Medicine Buddha House

art and dharma

2010-03-10T08:27:00.000-08:00

dear Brothers and Sisters,

Although we have a film crew from Bollywood invading the beach near the ashram, life is running smoothly here, we have a lot of time to practice devotional artwork, including painting or drawing dharma material, making tsa-tsa and plaster stupas which help to create merit (anybody seeing them purifies their 5 negative karmas of heinous crimes), and also serve as a very good devotional single-pointed meditation.
But also, we enjoy days out volunteering at the monkey house or at the International Animal Rescue centre in Assagao to walk puppies and give much love to poorly treated animals. Dharma in action !! Reciting the right mantras will help purify the negative karma of all these sentient beings we come into contact, and also by being seen in public like John when singing in bars, you can help and practice Dharma in your everyday life.

Keep the Faith, and practice everyday is the key to a happy life.

with love and prayers .....................

2010-03-01T21:57:00.000-08:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We had a full house again all through february with the visit of two monks from Sera-je.What a blessing to be able to accomodate members of the Sangha here !! and share with them our practice, get some meditation tips; and singing tibetan prayers was very enriching.
Now there are two permanent residents, ie staying until the end of the season, and we share many insights and inspiring moments. We also expecting at the end of march from Russia, and the young couple from Moscow staying here at the moment is finding a place to rest from their travel, enjoying meditations for the first time, et looking ater their spirit practicing generosity (thank you Ann for your delicious russian homemade porridge !!!)
Yesterday was the end of the colour festival (many people got coloured against their will !!!) but peace remained at the ashram throughout the madness around. Full moon celebration was a very powerful moment with a nightwatch meditation for John on sunday in Chapora fort.
As Father Maximilian said, facing his lethal injection from his Nazi torturer: "Evil must be met by Love."
So keep the Faith in doing and cultivating good, this is the only way to fight against our demons and to know our minds.
Peace will prevail on Earth, and in the heart of all sentient beings.

With love and prayers.............

2010-02-18T22:30:00.000-08:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The house is full again, lovely people from all over the world, and we are enjoying the sunsets, lovely vegetarian food and many karma yogas together. Tom from Germany has rebuilt the outside hut under the trees, The Hut of Truth as I like to call it, where guests can come to meditate under the green roof of nature (and snakes ?...), and also enjoy a private, deep and sincere conversation with me about their spiritual path in all openness. 'whatever happens in the hut, stays in the hut'.

Also, music is on the list of new activities (outside the ashram). In the library, we listen to Vivien from France, practicing tablas everyday, and John is playing acoustic guitar in a local bar in Anjuna beach (SAN FRANCISCO's) every wednesday to promote the ashram , with opportunity to play a big venue on the open stage at the famous Saturday Nite market of Baga.

So I wish you all happiness and the causes of Happiness,

and may all your wishes be fulfilled according to the Holy Dharma,

With Love and Prayers

2010-02-07T22:52:00.000-08:00

Peace to you Brothers and sisters,

Honour to Zen Buddhism this year with a new zen garden in the courtyard made with sand from Vagator beach (ten bucket loads carried with Shiva !!), a beautiful small green boulder found in the garden and a Gong brought by John from Bodhgaya. Now you won't be able to say you didn't here the call for meditation after that !!

Also, we have finally openned the library and Tibetan gift/surf shop, beautifully decorated

by Shiva, you will find encense, book, money bags, 'OM MANI PADME HUM' necklaces, wall hangings, prayer flags and handmade Tibetan friendship bracelets.

We have now 2 guests, and two more to come, people stopping at the library are now coming to meditations, and volunteering at the animal rescue, so it is really a good link between the ashram and the local community. Every little helps !!!

keep checking the news ;) love and light, john

Medicine Buddha House: New Year starting

2010-01-22T22:25:00.000-08:00

Medicine Buddha House: New Year starting

New Year starting

2010-01-22T21:53:00.000-08:00

Welcome back Brothers and Sisters !!!

A new year is unfolding, full of surprises and changes, you know what they say: everything is impermanent right ?

I had the great opportunity to participate in the 21st Nyngma Molen World Peace celebration in Bodhgaya this year, what a blessing !! Inspiring and revitalising before coming back to the ashram.

So here are the news:

This year, I am the only one in charge it seems, Sonam being busy with a new taxi business. Good news is that Shiva is back with us for more yoga lessons, and we enjoy the cooking of Sunyata and the excellent house keeping of 'Milcha', Sonam's brother.

.........Reiki treatments are still available and now also reiki training as I have finally passed the final step towards reiki instructorship.

.........Meditation twice a day as usual (7am/7pm) , and dharma readings twice a week (thursdays and sundays).

