Wed. Dec. 3 5:30-6:30 pm Lama Chopa Tsoh

Fri. Dec. 5, 1st Friday potluck TBA

Fri. Dec 12 5:30pm to 9:30 pm, Fine Arts Sale

Sat. Dec 13th Noon – 4pm, Fine Arts Sale

Thurs Dec 18 Lama Chopa Tsoh 7pm for Je Tsongkhapa Day

Thurs Jan. 1 New Year's Day Lama Chopa Tsoh 4-6 pm

Wed. Jan. 7 5:30 am Precepts - place TBA

Sat. Jan 17 Compulsory Tsoh for Mother Tantra practitioners JH 7-9 pm

Sat. Jan. 31 Compulsory Tsoh for Mother Tantra practitioners JH 7-9 pm

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May all beings have happiness. May they be free from suffering. May they come to know the joy that has never known suffering. May they be free from attachment and hatred.