Monday, April 11, door 6:30pm
Sala Rossa, 4848 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montreal, QC

April 11th is the one-month anniversary of the devastating earthquake-tsunami-nuclear-plant disaster in Japan. On this night at the Sala Rossa, Japanese musical artists Emi Honda, Maya Kuroki and Yuki Isami have organized a fundraising event to aid evacuees and the recovery of the area. More than 250,000 people had to evacuate their homes, and many of them lost everything from their lives. The rebuilding of damaged towns and fields is expected to be an ongoing effort for years. So many countries are already trying to help them and sending a lot of donations. All Japanese people are deeply grateful for the world’s support.

The aim of this event is to raise money for the recovery of northeastern Japan and to reconsider the role of nuclear energy in modern society, given its proven disastrous potential. The leaking Fukushima Daichii reactors are a few of 431 nuclear energy reactors in 29 countries. There are 18 in Canada alone (IAEA, Nuclear Technology Review 2010). Are we prepared to face the consequences when events such as this occur? There are many potential angles to this topic, many relating to the lifestyles we choose. We are sincerely hoping this event will serve as a forum for such discussion and all viewpoints are welcome.

Lineup for “REACTOR”

music performance:

♪ Tamamushi /Maya Kuroki(Dynamo Coleoptera) +Tomomi Morimoto+Alexis Farand
http://mayakuroki.com/en/oeuvres.php

♪ Elfin Saddle
http://www.elfinsaddle.com/

♪ Yuki Isami + Reiko Yamada(composer) + Keiko Devaux
http://www.yukiisami.com/

♪ Aya Aikawa
http://ayaaikawa.weebly.com/

♪ Taikonauts
http://www.myspace.com/taikonautsdrummers

♪ Monday Night Choir / 20+ members multi-language singing group lead by Dina Cindric

other content:

★ Talk/ Discussion with Sebastian Weissenberger (Institute of sciences of the environment, UQAM) and Pierre Jasmin (President, Les Artistes pour la paix).
Interview by Geeta Nadkarni/ former CBC journalist

★ Short film WURLD by Elfin Saddle
http://www.elfinsaddle.com/power/leaf/film/

★ Raffle tickets / Gifts from local eco-friendly businesses
Constellation Records (record label)
Alfalfa (organic grocery store in Jean-Talon market)
Phonopolis (used record store on rue Bernard)

★ “Ideas for Life” : Art & Craft & Baking sale and display

All profits from this event will be donated to Red Cross Japan to help evacuees and the general recovery of the area

***Thanks to Derek at Derek’s Dharma Blog for sending information on this event my way.

Montreal Shambhala Centre

Tuesday November 16, 2010, 7:30 pm
Suggested contribution: 10$

Spirituality and sexuality are part of our lives and cause us to experience intense and powerful emotions of ecstasy or suffering.

In our cultures sexuality is perceived either as an accompaniment to our spirituality as we commune with the divine and the sacred, or as a threat to our spiritual life,

We ask ourselves: Can one have a healthy relationship, given these two polarities?  How can we include sexuality when we have chosen a spiritual path?

Jim Wagner and Francesca Dalio have been together for the past 22 years.  They practice Shambhala Buddhism as a spiritual path, and sexuality is a part of that.  They will be here to share some ideas, not as experts on this topic but as meditators living the human experience  of a life together – a couple-ness.*

*A word that evokes: couple, two, plenitude, solitude, coupling, sexuality, fulfilment, acceptance, platitude, and as many other words as you may care to think of.

I’ve been teaching meditation at the NHC Institute in Montreal (aka the birthplace of William Shatner – how rad is that!!!) I really enjoy teaching and hope that it is somewhat enjoyable and painless for the few brave souls willing to listen to me drone on about breathing. When I first taught the class, I was soooo prepared. I had a fistful of notes, citations and was ready for anything. This time around, I’m a bit looser and more fluid (attributed fully to the fact that I am running from work to class and completely a frantic stressball). As much as the folks in the class say that they are helped by learning how to sit still, I am immensely grateful at the chance to share this with them and to have some moments of calm myself.

Back to the NHC and to busyness… I will be delivering a presentation on meditation as part of an open house that they are holding on November 27th so if you are in Montreal and up for it, please do stop in. The session will be from 3:15-3:45pm and closes out a full day of lectures. Other topics include “The Wonder of Weeds – The healing properties of herbs”, “Beyond the Surface- Exploring the depth of beauty” and “Using Food to build a strong immune system”

Ironically, I am using the Presentation Zen technique to prepare myself for this talk. How meta! Do check out this post on the author, Garr Reynold’s blog on “Lessons from the world of Aikido” as it is a must read in dealing with hecklers. (not that I’m anticipating any trash-talkin’ thugs to show up at a holistic health centre to start pushing me around…)

I’m currently listening to the latest from The Sainte Catherines, a local band that I enjoy very much. Here they are playing the Fest… Excuse the cruddy sound…

What else… What else. I got to hang out with the fabulous Brad Warner a few times during the Montreal leg of his tour. While he was here I got to see him speak at Casa del Popolo (which featured an impromptu backing band who were practicing in the flat next door). We checked out a benefit for the upcoming Montreal Zen Poetry Festival to be held in March 2011 and he was monkhandled by my two rambunctious pugs.

