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Volume 27: April-May 2010.  Click at image to read/download.

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Volume 28: June 2010.  Click at image to read/download.

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Volume 29: July 2010.  Click at image to read/download.

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]]> http://www.peaceforafrica.org/2010/07/09/thai-south-african-newsletters-volume-27-28-29/feed/ 0 http://www.peaceforafrica.org/2010/03/25/a-visit-of-80-students-from-st-johns-college/ http://www.peaceforafrica.org/2010/03/25/a-visit-of-80-students-from-st-johns-college/#comments Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:00:24 +0000 webmaster http://www.peaceforafrica.org/?p=620 .

St. John’s College
A World Class Christian School in Africa
St. David Road, Houghton, Johannesburg, South Africa

Lux Vita Caritas
(Light, Life, Love)

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On Wednesday 24th March 2010, the Johannesburg Meditation Centre (JMC) had an opportunity to welcome 80 schoolboys from the prestigious St. John’s College, Houghton, Johannesburg. Led by Sue de Witte, these Grade 10 students came with an open mind to explore the teachings in Buddhism.

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Ven. Somsak of Johannesburg Meditation Centre gave them an introduction to Buddhism, the monk’s life, the monk’s robe, purification and Nirvana. The concept of re-incarnation and the Law of Karma were enriching to their religious studies and attracted a lot of good questions.

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These youths were also introduced to MEDITATION practice that included a visualization and a mantra. Meditation is universal enough to allow every student of every religion to gain a level of inner peace. They are matured enough to understand that global peace starts from inner peace of individuals and that War and Peace share the same origin — the Mind.

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Before leaving the Meditation Centre, they enjoyed Thai food lunch which was supported by Kai Thai restaurant from Fontainebleau, Johannesburg. They went back with a better understanding of another religion.

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External Link:
http://www.stjohnscollege.co.za/index.php

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For the first time, our teaching monk at the Johannesburg Meditation Centre guided meditation through the 3.5G internet connection to students in Virginia, U.S.A. on Saturday 20th March 2010.

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Over a dozen of Americans gathered at “Meditation Center of D.C.” at 3325 Franconia Rd., Alexandria, VA, at 3.30 p.m. local time while at 9.30 p.m. in Johannesburg, South Africa. With the support of a video call, meditation students could enjoy the teaching of inner peace without limitation of physical distance.

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And it was so cheap!

Questions were answered and the concept of inner peace was delivered for these students to take back and practice at home.

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A long journey starts within oneself and all it takes is only a small corner at one’s home. Internet can be harmful for some, but for a lot others internet is a means to secure inner peace at their convenience.

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External link:
http://www.meditationdc.org

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Click to see enlarged picture

Smooth as Silk: THAI Cocktail Evening on Thursday, 18 March 2010.

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Thai Airways International (THAI) re-introduces the direct flights between Johannesburg and Bangkok. Cocktail Evening starts at 18h00 on Thrusday 18 March 2010 at Fire & Ice Hotel, Melrose Arch, Whitely Street, Johannesburg.

RSVP faith.t.anderson@gmail.com

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The Life-Changing Stories in Africa are now ready on shelves.

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This unique book was written in Africa to note the journeys where many lives were changed by inner peace through the practice of meditation. Meditation in Africa? Yes, absolutely! It started from Cape Town, to Johannesburg, Zimbabwe, up north to Malawi and Uganda.

These stunning live-changing stories in Africa are working their own way under the shelter of inner peace. Certainly ‘MEDITATION’ is just the key to a peaceful corner in the African hearts. When ones close their eyes and center their minds, they discover the same peacefulness at the center of their bodies — thus their outer differences cease to exist.

This is an amazing discovery in the meditation. As one meditation practitioner just put it, “What people are fighting for are differences. But when there no differences, what will you fight for? You fight for nothing. There will be no war. There will just be peace.”

‘Meditation’ is a form of  ‘Speechless Peace Conference’ bypassing the Nobel Peace Prize notation or the United Nations’ campaigns for World Peace. The Middle Way Once More is all about practical peace-making at the level of every household. Paintings of African theme by Metta Suvachitvong. Complementary comment by Anant Asavabhokhin, CEO, Land & Houses PLC.

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The English version is available at the Johannesburg Meditation Centre.  Plus a complimentary Guided Meditation MP3 CD in the package.

