Toowoomba Buddhist Centre in Toowoomba, Queensland | Religious organisation

Toowoomba Buddhist Centre

Locality: Toowoomba, Queensland

Phone: +61 7 4564 9636

Address: 4-6 Cress Street 4350 Toowoomba, QLD, Australia

Website: http://www.toowoombabuddhistcentre.org

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25.01.2022 Our March 2020 newsletter is available from the link below! This months thought: It is better to establish a real, living contact with our negative emotions (which means acknowledging them and experiencing them but not indulging them) than to remain in an alienated state and not experience our emotions at all. [Sangharakshita, 1998, A Stream of Stars, Birmingham: Windhorse Publications, p.45]

21.01.2022 Our February 2020 newsletter is available from the link below! This months thought: We have to undertake a sort of mental stock-taking of our own skilful and unskilful mental states our own ‘vices’ and ‘virtues’. Though no moral absolutes are involved here, we have at least to understand our own minds, or our own mental states and mental qualities, very seriously and honestly before we can even think of applying the Four Exertions. Otherwise we shall not know how to proceed..., and no real improvement no real development will be possible. [Sangharakshita, 1987, The Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path, pp. 120-121.] See more

18.01.2022 The Melbourne Buddhist is temporarily closed to the public. It is pleased to launch MBC Online, an evolving program of online meditation classes, courses and events in real time. You can subscribe to their mailing list to be notified as more classes and events are added. http://melbournebuddhistcentre.org.au/

15.01.2022 Our October 2020 newsletter is available from the link below! This months thought: The Pali word is anga, which means ‘limb’, indicating a process of organic growth rather than a movement from one place to another. There is no distinction between the traveller and the Path. The traveller is the Path. [Mitrata 29,1980,The Four Noble Truths, p.21].... https://www.toowoombabuddhistcentre.org//Newsletter_Octobe

15.01.2022 An opportunity to connect with Sangha from different Triratna Australian/ NZ centres Regional Dharma Online Sunday mornings 8.00 Qld time.

15.01.2022 Easter from a Buddhist Perspective: Even though Easter is predominantly a Christian festival these days, celebrating the death and resurrection of Christ, as Western Buddhists we can relate to its symbolism. It can be seen as a powerful symbol of spiritual death and rebirth. This is also close to its earlier pagan origins where this time of the year in the northern hemisphere was celebrated with spring festivals. These celebrated fertility and the coming into existence of th...e new. Have you ever yearned for a new you, for the old habitual self to die and be replaced by a new, more creative and spiritual you? Even the chick breaking out of the egg shell (another common Easter symbol) implies going beyond the normal boundaries that we confine ourselves with. The word resurrection has connotations of ‘to resuscitate, revitalise, renew and breathe new life into’. Whenever we go past our normal identification with our self this is like a spiritual death and rebirth. Whenever we go beyond our ‘old’, habitual reactions or our cramped views of things we can experience renewal and a sense of expansiveness we can bring a new creative response into existence. According to Buddhism we all have infinite potential because we have self awareness. However, to realise this potential requires taking responsibility for ourselves and a lot of effort that’s the ‘rub’ in Buddhism. I have heard it said many times it’s easier to just hand over responsibility to someone or something else some ‘external agency’ for our growth. See more

14.01.2022 Our September 2020 Newsletter is available from the link below: https://www.toowoombabuddhistcentre.org//Newsletter_Septem

14.01.2022 PICNIC Everyone is invited to come along this Sunday from 11am to 2.30pm and enjoy a picnic under the trees near the Campbell Street entrance of the Botanical Gardens. Bring a chair or rug and a plate of vegetarian food to share. Find out about activities at the TBC or meet up with old friends.

13.01.2022 In line with directives from the Australian Government we have temporarily ceased activities at the Toowoomba Buddhist Centre until further notice. During this difficult time keeping up a meditation practice and studying the Dharma can be very supportive in managing the unusual circumstance we are finding ourselves in. We also encourage you to keep in touch with Sangha friends by whatever means you can. There are lots of online resources to help you stay connected with the Dh...arma. "A Dharma Toolkit for Uncertain Times: Community support for your practice" has been created to provide support and to help you stay connected to the Dharma. It's resources are available online from this link. https://thebuddhistcentre.com/stories/toolkit/ Other resources are: Free Buddhist Audio - www.freebuddhistaudio.com/ Wildmind - www.wildmind.org London Buddhist Centre - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAwcmCW7nQ7Y2nlq0506xXQ Windhorse Publications: weekly free eBook https://www.windhorsepublications.com/free-the-dharma/ The outbreak of COVID-19 is a graphic reminder of the interconnectedness of all life. It is also an opportunity to put the Buddha's teachings into practice by responding with kindness, clarity & calm. Please join us in extending metta to all beings, including yourself.

