Tasmania: June 2019

Tasmania LogoGreetings of peace! This is the special time of Eid al Fitr and many of you will have celebrated Iftar Dinners, breaking the fast during the evenings of the holy month of Ramadan. At this time we give the good wishes of Eid Mubarak! to our Muslim friends. During June, Religions for Peace Tasmania Branch will join with Australian Response to Climate Change at its Annual General Meeting to honour the efforts of those who are attempting to live more sustainably and in accordance with the simplicity which is advised by their Faith traditions.


Greetings of peace!
Apologies for the short notice, but the gathering will be held this evening, Thursday 6 June, 7.00-8.30pm

Hobart Brahma Kumaris Meditation Centre will act as host for the Tasmanian hub of the ARRCC AGM, which will link online to the national meeting. At 7.00pm, the guest speaker presenting from the Sydney headquarters will be Maina Talia, a community leader from Tuvalu who advocates for Pacific Island Peoples at UN climate negotiations. He will speak on the topic, “The experience of people in the Pacific Islands and how well (or otherwise) the voices of the Pacific Island nations are being heard in UN climate negotiations.” The main part of the AGM will begin at 7.30pm. 

A light evening vegetarian meal will be served from 6.30 pm.  Donations are welcome to help cover the costs of the meal.  Contact person Terry: sussfam@bigpond.com or 0438 069 728.

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Holy Days and Festivals in April

6 June                   Eid al Fitr             Islam

9 June                   Shavuot               Judaism

9 June                   Pentecost           Christianity

16 June                Martyrdom of Guru Arjun Dev Ji                Sikhism

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Tasmanian Muslim Association

The Tasmanian Muslim Association (TMA) and Tasmania University Union Muslim Society (TUUMS) have the pleasure to cordially invite you to our Multicultural Eid Festival 2019.

Date: Saturday, 8th June 2019
Time: 5.00 pm – 9:30 pm
Venue: Derwent Entertainment Centre, 601 Brooker Hwy, Glenorchy
RSVP: 0421413327, or kg_sabbir@yahoo.com.au

This is for the second time TMA and TUUMS have jointly organised a Multicultural Eid Festival in Hobart, which will comprise of a small cultural function followed by a dinner. In addition to these there will be a lot of children fun activities and some traditional snacks and foods, face painting, hena etc. in the event.

The event is proudly supported by the Australian Government, Muslims Australia – AFIC and the Tasmania University Union and sponsored by the Immi Solutions.

Please find attached the pamphlet/poster of the event. We would be most honoured by your attendance>

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Dances of Universal Peace
Dances for Universal Peace will start on Tuesday July 2 at 7.00pm.

The first Tuesdays are, as always, led by Nicola. Please note the new time starts at 7.00pm.

Tuesday 2nd July is with Nicola at 339 Macquarie St, South Hobart in the Hawker Centre behind the All Saints Anglican Church and The Jesse Tree op shop, starting at 7.00pm. Enquires: 0400051963

Enquiries: peacedancetas@gmail.com
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Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre
Tuesday evening meditations in June: Mahamudra
Mahamudra is meditation on the mind itself.

Apart from breath awareness meditation, there are many other kinds of meditation.  Mahamudra, or meditation on the mind itself will introduce you to the wisdom and emptiness of mind.  This month we will be sharing some of the insights on Mahamudra meditation from our recent Easter retreat with Zasep Tulku Rinpoche. All welcome.

7.30-9.00pm every Tuesday. Entry by suggested donation $5.00.
73 Liverpool St (Goulds Building, down the laneway to the right of the building, in the door between the bamboo pots and up the stairs to the second floor).
Enquiries: email info@hobartbuddhistmeditationcentre.com or website: www.hobartbuddhistmeditationcentre.com
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Sacred Conversations

Sacred Conversations warmly invites you to join us at 2pm on the last Saturday of the month at the Multifaith Centre on the UTAS campus. Sacred Conversations is a time and place for people of different faiths and cultures to come together, in an environment that promotes deep respect, understanding, peace, and love! Join us for respectful dialogue, prayer, meditation, music, food, friendship, and more. Our next meeting is on Saturday 29th of June. The topic for our sacred conversation will be: “Is it possible to know God or Ultimate Source?” All enquiries are welcome: Julian McGarry 0401673016 or julianmcgarry@gmail.com  

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Hindu Society of Tasmania
The next satsang for the group discussion of the Vivekachudamani of Shankara will be held on Monday 1 July from 6.30-.8.00pm at the UTAS Multifaith Centre, TUU Building, Churchill Ave., Sandy Bay.

The Vivekachudamani is a group of poetical couplets authored by Shankara around the eighth century and examines non-dualism, one of the classical orthodox philosophies of Hinduism.  Everyone is welcome!  

Enquiries to Sree at njeyasreedharan@gmail.com or 0413 936 936
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Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
2019 James Backhouse Lecture
The James Backhouse Lecture Series offers new insights into Quaker faith and practice and into contemporary concerns.

Animating Freedom: accompanying the West Papuan struggle will be presented by Jason McLeod on Monday 8 July 7.15pm at the Farrall Centre, The Friends School, Hobart.

