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Home » January 2022 Newsletter

January 2022 Newsletter

Turning Wheel Buddhist Temple, Leicester Posted on by January 10, 2023

Thank you to everyone who has shared their practice,
and supported the temple in so many different ways,
throughout this challenging past year.

Wishing you all a healthy and peaceful 2022.
Let us offer the merit of our practice to all beings;
may all beings be able to realise the truth.

Turning Wheel Buddhist Temple Logo

On New Year’s Eve we will be holding the traditional New Year’s Eve Festival, starting with meditation from 7.30pm. This year a small number of people will be able to come along in person, but we will also be holding the ceremony via zoom.

During the ceremony we recite the Scripture of Great Wisdom, and a ceremonial copy of the scripture arranged in a fanfold design is “revolved”, symbolically showing it and offering it in all directions. After this we all drink a glass of celebratory New Year juice together, making a wish for the peace and prosperity of the temple and the Sangha, and all beings, during the coming year.

After the ceremony we will have a chance to meet and talk together, and the evening will end at about 9.30pm or so.

Then on New Year’s Day we will have the Festival of Maitreya from 10am to 12.30pm. This festival celebrates the Bodhisattva Maitreya, known as “the Buddha who is yet to come”. It is said that Maitreya will appear when the teaching of Shakyamuni Buddha has completely disappeared and been forgotten. Associated with new beginnings, the Festival of Maitreya is often celebrated on New Year’s Day.

In addition to welcoming a small number of visitors to the temple for the festival, we will also be holding the festival over zoom so that Lay Sangha members can join in from where they are. We hope you will be able to join us, and details have been sent out to Lay Sangha members.

A Japanese statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva
A Japanese statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva

The temple will be closed to visitors for much of the first half of January, from the 2nd to the 11th inclusive, to allow Rev. Aiden to have some retreat time.

There won’t be any events at the temple during that time; after morning meditation and the Kanzon Ceremony (via zoom) on Sunday the 2nd, the next onlne event will be morning meditation and Morning Office on Wednesday the 12th, and the next evening event will be the Dharma Evening on Wednesday the 12th. You will still be able to contact the temple by email during this period, but not by phone or text.

It was lovely to be able to celebrate the Festival of the Buddha’s Enlightenment at the beginning of December, with four of us here at the temple in person and many more joining via zoom. There were nineteen of us altogether, including several members of the Leeds group who met together in Leeds and joined via zoom.

The photo below shows the main altar set up for the festival, with a picture of the Buddha seated beneath the Bodhi tree, and also shows the festive lights which were put up around the Meditation Hall.

Enlightenment Altar 2021
The main altar set up for the Festival of the Buddha’s Enlightenment

Donations of Food
Offering food is a traditional way to support a monk, and all donations of vegetarian food are most welcome. In particular:

  • porridge oats
  • peanuts or other nuts
  • peanut butter
  • fresh fruit and vegetables (except garlic or peppers)
  • dried herbs
  • cheese, eggs and yoghurt

Any other suitable items would also be appreciated.

The temple is dependent on donations for its continued existence, and any financial support you are able to offer is greatly appreciated. Details of how to offer support can be found on the Donations page of the website.

All donations are received with gratitude

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