Greetings of peace!
Religions for Peace Tasmania will be specially supporting two events this month, the AGM of the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change AGM (Please note the correction to the date!) and the Symphony of Peace Prayers at Windsong, initiated by Byakko Shinko Kai.
Greetings of peace!
Holy Days of May
16 May Ramadan begins (Islam)
20 May Pentecost (Christianity)
20-21 May Shavuot (Judaism)
24 May Declaration of the Bab (Baha’i)
29 May Ascension of Baha’ullah (Baha’i)
Australian Religious Response to Climate Change:
Annual General Meeting Friday 4 May 6.30-8.30pm
Please note a correction to the date: Thursday 3 May 6.30-8.30pm
The Hobart Brahma Kumaris Centre will host the Tasmanian Hub of the National Annual General Meeting for ARRCC.
A light vegetarian meal will be available from 6.30-7.30pm. The meeting (via Zoom) is from 7.30-8.30pm. RSVP to Terry 03 6272 6521.
Location is the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Centre, 51 Risdon Rd., New Town (parking in Bell St).
The guest speaker will be Sukhi Kaur, a Sikh Community Organiser with the Sydney Alliance project ‘Voices For Power’, which is about building interest in renewable energy among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. Sukhi is working with South Asian communities. She will reflect on what she has learned about working in faith-based CALD communities on issues which tend to be regarded as “political”. Thea Ormerod, Chair of ARRCC, will be assisting with Q&A.
Also from Thea:
Last week we released an open letter from 60 faith leaders across the country encouraging Gautam Adani to invest in solar, not a reef-wrecking mega-mine. The story ran in dozens of religious and mainstream publications across the country, including Channel 7 News North Queensland, and some international outlets like Anglican Communion News. ARRCC is quite unique here in organising this kind of faith-based climate action.
Some links of interest in this open letter campaign:
BREAKING! More than 50 religious leaders have written to @gautam_adani asking him to #StopAdani mega mine & are hand-delivering it this morning. "Protecting our common home and all those who live here is an essential part of each of our faiths." #auspol https://t.co/M9n0fe9LOh
— Stop Adani (@stopadani) April 18, 2018
Today Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim and Christian leaders delivered an open letter opposing Adani's reef-wrecking mega-mine….
Posted by Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC) on Tuesday, 17 April 2018
It’s been so inspiring to see the generosity of our supporters over the past month for our major online fundraising drive for 2018. If you’ve already donated, a big THANK YOU.
The campaign finishes on 3 May. One goal has been that 25 new people join ARRCC as monthly donors, to create a predictable income stream so that we can plan more easily. So far, we’ve reached over half of that target. We are also only a few thousand dollars from our goal of $20,000 to
support our part-time workers. To support the organisation, financially, see:
https://www.arrcc.org.au/donate_monthly?utm_campaign=week_to_go&utm_medium=email&utm_source=arrcc
Sikh Community:
Vaisakhi celebrations will be held at the Sikh Gurudwara, 126 Roches Beach Rd., Roches Beach. Prayers and kirtan will be from 6.30-8.00pm and langar (dinner) from 8.00pm onwards.
Vaisakhi is a major Sikh festival marking the birth of the Sikh order known as the Khalsa tradition which was initiated in 1699 by the last living Guru of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh, after his father had been beheaded for resisting the religious persecution during the rule of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. All welcome.
Soul Food
Date: Sunday 6th May, 3 pm to 4pm
Venue: Baha’i Centre of Learning, 1 Tasman Highway, Hobart.
The theme for this program will be “A Home of Peace” and will explore the importance of families, and how unity and peace in the home can profoundly impact unity and peace outside the home. The musical interludes will be be Toby Straton/piano with Rebecca Bryan, Emily Wolfe – violin.
As always we do our best to provide a thought provoking relaxing pleasant program for all, so please join us at the Baha’i Centre of Learning, 1 Brooker Ave, Hobart. Refreshments served. For more information call Val 0404 080 768.
Brahma Kumaris Meditation
They will be facilitated by Charles Hogg, Director of Brahma Kumaris Australia. Charlie has practised meditation for over 40 years and experiences meditation to be a powerful yet gentle tool to maintain mental, emotional and spiritual health in an increasingly challenging world.
