New Chan Forum 30

Thirty Years Of Meditation In Wales

It seems incredible that thirty years have passed since I began to offer meditation retreats at the Maenllwyd. We began with Enlightenment Intensives held in a ruin of a cottage remote from the world. One of them was led by Jeff Love who taught me how to master this process. This was all part of the programme of the Bristol Encounter Centre which I had created earlier with psychotherapeutic friends following my return from California. Gradually we moved to presenting Soto Zen meditation and eventually Shifu came over to support my endeavours and the Western Chan Fellowship was formed.

So much history, so many feelings and states of mind embedded in those well juiced walls! It's odd to remember holding full retreats in the Buddha Room which seems so small today. Old hands have much to remember and be grateful.

This issue is a celebration of these thirty years. It looks ahead with accounts of the training of Guestmasters, important book reviews concerning Buddhism and both therapy and social engagement, and a response to our recent articles on Buddhism and science. Shifu returns us to our roots with an account of the foundation teachings of the great Master Linji. Enjoy!

Contents

• The Recorded Sayings of Master Linji, Chan Master Shengyen
• Lo And Behold…, Jake Lyne
• Guestmasters in training, John Crook
• Shabkar’s Guest: The Breath of the Dragon, Fiona Nuttall
• Maenllwyd, Pat Simmons
• Science and the Middle Way, John Senior
• Loving Kindness, Peter Reason
• Long-Life prayers for HH the Dalai Lama
• Ordinary Mind: Exploring the Common Ground of Zen and Psychotherapy, Eddy Street
• Not Turning Away: The Practice of Engaged Buddhism, Ken Jones
• Retreat Reports:
  • Fixing the Separator
  • Finding the Fullness of Myself
  • Opening The Heart, John Rowan
• My Karma ran over my Dogma, Jo Horward
• A Man on a Moped Coming From Llanidloes, Eddy Street
• A Day For Young People, Iris Tute and Alysun Jones
• Buddhist Films, Michael McLoughlin
• On Meditation, Peter Reason
• The Land Of The Dawn-Lit Mountains, John Crook
• Three Principles, Chan Master Shengyen