.........The non-dharma library is now re-open outside the ashram, and within we have the tibetan shop (waiting for more items) and anyone is welcome to stop for information and relax there. We have books, chess, dharma and non-dharma videos viewing, and surf coaching.

We hope to see you there, and wish you peace and happiness,

With love and prayers,

John

A new beginning

2009-10-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Brothers and sisters,

Many news and updates in this post. So let's take it in order:

Firstly, the centre is re-opened this year, thanks to Sonam's help and private donators' charity. There will be a young tibetan boy who will work as a part-time cleaner this year, which should help us to concentrate more on our visitors, and Sunyata, Sonam's wife, will be cooking for us this year.

Second, is that John (= me!) will not be here until january due to an injury to his knee early in september. That will teach him a lesson in skydiving! Now I am better, recovering from minor surgery. I shall be with you for the rest of the season.

Third, reiki teaching will be available (John received his attunement to level 3&4 in August) at the cost of $100 for level 1 or 2, and minimum of $200 for level 3 & 4. We have good hope that Gonpo, our wonderful tibetan masseur, will join us this year, and Shiva agreed to come with John in january.

Finally, let me wish you happiness and love in your life, and hope you find means to live it in the most meaningful way. Here's a quote I love from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama:

"We are visitors on this planet.

We are here for ninety or one hundred years at the very most.
During That period, we must try to do something good,
something useful with our lives.

If you contribute to other people's happiness,
you will find the true goal,
the true meaning of life."

With Love and Prayers,

John

Energy experiment

2009-03-03T00:44:00.000-08:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are now enjoying an empty house (until 10th of March) and peaceful retreat. Although there are some daily visitors for yoga and meditations.

As I mentioned in the last post, we had some energy workshop going on here, teaching about the subtle energy bodies and chakras to guests.

We also had a planting experiment. Seeds of two kinds (pumpkin and chickpea) were put in pots and we individually treated them with a daily dose of loving kindness and left one to grow 'naturally' without interference. And after the guest involved left, I kept an eye on them without interfering (not even a drop of water!).

Here are the results after two weeks:

4 Pots with 3 chickpeas seeds and the winner is .......NATURE ! well at least Samsara... the three seeds grew perfectly in the samsaric way. From the ones treated with love and simple care from Manuela, or the pot surrounded by people reciting Muniye and Om mani padme hum mantras, both got one sprout !!! IAs for the pot cared by John with a daily dose of REIKI, nothing sprouted, at least in Samsara. Guess the rest grew into a Buddha field ; ) TEE HEE.

12 seeds of pumkin were planted in two pots (6 each), one left to Mother Nature, and the other one we meditated with in the Gompa for 15 minutes a day at 5pm, generating Loving-Kindness.

Again, 3 sprouted in Samsara, and none with the meditation ones !!! Loving-Kindness seemed to be too much to take for little seeds that they preferred again to grow in a Buddha field.

Something to reflect on our true pure nature, Rigpa, I say.

I shall wish you all Happiness and prosperity,

May the Peace of the Buddha accompany you, may His Wisdom guide you and may His Compassion inspire you.

With much Love and Prayers,

John

FULL HOUSE

2009-02-09T19:29:00.000-08:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Last week the centre was fully booked and it was a very uplifting moment to see all these people sharing moments of loving-kindness and learning about Dharma.
Now we have again two rooms vacant, but not for long...

Anyhow, the centre is running happily, offering now some "energy workshops" to discover one's energetic system, introduced by myself. The yoga lessons work well with the public, and regular guests. We have also been added on the official website for the Maitreya Project advertising all the centres involved.

We feel very positive and generate as much as we can at the centre and also running some outreach projects. John giving reiki energy and meditating with monkeys is volunteering at the Tree House, a monkey rescue centre developped by John Hicks, Director of the International Animal Rescue. Shiva is offering his services as a yoga teacher at El Sheddai, a charity helping street children.
Unfortunately,Antje had to leave the centre for personal reasons, but she is still providing healing in Arambol and keeps in touch with the team. But Sabrina from France is joining us to provide Shiatsu from the 10th of March.
It seems the house is always attracting the healing energy and is providing shelter to spirituality!

I feel personnaly blessed to be the manager of this house and enjoy every moments here.

Remember, Loving-kindness is what we need in the world.

May the Peace and Wisdom of the Buddhas guide you,

With Love and Prayers,

John

New activities

2009-01-21T01:34:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody,

I just came back from the Dalai Lama teachings in Sarnath (very inspiring) and I feel blessed that I could be in His presence at least once in this lifetime.

We arrived on the sunday afternoon, just ion time to organise and resume the Dharma talks in the evening. No slacking.