In 1991, Jason McLeod travelled to occupies West Papua.  That visit changed his life.  Eight years later, in 1999, Jason made a thirty-year commitment to journey in solidarity with West Papuans as sthey search for no-violent ways out of occupation.  Since then he has been travelling regularly inside the country.  He has walked alongside Papuan leaders as they travelled from West Papua to Washington, Port Moresby to Vila.  It is a journey that has taken him deep into the muntains and forests of West Papua, from the halls of power to the inside of police interrogation rooms.

July Event Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Religions for Peace Tas will hold our July meeting in the company of Lady Borton, a Quaker who has spent many years working in Viet Nam, and who will be visiting Hobart as a guest of the Annual Yearly Meeting in early July.  Religions for Peace Australia Secretary, Sue Ennis, will also be in Hobart at the same time and we hope she can join the gathering.
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Brahma Kumaris Meditation Centre:
Shining a Light on Death… Shining a Light on Life
at: Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart, Saturday 13 July 2019, 10.00am-4.00pm

It’s our pleasure to invite you to a remarkable program presented by very high calibre professionals volunteering their time as a community service and supported by the City of Hobart.

Presenters will be: Prof Michael Ashby, Clinical Director, Sub-acute Services, RHH; Dr Kerry Howells, Senior lecturer and Gratitude researcher at UTAS; Dr Roger Cole, Oncologist and Palliative Care Physician, Illawarra NSW; Maree Cole, Palliative Care Nurse, Illawarra NSW; Terry Sussmilch, Student and Teacher of Meditation as taught by the Brahma Kumaris and Mary Dwyer, Director, CEO of Impact Solutions International and author of The Final Act of Grace.

As a society we have taken death out of our lives. We have become ‘death-denying’ and know very little about the dying process. It has been said that people are dying every day, but we live as though we are immortal. As part of this attitude, about three quarters of us make no provision for when we die and very few make decisions about our end-of-life care, leaving those decisions to grieving loved ones.

There is general anxiety about death and the emotions of fear, sadness, loss, anger and grief are normally associated with it. But it can also be a time of wholeness, healing, love, compassion, acceptance, deep peace, contentment and gratitude. Can we plan to create this kind of environment at our lives’ end? How?

This program hopes to explore aspects of dying, death and grief in an empathetic, supportive way. The program aims to provide individuals with information and choices enabling them to maximise their independence and control over their lives, especially when they are at their most vulnerable. It aims to support social connectedness and interaction on a sensitive and important issue, explore the emotional/psychological/spiritual impact of death and dying on our lives and provide opportunities for healing emotions of grief and loss associated with death and dying.

As we know, Tasmania is an aging community and its aging population is very diverse. This program will look at the topic in a way that will be inclusive of multicultural and multifaith beliefs.

The venue has been chosen to allow flexible seating so that participants will be able to sit in larger and smaller circles to allow for a sense of equality and intimacy. The event will be programmed to allow discussion at every level to ensure that each participant feels valued, listened to and empowered. The venue has also been chosen to provide ease of access for people with disabilities or impaired mobility.

The program will be in the form of a large-scale facilitated community enquiry and dialogues. It is anticipated that whole of group conversation will be supported by small intimate group discussion and time for deeply personal reflection as well. The intended outcome is that every participant leaves the program with a desire to facilitate this conversation within their own family circles.

For further information about the program, including presenters, please see the attached flier.
As the program is being offered free of charge, we are inviting people to bring their own lunch.
Enquiries: Alice 6278 3788 or hobart@au.brahmakumaris/org
Bookings (essential): https://www.trybooking.com/508476

Download a Flyer for this event
This program is being supported by the City of Hobart, The Brahma Kumaris and Impact Solutions International   

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From Faith Communities’ Council of Victoria:

Muslim Australians found to suffer the most disturbing experiences in public among all the faiths:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-07/kauthar-abdulalim-1/11082078

Serving up Goodwill:

Serving up goodwill

Melbourne Sikhs spread message of Unity during Ramadan

During Reconciliation Week nine Spiritual Leaders listen to the voice of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Statement of the Heart:

Christian persecution is ‘at near genocide levels’ in some countries:

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-48146305

UN International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief on August 22:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ewelinaochab/2019/05/28/an-important-step-to-combat-acts-of-violence-based-on-religion-or-belief/#51cd2f7f43a6

 

From Zenit:

Pope calls for One Minute of Peace:

‘One Minute for Peace,’ Pope’s Appeal for June 8th (Fifth Anniversary of Prayer for Peace in Vatican Gardens)

Young Christian distribute roses to Muslims for Eid al Fitr:

Young Christians in Iraq Distribute Roses to Muslims for Eid al Fitr Festival

Pope calls for action on Climate Change:

Pope Calls for Action on Climate Change

Chaldean Patriarch Reaches out to Muslims for Eid al Fitr:

Iraq: Chaldean Patriarch Reaches out to Muslims for the Eid al-Fitr Festival

Christians in India in Fear after Recent Elections:

Christians in India Fear Rise in Attacks after Hindu Nationalist BJP Election Win

 

In peace,
Terry
Convenor RfP Tasmania Branch
Vice Chair, Religions for Peace Australia
Phone 6272 6521