09.01.2022 Our April 2020 newsletter is available from the link below! This months editorial: Dear Friends, You might be interested to hear that the Cakkavattisihananda Sutta of the Pali Canon, spells out a link between the three poisons (the basic unskilful mental states of the individual human mind) and environmental consequences. When humanity is demoralized through greed, famine is the natural outcome; when moral degeneration is due to ignorance, epidemic is the inevitable result; w...hen hatred is the demoralizing force, widespread violence is the inevitable outcome. When they spread beyond the confines of the human mind they manifest as real, observable poisons effecting the global environment. These tendencies, according to the Sutra, contribute to an unsustainable situation and the end result is devastation and a shortening of the life span of the population. The sutra continues ... If and when humanity realizes that the large-scale devastation has taken place as a result of its moral decline, a change of heart takes place ... As morality is renewed, conditions improve through a long period of cause and effect ... This quote fits in with the overall cyclic view of Buddhism toward all natural phenomena. It states that when people wake up to the fact that their actions are impacting negatively on their quality of life, there is a change of heart. In difficult times we can use the Four Brahma Viharas as a survival kit. Loving-kindness (metta) is considered the root emotion but it can manifest in three main ways. When it encounters suffering it becomes compassion (karuna), when encountering happiness it becomes sympathetic joy (mudita) and when encountering difficulties it becomes equanimity (upekkha). It is important we keep up a reservoir of metta for ourselves and others and that we don’t go beyond the limits of our own reservoir. It can act as a buffer between us and the coarseness of the world. Upekkha arises when we reflect on the fact that everything arises in dependence upon conditions and that we can never be in control. We see things more objectively when we realise the conditionedness of every situation and event and this can help reduce stress. The overwhelming situation is ungraspable, like a mirage, like a dream. The ‘me’ that is feeling overwhelmed is unfindable. Ultimately, there is nothing to worry about. Obviously, we can use this in an unhelpful way, to repress uncomfortable feelings, but it can also help by giving a sense of perspective, and allowing us not to take even the most serious events too seriously. [Roger] See more

09.01.2022 The Sydney Buddhist Centre is temporarily closed to the public, in accordance with restrictions which are in place to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The Centre is offering online study and meditation classes via the Zoom platform, which can be accessed from their website. https://sydneybuddhistcentre.org.au/online-classes

06.01.2022 REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN FOR UPCOMING COURSES AT TOOWOOMBA BUDDHIST CENTRE: - Traditional Buddhist Meditation & Mindfulness - This course aims to develop more overall awareness in participants and the ability to regain control of your attention. A series of exercises, as well as the meditation practices themselves, are used to help understand the workings of the mind and the role of mindfulness in managing our emotions and mental states.... The next eight-week Traditional Buddhist Meditation & Mindfulness course will be starting on Monday 17th February 2020 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. - Introducing Buddhism - For people who want to know or inform themselves about Buddhism and its relevance to modern living. There is an information explosion on Buddhism currently in the West, which can lead to confusion, so this course is designed to clarify the teaching. These teachings are fascinating and mysterious, but also very practical, and thus can help us develop attitudes that are more aligned with reality to help us overcome suffering. The next eight-week Introducing Buddhism evening course will be starting on Tuesday 18th February 2020 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. *All* are welcome! For more info see our website www.toowoombabuddhistcentre.org

02.01.2022 Our May 2020 newsletter is available from the link below! This months thought: ‘’Four basic propositions: (1) Man can change. (2) He can change himself.... (3) He can help others to change. (4) Together they can change the world.'' [Sangharakshita, A Stream of Stars. Reflections and Aphorisms. Birmingham: Windhorse Publications, 1998, p. 18.] https://www.toowoombabuddhistcentre.org//Newsletter_May_20

02.01.2022 RE-OPENING THE CENTRE The regular Thursday night Friends night will re-commence at the Buddhist Centre on 10th September at 7pm. We will have a dedication ceremony to ritually mark our coming back together after such a long time away.There will be a limit on how many people can attend the centre because of the social distancing regulations. Because of the current restrictions our limit is 10 people in all, so that’s 7 people plus the team leaders. Because of this we will intr...oduce a booking system. If you wish to attend on the night please contact Karen on 0427681863 to reserve you place.We will also be asking people to sanitise their hands on entry and record their contact details in the contact tracing register and to observe social distancing during the course of the evening. We look forward to gathering again in person and re-connecting with old friends and new alike. See more