Thursday 10 May 2018 7.00- 8.45pm
The Wisdom of Love: a meditation experience
Love has a wisdom of its own and is the key which unlocks life’s treasures. Before the program, Charlie will re-inaugurate the newly refurbished building.
Saturday 12 May 2018 10.00am-12 noon
Experience your Inner Treasures through Meditation
In this morning of meditation (suitable for beginners), there will be the opportunity to dive deep to find the jewels of experience that lie at the bottom of the ocean of peace.
Both of the following programs will be held at the Brahma Kumaris Meditation Centre, 51 Risdon Rd, New Town. Enquiries: 6278 3788 or hobart@au.brahmakumaris.org The programs are free of charge, but bookings are required.
Symphony of Peace Prayers
Join us at Wind Song, 452 Strip Rd, Little Swanport, to participate in a Peace Circle led by Aboriginal Elder & contemporary artist, Dawn Blazely.
“Let our two worlds combine –yours and mine. The door between us is not locked -just ajar”
The Peace Circle will begin at 10am and the Symphony of Peace Prayers and our Peace Flag Ceremony will be at 2.30pm.
The cost of the workshop with Dawn is by donation.
Bring a plate to share for lunch. Tea & Coffee provided.
RSVP Wednesday 16th May. For more information contact Tom Teniswood on 0418995319 or email windsong@skymesh.com.au
Residential Retreat with Swami Paramananda
We are delighted to announce a weekend residential retreat with Swami Paramanada from Fri, 18th May to Sun, 20th May 2018.
The retreat is on Changdev Pasashti of Sant Jnaneshwar Maharaj (Love Letter to a Hatha Yogi)
Changdev Pasashti are 65 verses written by Saint Jnaneshwar of Alandi at a very young age of 15 or 16 to the 1400 yrs old Yogi from the Natha lineage, the great Changdev Maharaj. It so happened that Changdev Maharaj heard of the greatness of this young boy from Alandi and therefore had an urge to meet and see him but did not know what to write in the introduction letter. Should he take or give blessings and thinking in this manner he was in a conundrum as to how he should address this person who was younger to him in age and at the same time a saint too. The result is, he sends a blank letter to Saint Jnaneshwar.
In response to this, Jnaneshwar Maharaj fills up these blank sheets with the famous 65 verses beckoning Changdev Maharaj to recognise his essential nature which is ever evident and not get lost in a long extended life at the body level. Jnaneshwar Maharaj with immense affection and love addresses and wins over the arrogance of the great hatha yogi.
In fact through Changdev Maharaj, Saint Jnaneshwar is guiding us in the correct direction so that we don’t miss the point in life. The beauty of the verses lies in their ability to directly invoke and perceive the Supreme truth which is One without a Second and ever present in our hearts as Unconditional Love.
Retreat Details
Location: Don Bosco Retreat Centre
465 Lysterfield Road, Lysterfield Vic 3152
PH: 03 97522432
Hari Om,
Swami Paramananda
0410 698 650
Reconciliation Tasmania
National Reconciliation Week runs from 27 May to 3 June 2018, with the theme this year of Don’t keep History a Mystery!
In Tasmania, Reconciliation Tas is planning two core events:
Reconciliation Week Breakfasts in Hobart on 28 May 7.30am-9.00am,
Blundstone Arena Function Centre Bellerive,
$45.00 single seats or $400.00 table of 10
Launceston 29 May 7.30am-9.00am, Chalmers Hall,
163 St Johns St, Launceston,
$40.00 single seats or $350.00 table of 10
Burnie on 30 May 7.30am-9.00am,
Emu Valley Rhododendron Gardens, 65 Breffny Rd, Romaine,
$40.00 single seats or $350.00 table of 10.
Keynote speaker at all events: Mick Gooda
On Country Field Days in all three regions will also be held, but as space is limited, you are invite to enquire about these asap. For more information see www.rectas.com.au or www.facebook.com/ReconciliationTasmania or phone 0456 631 108.
