handout for newcomers/sangha copy 3 · a communal life that leads to contemplation. ... it is the...

SanghaShantivanam

SanghaShantivanamisaChristiancommunitywhichaimsto

promotetheUniversalCalltoContemplationthroughsharedprayer

andspiritualpractice,andtobeasignofunityandaninstrumentof

peacebyseekingtounderstandtheexperienceofUltimateRealityas

foundinalltheworld’sspiritualtraditions.

Themonasticidealisthecontemplativelifelivedincommunity,and

acommunallifethatleadstocontemplation.Towardthatendwe

encourageeachothertocommittoregularattendanceatSangha

meetings,studyofthetextswearereadingtogether,dailypractice,

andspiritualandAinancialsupportoftheSangha.

MissionStatement

IsuddenlysawthatallthetimeitwasnotIwhohadbeenseekingGod,butGodwhohadbeenseekingme.IhadmademyselfthecentreofmyownexistenceandhadmybackturnedtoGod. BedeGrif)iths

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oṃbhūrbhuvaḥsuvaḥtatsaviturvareṇyaṃbhargodevasyadhīmahidhiyoyonaḥprachodayāt

Letusmeditateontheglorioussplendor

OftheDivineLight AndmaythatLightenlighten ourMeditation

TheGayatriMantra fromtheRigVeda

Formoreinformation:www.sanghashanti.netContemplation.com(NewCamaldoliHermitage)bedegrifDiths.com

Contact:bgsangha1@gmail.com

Wealsomeettwiceyearlyforextendedretreatsfordeeperstudy,practiceofyogaandtimeforsilenceandcontemplation.

SanghaShantivanamhostsanannualInterfaithNewYear’sEveVigilforPeaceaswellasparticipateinotherinterfaitheffortsinitiatedinourlocalcommunitysuchastheTentofAbraham.AsmallgroupfromoursanghamadeapilgrimagewithFr.CypriantoShantivanaminIndiain2007.WehavehostedfundraisingeventstosupportcharitiesbothinIndiaaswellasotherpartsoftheworld.Wehaveseveralyogaandtaichiteachersinthegroupwholeadsmallclasses.

HowWeAreOrganizedThereisasmallservicecommitteewhichhelpsfacilitatewhatwestudy,guestspeakers,)ieldtrips,retreatsandorganizationalneeds.Thisleadershipgroupmeetsmonthlyandallmeetingsareopen.Wehaveasmall,butverygoodlibraryofdonatedbooksavailableforcheckoutbymembers.Booksarecataloguedandmanagedbyvolunteers.SanghaShantivanamisa501c3non-pro)itorganizationandallcontributionsaretaxdeductible.Wedependonmembercontributionstosustainourwork.

WhatWeHaveStudiedOverthelastseveralyears,wehavereadandstudiedtogetherthesacredtextsofHinduism,Buddhism,Islam,Su)ism,Judaism,NativeAmerican,andTheDivineFeminineSpirituality.Manylocalclergyandguestteachershavecometospeakwithusabouttheirfaithandsacredtexts.WehavestudiedthewritingsofmanyofthegreatmysticsinChristianity,bothfoundationalandcontemporary,aswellasmysticalpoetsandartists.Abibliographyofsuggestedreadingisavailable.

HistorySanghaShantivanamwasformedinSantaCruz,CAin2005undertheguidanceofFr.CyprianConsiglio,OSB,Cam.currentlyPriorofNewCamaldoliHermitageinBigSur.

Ithasbecomemoreandmoreclearthat,asidefromtheir verypresence,silentasitmaybe,monksand contemplativesarecalledtosharewiththeworldand thechurchtodaythewayofcontemplativeprayer,the wayofmeditation.Itisthemaingifttheyhavetooffer.

PrayerintheCaveoftheHeart:TheUniversalCall toContemplation,CyprianConsiglio

Weareagroupofabout30activemembers(aswellasauxiliary)whomeettwicemonthlytoreadandstudysacredtexts,topracticemeditationandparticipateinlocalpeacemakingefforts.

WhatWeDoOurmeetingsarebuiltaroundourprayerservice,developedbyFr.Cyprian,andbasedonthatofBedeGrifWithsfromShantivanaminTamilNadu,India. Fr.BedewasaBenedictinemonkandpriestwhobecamealeaderinthedevelopmentofEast-WestdialoguebringingthewisdomoftheEastanditsfocusonmeditationtotheWest,helpingChristianityrediscoveritscontemplativerootsasexpressedintheearlydesertmothersandfathers.OurliturgyincludesopeningSanskritchants,followedbyareadingfromuniversalwisdom,anopeningprayer,chantingofpsalms,andreadingoftheGospel.Weinviteguestteacherstodeepenourstudyofparticulartextswearestudyingtogether.Everygatheringincludesaperiodofsilentmeditation.Weclosewithintercessoryprayersandmetta(thepracticeofdirectingwell-beingtowardsothers).Weoftenshareavegetarian/veganpotlucksupperafterward.