Lisbon: Course of Meditation and Seminar On the Law of Karma in the Portuguese Buddhist Union
In the activities of February, 2009 the Portuguese Buddhist Union (Uniao Budista Portuguesa) in Lisbon presents a Course on Buddhist Meditation and a seminar on the Law of Causality or Law of Karma.
COURSE ON BUDDHIST MEDITATION (Introduction) March, 5 to April 2, 2009 (Thursdays), from 19:30 – 22:00 in the Headquarters of the Uniao Budista Portuguesa, by Sagarapriya The meditation is a way for us to become more aware and awaken for our every moment experience. All its effects, from the simple relaxation to the spiritual accomplishment, derive from that same principle. On short term, meditation is an antidote for the stress, allowing us to live more calmly and with more self control. On long term, it is a method of deep transformation. In this course two fundamental practices of the Buddhist meditation are learned: Full awareness of the Breathing, which promotes sharpness of consciouseness and peace-of-mind; and Metta Bhavana – the development of love and kindness – that works directly in the transformation of our emotional experience. Besides these two meditation practices, we will also investigate posture aspects, preparation to meditate, the meditation and the day by day life, and how to deal with the difficulties that appear in the way. 
Guidance: the course will be guided by Sagarapriya, apprentice of Buddhism since fifteen years ago. Sagarapriya was ordered in the Western Buddhist Order in 1998, during the period of five years that he lived in a Buddhist center in England. Ever since he has also been practicing with masters of other Buddhist traditions, in the Occident and in Asia. In Portugal, he guides courses and retreats about meditation and Buddhism. He is vice-president of the Uniao Budista Portuguesa (Portuguese Buddhist Union). Take comfortable clothes, paper and pen for notes. Contribution: 70 euros (a real financial difficulty is not impeditive) Registrations: there is a limited number of 30 available places. To assure your registration, please make a deposit of 20 euros in the name of Uniao Budista Portuguesa or through NIB 0010 0000 82682380001 73 Note: next course – May, 7 to June, 4 THE LAW OF CAUSALITY OR LAW OF KARMA Saturday, February 21, from 15 h – 19 h In the Headquarters of Uniao Budista Portuguesa, by Paulo Borges The seminar seeks to clear the Buddhist perspective on the law of causality, better known as law of the karma. Dissipating the mystifications about it, where it is a lot of times confounded with a predetermination or an external destiny to the individual, it is a matter of understanding the creative potentiality of all our thoughts, words and actions, taking us to assume the responsibility for everything that we are and that happens to us, as well as for what happens in the world, since the so-called reality is inseparable from the way we perceive it and from the way we act upon it. The seminar is meant for those who want to deepen their knowledge about the foundations of the Buddhist path and ethics or simply to gain awareness of the deep reasons why what we want don’t always happens. 
Guidance: The seminar will be guided by Paulo Borges. Apprentice since 1983, he has been guiding several seminars and courses of theoretical and practical introduction to Buddhism and to the Buddhist meditation. He is President of the Uniao Budista Portuguesa (Portuguese Buddhist Union) and Professor of Philosophy in the University of Lisbon. He is translator-interpreter of Buddhist masters, among wich His Holiness The Dalai Lama, and translator of Buddhist texts, like “Estágios da Meditação”, of H. H. The Dalai Lama (Lisbon, Âncora Editora, 2001) and the “Livro Tibetano dos Mortos” (Lisbon, Esquilo, 2006) (with Rui Lopo). Among other works he is joint author, with Matthieu Ricard and Carlos João Correia, of “O Budismo e a Natureza da Mente” (Lisboa, Mundos Paralelos, 2005), author of “Tempos de ser Deus”. A espiritualidade ecuménica de Agostinho da Silva (Lisboa, Âncora, 2006) and “Línguas de Fogo. Paixão, Morte e Iluminação de Agostinho da Silva” (Lisboa, Esquilo, 2006). Contribution: 20 euros (Students: 15 euros; Partners of UBP: 15 euros) Note: A real financial difficulty is not impeditive Location: Uniao Budista Portuguesa, Calçada da Ajuda, 246, 1.º Dt.º, Lisbon Contacts: 21 3634363 (from 15h-21h); mobile 918728979 (pl. leave message with your name, course and contact) Email: sede@uniaobudista.pt More information: www.uniaobudista.pt