In connection with Reconciliation Week, the following article is pertinent:
https://www.smh.com.au/national/act/indigenous-religion-not-protected-anu-academic-tells-ruddock-review-20180405-h0yd5t.html
International Dances of Universal Peace
International Dances of Universal Peace will hold a Winter retreat led by Murshid Allaudin Ottinger, entitled Tuning the Heart. Enjoy music, dance,
nature walks, silence, chanting, Sufi Zikr and a living experience of the mystical essence of all spiritual traditions.
Orana Girl Guide Camp, Roches Beach on the Queen’s birthday long weekend, 8th-11June Fri 5pm – Mon after lunch
Enquiries and Registrations: Nicky: Ph 0419 584 477 nicky.rainbows@gmail.com
Sikh Gurdurara Lindisfarne
There will be a continuous recital over three days of the Sikh sacred scripture, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 9-11 July, at 50 Begonia St Lindisfarne.
All are very welcome. Both male and females in attendance wear head coverings.
You may also wish to read about Sikh Australians and their contributions celebrated in new Perth monument.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-20/trail-of-sikh-australian-stories-celebrated/9672780
World Interfaith Harmony Week Awards
Our own Rev Helen Summers of the Melbourne Interfaith Centre was presented with First Prize for the Harmony Week event she organised:
AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Tuesday attended the 2018 King Abdullah II World Interfaith Harmony Week prize ceremony at Al Husseiniya Palace and presented awards to the winners.
Launched by the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought in 2013, the annual prize is awarded to three activities or texts that best promote the values connected to the World Interfaith Harmony Week, which is celebrated in the first week of February and was launched by King Abdullah and unanimously adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2010.
In remarks at the ceremony, HRH Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad, His Majesty’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy, thanked the King for spearheading the World Interfaith Harmony Week initiative.
“This year, those participating in the World Interfaith Harmony Week have once again — by the Grace of God — continued on the upward trend of holistic growth both in quantity and — if I may say so — in quality,” His Royal Highness added.
“The World Interfaith Harmony Week has officially been adopted and celebrated by a number of countries including Indonesia [represented here today by our second place winners], Malaysia, the Philippines and Canada; not to mention 1,200 NGOs and other organisations worldwide,” Prince Ghazi said.
“I would also like to congratulate all three winners, all those who participated in the World Interfaith Harmony Week, and our esteemed judges. All are helping to make the world a slightly better place, or perhaps a slightly less bad place. May God accept and reward their good intentions and efforts,” His Royal Highness added.
The first place prize was awarded to the Interfaith Centre of Melbourne in Australia, for the event “Who Are We in a Changing World?”
The event, inspired by “Love of the Neighbour”, invited seven faith leaders to bring community members with them to meet their “neighbours” who come from diverse faiths, philosophies and cultures.
Reverend Helen Summers, founder and director of the centre, and Deputy Director Nicholas Coleman received the award.
Toronto 2018
The Seventh International Convening of the Parliament will be held in Toronto, Canada, 1-7 November, 2018.
It is an honour to welcome His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Spiritual Head of Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism, as a keynote speaker at the Parliament.
His Holiness, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, heads the 900-year-old Karma Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. He guides millions of Buddhists around the world.
At the age of 14, he made a dramatic escape from Tibet to India to be near His Holiness, the Dalai Lama and his own lineage teachers.
Currently 32 years old, the Karmapa created an eco-monastic movement with over 55 monasteries across the Himalayan region acting as centres of green activism. He spearheaded plans to enable full ordination for women, a step that has changed the future of Tibetan Buddhism. His latest book Interconnected: embracing life in our global society, is based on his interactions with American bio-university students.
Preserving and renewing Tibetan artistic forms, the Karmapa paints, draws calligraphy, writes poetry and plays and composes music.
Travelling the world, the Karmapa skilfully teaches traditional Tibetan Buddhist Dharma while also advocating topics such as environmental conservation, feminism, digitization of the Dharma and much more, bringing the Karmapa lineage activities fully into the 21st century.
For more information about the 2018 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Toronto, Canada, see https://parliamentofreligions.org/rfp
In peace,
Terry
Convenor RfP Tasmania Branch
Vice Chair, Religions for Peace Australia
Phone 6272 6521
Religions for Peace Tasmania