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The Thai version of “The Middle Way Once More” is now available at all SE-ED Book Centers throughout Thailand.

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(Thai Version)

“The Middle Way Once More  เส้นทางสายนี้ ที่คุณคุ้นเคย”

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เป็นหนังสือแนวขนานแท้ ที่เล่าเรื่องธรรมะไม่เหมือนใคร เพราะโลเกชั่นอยู่ที่ทวีปแอฟริกา ดินแดนแห่งสิงโต เสือดาว หมู่ช้างและกวางเก้ง

แต่ใครจะไปคาดคิดว่า สมาธิในพระพุทธศาสนา ได้เข้าไปเติมเต็มชีวิตของชาวแอฟริกัน เริ่มจากโจฮันเนสเบิร์ก และเคปทาวน์ เซ้าท์แอฟริกา และขยายไปถึงประเทศเพื่อนบ้านอย่างมาลาวี ซิมบับเว และยูกันด้า สมาธิได้กลมกลืนไปกับกลิ่นอายของแอฟริกาอย่างถึงแก่นของป่าซาฟารี

“พบพาน ผ่านภพ” ผู้เขียนได้ไปฝังตัวอยู่ในโจฮันเนสเบิร์ก ได้เห็นได้ยินเรื่องราวที่ไม่เคยเปิดเผยออกมาสู่โลกกว้าง ความอัศจรรย์ของหนังสืออยู่ที่ความสดใส ลึกซึ้งแต่ไม่ซับซ้อน ธรรมะทุกถ้อยคำสามารถลัดเลาะจากป่าซาฟารี ลอยแทรกเข้ามาทุกซอกตึกระฟ้าของกรุงเทพมหานคร ไม่ว่าเราจะอยู่ในมุมไหนของเมือง เรื่องราวของหนังสือเล่มนี้จะโดนใจของเรา ไม่มุมไหนก็มุมหนึ่ง ไม่ยากเลย

พบกับหนังสือ “The Middle Way Once More  เส้นทางสายนี้ ที่คุณคุ้นเคย” ได้ที่ ศูนย์หนังสือในเครือซีเอ็ดบุ๊คเซนเต้อร์ เกือบ 400 แห่งทั่วประเทศไทย รวมถึง ร้านนายอินทร์ และบีทูเอส ทั่วประเทศ ราคาหน้าปก 95 บาท

และที่ ศูนย์ปฏิบัติธรรมโจฮันเนสเบิร์ก และ ศูนย์ปฏิบัติธรรมเคปทาวน์

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…ง่ายกว่านี้มีอีกไหม สมาธิเปลี่ยนชีวิตได้ แม้อยู่ไกลถึงแอฟริกา…

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เข้าสู่เว็บไซต์ The Middle Way Once More คลิ้กที่นี่:
www.middleway.me

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Thai – South African Newsletter Volume 26

March – April 2010

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For the month of March and April 2010, the special issue, Volume 26, of the local Thai – South African Newsletter is now ready for all readers. Find a special column on the establishment of a Farang Association for Culture & Trade Johannesburg (Farang is a Thai word traditionally for addressing a Westerner — formerly from France during the 17th century in the Kingdom of Siam).

The annual ‘Songkran’ Water Festival’ is around the corner. Both Farang Association (F.A.C.T.) & Thai Association (T.A.C.T.) in conjunction with the Johannesburg Meditation Centre (J.M.C.) are holding the spectacular festival to celebrate Thailand’s traditional New Year in such a way that both ‘culture’ and ‘trade’ can be appropriately addressed and  incorporated.

Thai Airways International (THAI) is re-launching a direct flight between Bangkok and Johannesburg for 4 flights a week, starting mid-May 2010. Full details in the issue.

Global Peace is on the move whereas 40 youths from 23 nations in all 6 continents (of course including Africa) took part in the meditation retreat in Chiangmai, Thailand.  Our Buddhist monk from the Johannesburg Meditation Centre also took part in guiding meditation to these youths of Peace Revolution Project. This is the practical peace-making whereas some key global organizations are spending billions only for peace-keeping. The ‘Speechless Peace Conference’ was thus introduced.

Related website: www.peacerevolution2010.org.