That is all for now…. I need to rush myself back to work. Friday ahhhh you feel soooo goooood!

And away we go….

NON-RESIDENTIAL URBAN RETREAT – MINDFULNESS IN DAILY LIFE – October 3-9
Taught by Daryl Lynn Ross and Pascal Auclair. This bilingual, non-residential insight meditation retreat includes a daylong retreat on Sunday, October 3, followed by early morning and evening meditation sessions from Monday to Friday, concluding with a half-day retreat on Saturday, October 9. Weekday sessions include meditation each morning and evening, a dharma talk and discussion each evening, and a dharma theme for practice and inquiry each day. The emphasis is on bringing the practice into daily life through mindfulness and inquiry with an exploration of various themes relevant to daily life. If you want to energize your practice this fall and find a practice community, come join us for this retreat! For more information, including costs and schedule, please go to http://www.truenorthinsight.org/en/schedule.html. For questions, phone Héloise Rinfret-Pilon at 514-271-7924 or email helobolo@hotmail.com

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY WEEKLY MEDITATION PRACTICE
This fall  Daryn Lynn will be offering meditation practice sessions at Concordia at a new location and day of the week. Beginning on October 14th, there will be meditation sessions at Loyola Chapel, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, (on the Loyola Campus) every Thursday at 5:15 to 6:45 PM. The Chapel is a beautiful, warm and quiet space. Walking as well as sitting meditation. The sessions will run weekly until November 25th. There is no charge; freewill donations are invited.

PADUA CENTRE WEEKLY MEDITATION PRACTICE
Meditation sessions are held every Sunday at the Padua Centre, 1950 St. Antoine West, (metro Georges Vanier) at 3:00 to 5:00. The sessions include meditation instruction, (beginners welcome) a 30 minute sitting, walking meditation and a Dharma talk and discussion. A donation is requested. All are welcome. Please arrive by 3:00, as the door must be locked by about 3:15. It is lovely to have this rhythm of sitting with Dharma friends each week; showing up is a gift to ourselves and to the others in our practice community.

LGBTQ GROUP EN FRANCAIS AVEC PASCAL AUCLAIR
Nouveau: Un groupe de méditation LGBTQ voit le jour à Montréal! Vous êtes invités à participer au cours de méditation qui sera offert aux membres de la communauté LGBTQ (lesbiennes, gais, bisexuels, trans, queers, qui‐se‐questionnent) chez
Equilibrium à partir du 12 octobre! Ça aura lieu les mardis donc de 17h00 à 18h30.
Chez Equilibrium, 4812 Rue St‐Laurent, local 3 (coin Villeneuve, au‐dessus du Rachelle‐Béry)
‐Pas d’expérience requise
‐Vous venez quand vous voulez
‐Vous serez invité à faire un don pour couvrir les frais de location de la salle et pour soutenir l’enseignant

YMCA MEDITATION
Members of the YMCA are invited to attend meditation sessions that Daryl leads on Thursdays, 12:05 to 1:20 at the Westmount Y, (4585 Sherbrooke St. W – corner Strathcona) in the studio. Beginning September 30th. Free with membership.

DAYLONG RETREAT
On Saturday, October 16th, Daryl will be offering a Daylong Retreat on the theme of “Opening to Joy.” This will be held at the Padua Centre, 1950 St. Antoine West, (metro Georges Vanier) at 9:15 to 3:30. Please bring a lunch – tea will be provided. There is a registration fee of $15; in the tradition of Insight (Vipassana) Meditation retreats, this fee covers only the cost for the facility and administrative expenses. The teacher is paid by donation at the end of the daylong retreat. To register or if you have questions, please contact the folks at the True North Insight group.

In this video, the Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche teaches about the Buddhist path of practice. The topics Rinpoche addresses include conceptual labeling and discrimination, working with the emotion of desire or passion in the three yanas, and cultivating healthy relationships. Rinpoche concluded by talking about Buddha’s teaching on the fundamental nature and potential of all sentient beings. This was a talk delivered to the NY Shambhala Centre’s Queer Dharma group and although it is directed at the LGBT community, it really speaks to anyone who is (or wants to be) in a relationship.

September 26 · 10:00am – 3:00pm

Villeray Community Center (north of the Jean Talon metro) –

660 Villeray

For more details – please call Jason at 514 484 0868 or write to him at: jason_piercy@hotmail.com

For those who are located in or around Montreal and interested in a retreat, this looks to be a great opportunity to practice.

He’s stuck with my still wide-eyed self repeatedly gushing over the wonders of the acoustic gig with Joey Cape and Tony Sly this past weekend in Montreal. I’m still talking about it.

It was one of those shows that felt like you were surrounded by awesome folks and had the atmosphere of a campfire thanks to the acoustic vibe. I laughed throughout the onstage banter and sang along with every single lyric. Fangirl!

I’ve never seen a multi-tasker as skilled as Joey Cape. Witness as he performs flawlessly as he has his hair cut on stage.

And Tony Sly played one of my favourite songs ever towards the end of the night. A song so bone-crushingly sickly sweet that I was tearing up as I held hands with my husband. Sigh. Aging punk rock love just feels so good.