A new year is starting at the centre, with new activities. The Universe is providing everything you need when you need it, and proof is that we have now guests and new members on the team after the events over Xmas.

First is Antje, a kind lady from Germany who is a chanting bowl therapist, can't wait to try it out !! And also joining us is my own yoga guru from Varanasi. We now had a very good reason to put up the big mosquito proof tent outside the gompa. The yoga group lessons have started straight away two days after we came back from Varanasi.

All is well at medicinebuddhahouse, and we wish you a very happy Dharma practice. Please support us and this project in anyway you can.

May peace prevail on Earth and for all living beings,

With love and prayers from john

A New Year Ahead

2008-12-24T03:46:00.000-08:00

Yes it is another year ending, another starting, the endless turning of the cyclic existence.

With all the security problems in Goa and being so close to the beach, the centre was restricted in the access of guests and the meditation classes are cancelled over the Xmas period. So we cannot accommodate until the 15h of January. The peace meditation is still running every morning at 7am and Lam Rim meditation at 7pm until the 27th of december though for regular guests.

I will be in Varanassi until the 10th of January and Sarnath (to meet the Dalai Lama, yeah!!) and be back to reopen normal activities at the centre.

Everything is very peaceful here, and it is a wonder how the rest of the world can be worked up by the media coverage and the brainwashing of "terror". There is no such thing as terror. Stop being fooled by it and wake up. Peace WILL prevail and will not impose itself on people by force but by the natural evolution of the human psyche. We are, every one of us, responsible for it and we will embrace all living beings.

I wish everybody a merry Xmas and a happy New Year,

May the minds of all beings be free from thoughts of intolerance, anger, hatred and the wish to give harm, and may their minds be filled instead with thoughts of Tolerance, Respect, Loving-Kindness, and the wish only to benefit others.

With Love and Prayers, John

Maitreya Project

2008-12-08T23:01:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

The meditation practice is going well at the old ashram. We have people coming in everyday to join us in our daily peace meditation.
There is also a tibetan bowl therapist who came to stay a night and will most likely join the team here to provide healing through sound after christmas!

It is sad to hear that the terrorist attack in Mumbai is affecting the mind of people even here and is spreading fear in the world. Let these fears be blown away by the practicing of loving-kindness and generating love in your heart.
Let the illuminating power of Maitreya reach your very core and ignite an everlasting sense of tolerance, respect, compassion, and a wish to benefit other sentient beings.

You can find useful information about generating loving-kindness around the world looking in the website about the Maitreya project, including pdfs and mp3s of the peace meditation in many world languages. This will help you in your daily practice.
http://www.maitreyaproject.org/en/

May the peace of the Buddhas be with you,
God bless,
John

Daily meditation

2008-11-20T23:23:00.000-08:00

Well, it seems the season has finally started here.

Yesterday we had our first reading and meditation at the Ashram. Two people came in to join the meditation and listen to inspiring extracts for Lama Zopa teachings. One of them had reiki treatments here, and her friend will stay with us for week-end retreats.
Today, a visitor who used to know the house back in the 80's came to join the meditation group.

We are now offering daily meditation for everyone to join in, and twice weekly readings on Dharma and Buddhism, followed by a meditation to reflect on the teachings. Everyone is invited.

Finally, Gonpo our dear tibetan masseur is expected next week, and a Reiki master should join the team to teach Reiki 1 & 2. The wheel of Dharma is turning.

With love and prayers,
John

A new season starts at MBH

2008-11-10T02:45:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody,

It's about time I got my fingers on the keyboard to welcome you all to MBH !!

First news is the new website both in english and french. Check it out, all the info about the house is there.

http://www.medicinebuddhahouse.org

We don't have any dharma courses this year, but meditation classes are still available, with some new teachers too (ie Kevin for Zen meditation).

Sonam and I will be providing reiki treatments still, and we expect Gonpo our dear Tibetan masseur to be here around the 25th of November. In the meantime, you can come anytime to have a chat and a cuppa at the centre.

Another season is starting, the wheel of Dharma is again turning at the MBH with new staff and old timers. So keep up with the (slow) pace.

With much Love and Prayers,

JOHN

Retreat at Medicine Buddha House

2008-01-11T00:55:00.000-08:00

Our retreats have now finished this season but of course we remain open for drop-in classes, Tibetan Massage,Reiki and rooms for rent and for anyone looking for a quiet location for their own retreat or practice. I participated in the retreat last week and I must say, Medicine Buddha House is the ideal location. When your mind is calm and everyone is in silence, the peace is wonderful. You feel so close to nature and feel so grateful to be in such a beautiful place.