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Download your electronic copy by clicking at the link here below (3MB):

Download the Thai – South African Newsletter Volume 26

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Download all 25 previous issues here:
http://www.peaceforafrica.org/newsletter

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The Songkran Water Festival Poster is also included in the back cover of this issue, or download poster separately by clicking at the thumb here below (3MB):

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Inner Peace makes its own way across the globe. Youths from 23 countries with the quest for peace-making have joined the meditation retreat in Thailand to experience inner peace before they return to their home countries for a new look of their dream to create foundation of peace among themselves.

40 youths in 23 countries from every continent
in the meditation room under Peace Revolution 2010 Program
Chiangmai, Thailand.

Ven. Fremma Gunabho from Kampala, Uganda
and Ven. Somsak Piyaseelo, Johannesburg, South Africa

Located amid a cherry blossom of Chiangmai, northern Thailand, the mother nature embraced these youths in a peaceful environment. The meditation room, meditation seats and meditation instructors allowed participants to centre their minds within themselves.

Cherry Blossoms

Inner Peace Time
Most Favourite Time of the Day

These youths will join the Candle Light for Peace at Dhammakaya Temple on 28th February 2010 as part of their inner peace experience. Then during 1st – 4th March, they will conduct workshop / conference on Global Peace.

(More photos to be updated)

External Link:  www.peacerevolution2010.org

]]> http://www.peaceforafrica.org/2010/02/25/peace-for-africa-peace-revolution-in-action/feed/ 0 http://www.peaceforafrica.org/2010/02/20/ambassadorial-visit-part-ii/ http://www.peaceforafrica.org/2010/02/20/ambassadorial-visit-part-ii/#comments Sat, 20 Feb 2010 10:00:37 +0000 webmaster http://www.peaceforafrica.org/?p=489 Ambassadorial Visit of H.E. High Commissioner of Sri Lanka
Johannesburg Meditation Centre
Saturday 20th February 2010

On Saturday 20th February 2010, H.E. High Commissioner Mr. D. Wijesinghe, his wife, children and immediate family members gave another visit to the Johannesburg Meditation Centre.

After he was appointed officially as the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka by the South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma early this month, he then came to J.M.C. (Wat Buddha Johannesburg) for his Puja (worship) as part of his tradition.

The H.E. High Commissioner, his wife and his followers also took this opportunity to practice meditation together. This is the beginning of mutual relationship between the High Commission of Sri Lanka and the Thai Buddhist Temple in South Africa. He also expressed an intention to come for more frequent meditation in the near future.

On each first Sunday of each month, Ven. Abbot Dhammajayo at Dhammakaya Temple in Thailand will lead a special meditation session, Live via the satellite and internet, at 2.30 a.m. GMT. This First Sunday Special Meditation has been participated for over 40 years, and with recent satellite and internet technologies have been live broadcast for the past 10 years.

At the Johannesburg Meditation Centre, it starts at 4.30 a.m. local time. Thus, a small group of members would join the 2 key activities:

1. Preparing flowers, fruits and food and placing them in front of the image of Lord Buddha. This is a part of offering sustenance — a tradition dated thousands of years.

2. Joining the guided meditation that is broadcast live from Thailand, led by Ven. Abbot Dhammajayo.

The uniqueness of this event is the simultaneous mass meditation with other fellow meditators over a hundred countries worldwide. When every corner of the world experiences inner peace right at the same moment, we hope to create a positive ambience of peace over the planet.  And the number of participants has been increasing continually.

Group Photograph at 6.00 a.m.

Ven. Abbot Dhammajayo has pursued the vision “World Peace through Inner Peace” for more than 40 years, and has been teaching meditation every single day in order to help fellow humankind attain inner peace.

Religion leaders, diplomats and distinguished alike were invited to attend the function. His Excellency Mr. D. Wijesinghe, High Commissioner, only arrived to this position in late December 2009. After the singing of the National Anthem and the lighting of the Traditional Oil Lamp by H.E. the High Commissioner, 4 religious leaders gave religious observances.

(1) Rev. Mukesh Joshi (Hindu)
(2) Ven. Somsak Piyaseelo (Buddhist)
(3) Rev. Imam Ismail Hazarvi (Islam)
(4) Rev. Father Hyacinth (Christian)

Followed by the reading of 3 prominent speeches from:
1. H. E. the President of Sri Lanka
2. Hon. Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
3. Hon. Foreign Minister

The afternoon ended among Sri Lankan community while the evening will be among the diplomats.