handout for newcomers/sangha copy 3 · a communal life that leads to contemplation. ... it is the...
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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:[email protected]
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.