2007-12-20T23:37:00.000-08:00

The Medicine Buddha Butterfly. Photo taken by Lone on the Medicine Buddha Retreat.

A Taste of Meditation

2007-12-16T22:24:00.001-08:00

Nick has been coming to Goa for the last ten years and always comes to teach drop in meditation classes. Once you’ve got the taste or for those looking for a little more, we can offer short residential meditation courses with Stephen and Patricia. Stephen and Patricia learned meditation in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and have been fortunate to study and practice with many highly qualified teachers over the past 15 years.

Please contact us for bookings or enquiries
Email us at medicinebuddhahouse@gmail.com
Call us on +91 9977 63831

From Janet and Nigel

2007-12-14T05:11:00.000-08:00

We both got a lot out of the retreat itself, Namgyels teachings were inspiring.The food was excellent and just what was needed and the setting of the retreat centre was beautiful.

From Vigdis

2007-12-08T01:52:00.000-08:00

I had a great time at Medicine Buddha House. The sound of the waves, palm trees and birds was natural healing. It was like a pure garden in the middle of Goa. Also being able to take retreat with the greatest teacher, Venerable Namgyel who carried us through with his great love and strength was amazing. Also having a mother like Hannah around is rare. Gonpo’s massages were out of this world – the best in India (and I have tried a lot). Don’t miss the opportunity to treat yourself and become a new person. Sonam with is everlasting smile is a very rare thing in this world. He will smile in any situation and make you believe in love and happiness for ever. Jaspal; the singing and dancing chef is magic. He will turn your stomach and all your cells into a pure paradise.

With all my love
Vigdis.

Traditional Tibetan Massage

2007-12-02T22:25:00.000-08:00

When he is not doing puja, protector prayers and circumambulating the house, Gonpo; our resident Tibetan Massage Therapist is busy giving treatments or running courses.

Gonpo is a well qualified professional masseur, skilled in the art of Traditional Tibetan Massage. Massage is more than a physical experience. The mind and body undergo a significant connection during the massage session. Gonpo has shared the power of healing through touch for four years now. He offers Tibetan Tsampa Massage, face neck and shoulder, reflexology, full body massage, back massage, massage courses and healing touch.

Reiki Treatments are available from Hannah and Sonam.

Updates from Hannah in the House

2007-12-02T21:25:00.000-08:00

The Medicine Buddha Retreat was a big success and many people have been floating out of our treatment room. The centre is off to a successful first season.
It always takes a few days to adjust to India and then it takes a few more days to slow down to the Goa pace. Within three days of arriving at the centre, I had fallen in love with the place and found it’s setting to be perfect. To sit amongst the shade of the bush, or to hear the sounds of nature and with the beach only a few minutes walk away, you can enjoy a bit of sun and sand and at night, lie in bed and listen to the sound of the waves. The centre in Goa is perfect for winter retreat if you need some peace and quiet, space to meditate, warm up, rest, relax, sleep and eat well and wind down. May all who come to Medicine Buddha House find peace and space during their stay.

Retreat

2007-11-30T05:30:00.000-08:00

A fabulous Medicine Buddha retreat with some really dedicated practitioners. Tomorrow we will tell you what the participants had to say about the retreat and also more news about our upcoming programme with Stephen and his wife. Treatments with Gonpo, Sonam and myself continue to be very popular and we have many Tibetan wallhangings, door curtains etc. for sale.

BUDDHIST INDIA

2007-10-25T05:28:00.000-07:00

If you have time, please do look as this beautiful video of Buddhism in India, through YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Ls3GOy_Mo

Medicine Buddha House

2007-09-25T05:27:00.000-07:00

Sending out kindness to all.....

2007-05-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

We pray that all sentient beings will have all the causes
happiness and none of the causes of suffering.

May this happen right now!

We also pray for the long life and good health of
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche
and all our precious teachers, who are an enormous
source of guidance and inspiration.

Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche

2007-05-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

This is our guide and most respected teacher, Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche, the inspiration for everything we do in our work to try to benefit and help others. Rinpoche is the Spiritual Director of the F.P.M.T., a respected worldwide organisation.

HH 14th Dalai Lama with Chenresig Mandala

2007-05-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

Exciting News in Goa.....

2007-05-19T09:05:00.001-07:00

For many years Sonam at Buddha House, has been offering great Reiki treatments in Buddha House, but now he has decided to branch out and offer more and varied quality treatments. There will be Tibetan massage and courses; Reiki courses and even acupressure/acupuncture! On offer are also short Medicine Buddha ultimate healing courses from 5-10 days. He is also planning daily meditations, reasonably priced accommodation and a Buddhist shop!

If you want to contact Sonam, please email and he will get right back to you.....The season starts in October/November 2007, and all are welcome.