The latest issues of Meditation News, the UK Community Newsletter, is now available to download and read here for free. If you have subscribed to the printed edition of the UK newsletter these are being printed and will be with you around the middle of December.
The latest (October) international newsletter is linked below and will be updated on the website when a new issue is available.
Our newsletter serves several purposes, both information and inspiration. It serves to knit our community together as we hear about and value all the beautiful and inspirational interactions and gatherings that are taking place – that you would never guess about! It is so easy for us to exist as isolated pockets in many places. But our grass roots are strong, and vigorous. And we also have a dynamic and dedicated leadership whose recent meeting is described in this Newsletter. In a world in turmoil and torn apart we are witnessing to a healing pathway…
A Quiet Day at Ramsey, Cambridgeshire was held on 1st October, and the readings and contemplative activities reflected the theme. The day opened and closed with meditation. A large tray of wild nuts, seeds and seedheads was placed centrally.
Silence was held throughout, apart from the lunch break.
In the free time, options were given to spend time with a poem, a picture, delicious smelling windfall quinces, or simply enjoy the garden. The garden has a small labyrinth, but for the Gathering a spiral was laid out on the gravel car park using cord…
On the feast of Saint Francis some residents at Saint Monica’s retirement village in Bristol and people from 2 local meditation groups gathered for a garden service to celebrate the Season of Creation.
We gathered in the Conservatory and Rev. Lucy Blows, a local member of our community, spoke to us about the charism of St Francis and the need of his example in today’s world. I quote here an extract from an address by Lucy at the beginning of the service.
“St Francis has much to teach us even today from his life of simplicity, his care for the poor, and his ability to wonder at God through the natural world…
Christine Pickering, founder of Maranatha Yoga, gave a morning session harnessing various yoga disciplines to unite everyone in body, mind and spirit. The programme opened with limbering exercises from a traditional yoga Pavanmuktasana series. Then the yoga practice of ‘Salutation to the Mother Earth’, a flowing sequence that reflects and respects the fundamental nature of our relationship with the earth. This routine started and finished in Mountain Posture (Tadasana), standing upright and firm, tall like a mountain. According to yoga texts ‘The spinal cord has two ends: the earth (below) and heaven (above), as is fitting for a ‘holy mountain in the centre of the world’’…
The South West WCCM weekend retreat with the subtitle ‘From Separation to Union’, was held at the Ammerdown Centre in September, led by Chris Collingwood, Canon Emeritus of York Minister and authorised Zen teacher.
One participant Elizabeth comments: I was immediately interested. I was excited to have ‘the opportunity to experience directly through the practice of meditation and living in community, the wisdom of Christianity and Zen…
‘In prayer we discover what we already have. You start from where you are and deepen what you already have, and you realize you are already there. We already have everything but we don’t know it and don’t experience it. Everything has been given to us in Christ. All we need is to experience what we already possess.’ Thomas Merton
Members of meditation groups that meet in the Devon Area gathered on Saturday 27 September at the Boniface Centre, Crediton, under the banner ‘Meditation & Community’. The simple pleasure of meeting in one place with those known only online, others not seen before, and old friends, too, gave our gathering a gentle underlying joy…
The School is a team of volunteers offering the Community’s foundational resources for learning to meditate, for deepening practice, and for sharing the gift of it all. The resources are tried and tested over many years worldwide, and are designed to be adapted and delivered nationally and locally.
We can help you where you are to put on introductory events and courses and Essential Teaching Workshops (ETW) in both residential and online formats. ETWs bring small groups of regular meditators together to deepen their understanding of the tradition, practice, and community – and to develop confidence in sharing the gift of meditation with others. Alongside local and regional events going on, the following national events are all currently open for bookings…
As you will see from the Chart above, of the 157 people who responded to the Meditatio Questionnaire when it was sent out earlier in the year, 43.3% said that they were involved in some way with non WCCM organisations in their local area. These ranged from giving direct help and support (e.g. Foodbanks etc.) to those set up to provide the chance to be involved with concerns about the environment or serve their local schools in some capacity. These responses clearly showed the many opportunities that already exist for our Group Members to offer information about meditation, issue invitations to WCCM in the UK events, or simply make it known during conversations that they are a member of a local Christian Meditation Group. There are information leaflets, cards, bookmarks and other useful items available from the UK office to make this easier to do. We would be most interested to hear of any suggestions or requests to be able to respond well to this very big opportunity revealed by the Questionnaire…
The National Council meeting was held this year for the first time at Shallowford House in Staffordshire, which is set in the countryside close to the River Sow around five miles from Stafford.
Twenty-two of us gathered on the Friday afternoon from different parts of the UK with the following aims:
- Review activities in the regions
- Discuss key issues affecting the Community
- Progress on last year’s objectives
- Establish priorities for the coming year.
National communities around the world have recently received an important update from the WCCM Board of Trustees, the international community which is completely separately to WCCM in the UK. It is chaired by Angelene Chan and includes Bertrand Bouhour, Janet Robbins, Mark Hansen, Fabrice Desmarescaux and Fr Laurence.
There have been a number of important changes one of which is the appointment of Kris Albinski as Executive Director, thus freeing up Fr Laurence to focus on leading us spiritually and teaching. Kris has already introduced strategic plans, new organisational structures and improved communication which are essential for the global community to thrive as the community grows…
Are you passionate about making a positive impact in your community?
WCCM in the UK is seeking individuals, spiritual people and preferably meditators, to join our Board of Trustees. The Board meets online quarterly, usually for up to 3 hours, with occasional side meetings.
We are looking for Individuals with
- Commitment to the aims and values of WCCM in the UK.
- Good, independent judgement and ability to work as part of a team.
All backgrounds are being considered and we particularly welcome applications from individuals with experience in finance (senior level and/or bookkeeping), fundraising and safeguarding.
To express your interest, please send your CV and a brief covering letter to Roz Stockley at chair@wccm.org.
For an informal chat about the role, please contact Roz Stockley on 07929 007808.
Meditation News and the International Newsletter are available free on our website from //wccm.uk/newsletters-page/ Â Distribution to most subscribers is online with notification of a new issue by email. If you wish to subscribe please sign up here: //wccm.uk/newsonline
If you would like to receive a printed copy of the UK newsletter please contact the office by email uk@wccm.org or phone 020 8095 4442. There is no charge but a donation of £20 is suggested which covers the cost of photocopying and postage for the four issues. The latest International newsletter is included.
Some articles are available as separate news items on the website listed on
//wccm.uk/category/newsletters/.
There are listings of UK events, key International events and selected offerings from Bonnevaux and the Meditatio Centre. The contacts list has been updated (the latest version is always available on the website).
The next issue will be available in mid-March. Please send articles to: uknewsletter@wccm.uk and events to: events@wccm.uk to reach us by 1 February.