Chester Metta Circle Coming Soon...

There will hopefully be a new Metta Circle starting in Chester in November, following on from the one in Leicester which has been meeting monthly this year.  The Chester circle will meet fortnightly, probably above a lovely gift shop on Bridge Street in the medieval Chester Rows.

Like the Leicester circle, the one in Chester will begin with a guided session of metta (love/kindness) meditation, then we'll have tea together in the circle and have heart-talk about some theme of love, interconnectedness, oneness, and we'll end by singing a simple Buddhist chant together- "Sabbe Satta Sukhi Hontu", which means "May all Beings be Happy".

More details to come soon...

Virtual Metta Circle Begins!

Dear Friends,

Growing out of the monthly metta circles we started offering earlier this year, we now have a Virtual Metta Circle!  Anyone coming along to Great Heart activities is welcome to join - the idea is that if any of us has a friend who is ill, or someone needing help, or maybe something positive like beginning a charity project or going on a pilgrimage, then you would write a brief email asking the circle to send them good thoughts.  Anyone taking part in the circle would read your request, then stop for a few moments and think of the person you've mentioned.  They may simply send them metta ("love" in the Pali language), or they might say a favorite prayer or blessings for them.

I hope in this way we can reach out more and more to those in need, remember our shared vulnerability and kinship, and also create little moments of kindness and beauty in the midst of our daily lives.  If you're involved with the Great Heart Society at all and would like to be part of the Virtual Metta Circle, please send a quick email to:

greatheartmettarequest@gmail.com

and you'll be added to the list.  Love to you all,

Chris Starbuck

Celebrating Rumi's Birthday

We met close to the date of Rumi's birthday on 30th September, a great opportunity to talk about the great Sufi Poet and Teacher !  We talked about his early years from his birth in 1207 in a village in Tajikistan near Balkh (Afghanistan), the movement of his family through Samarkand, Baghdad and finally arrival in Konya.  Jalal al-Din Muhammad Balkh becomes established as an Imam- a preacher and law expert, he attracts many followers, he practices the way of renunciation,obedience and studies his books. Time passes, fourteen years later he is about to meet his future Teacher, Shams Of Tabriz, and his life will be transformed!!

We finished listening to a recording of the sound of the Turkish ney flute and we read some of Rumi's classic poems.

This is the first of three nights celebrating Rumi between his birthday and his wedding night.
The story continues !