Event Information
The Community of Interbeing in Edinburgh is pleased to support these two annual events with concerts, Peace Walks and Mindfulness@Lunchtime. Details of our involvement will appear here nearer the time.
Edinburgh Celebrates Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace
The Edinburgh International Festival of Middle Eastern Spirituality and Peace (formerly the Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace (EICSP)) was founded in December 2007 to provide educational opportunities and an international forum for understanding, experiencing, and participating in the rich diversity of the world's spiritual traditions.
This is an events-led Scottish charity, SC038996, that works with the world's spiritual traditions, both in Scotland and internationally, seeking understandings of the nature of spirituality, and of inter-spirituality and intra-spirituality, in its diversity. It advances education of the public in Scotland, and elsewhere, concerning spirituality, culture and peace.
(The EICSP continues the spiritual work previously undertaken by the former Edinburgh International Centre for World Spiritualities (EICWS) 2000-2008. See www.eicws.org for details of some of the past activities undertaken by the former EICWS.) See www.mesp.org.uk/ for news and future events.
Wild Geese participation:
Mindfulness@Lunchtime at St. Mark's Unitarian Church Edinburgh
On Tuesday 23rd February, Tuesday 2nd March, Tuesday 9th March, Tuesday 16th March as part of the Middle East Festival from 12.15pm to 2.00pm (M@L is available every Tuesday)
Mindful Peace Walk at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh on Sunday 14th March, assembling at the John Hope Gateway, Arboretum Place (formerly the West Gate) for 9am, with the walk from 9.30am-10.30am.
This silent walking meditation is an open event. It will be led by the lay members of the Edinburgh Sangha of the Community of Interbeing, who follow the practice and teachings of Zen Buddhist Master, Thich Nhat Hanh. Before the walk begins there will be a brief introduction to mindful walking as meditation practice.
This is not a protest or a campaigning event, so please do not use any banners. Children are welcome when accompanied by adults. Please remember to wrap up warmly.
Admission Free. Just come along on the day.
"We walk just for walking. We walk with freedom and solidity, no longer in a hurry. Let us enjoy every step we make."
Ven Thich Nhat Hanh
Festival of Spirituality And Peace
By combining the forces of the Edinburgh Inter-Faith Association, the Edinburgh International Centre for World Spiritualities and Creative Space (a project of the local churches seeking to promote public discourse), the Festival of Spirituality and Peace (FoSP) was born in 2005. It quickly established itself as an important part of the Edinburgh Fringe programme, becoming a festival in its own right in 2007.
Ethos: The FoSP is committed to the principles of creativity, inclusivity and dialogue and to modelling the dynamics of peacemaking: to sponsor the kind of conversations and encounters which need to happen in the wider world if there is to be peace and respect for all - and to garner wisdom wherever it is to be found. Therefore our programme will create opportunities for engagement for those who seek constructively to address the issues of our time, to promote dialogue and to build community in diversity.
Programme and Support: They are supported by The Scottish Government, The City of Edinburgh Council and a number of other significant organisation to provide a range of events including keynote talks, conversation, film, prayer/meditation, exhibitions, visual art, music, poetry, drama and workshops.
Particular elements of our programme are promoted in partnership. This is a developing area of the Festival. Our partners to date have included: Initiatives for Change, Edinburgh Peace and Justice Resource Centre, Forum on Discrimination, Scottish Association for Mental Health, Scottish Poetry Library, Save the Children, Amnesty International, Oxfam, Save the Children, the Humanist Society of Scotland, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Islam Festival Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland, Scottish Episcopal Church, Scottish Prison Service, The Skinny, The World Peace Prayer Society and The Scottish Parliament.
(The Wild Geese Sangha participated in this Festival in August this year with events including a Peace Walk in the Botanic Gardens. We plan to continue to participate in 2010. Please return here next year for further updates.)
Inter-Sangha Retreat - Wiston Lodge
Right Speech: The Words and The Way(s)
23 - 25 April 2010
For the past five years, Wiston Lodge near Biggar has been the venue for several Buddhist groups to come together to share, discuss and enjoy their joint practice. By sharing our differing approaches we can see the depth and beauty of the Dharma. You are warmly invited to the 6th inter-Buddhist retreat in April.
The theme for the retreat is: Right Speech: The Words & The Way(s)
What does this evoke for you and how can we best practice this aspect of the 8-fold path?
skilful speech?
skilful listening?
awareness of nonverbal communication?
something else?
What would you like to contribute from your tradition to help us deepen our collective understanding of the way(s) of Right Speech?
We'll follow a simple structured programme suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners: sitting and walking meditation; gentle outdoor (weather permitting) and indoor exercise; chanting; and space to reflect on teachings and insights brought from the different groups. Each person's contribution is valued.
There will be periods of silence to help you develop your own practice and to focus on individual inner work. There will also be ample opportunities for sharing and dharma discussions.
The weekend is an opportunity for shared exploration, to reach a deeper sense of our spiritual being and the common ground that underlies the different traditions. We invite each group to bring a contribution to share from their tradition.
Wiston Lodge is an old Victorian Hunting Lodge situated in the small village of Wiston near Biggar in the Scottish Borders, within easy reach of Edinburgh. It offers the ideal environment to step out of busy, everyday lives into a place of natural beauty and calm.
Further details about the venue are on http://www.wistonlodge.co.uk
For questions or to discuss the retreat programme in more detail please contact your own group representative or Claralynn (details on booking form).
Booking Form here (PDF)
Please note - if you are a practicing Buddhist with another tradition not listed on the booking form or, indeed, not affiliated with any group, you are still most welcome. Contact Claralynn for details and booking enquiries.
Home | Meditation | About Us | Biography | Glossary | Events