International Buddhist Foundation
June 17, 2012
To whom it may concern,
The International Buddhist Foundation (IBF) extends an invitation to your community to participate a day of meditations, cultural entertainment, food and camaraderie.
The IBF is organizing a Change Your Mind Day (CYMD), a free public event:
Saturday, August 11, 2012
10:30 am – 2:00 pm
Bridgeland Community Centre
917 Centre Avenue, Northeast Calgary
In 1993 Tricycle Magazine, a Buddhist Magazine created Change Your Mind Day, an afternoon of free meditation instruction, as a way of introducing the general public to Buddhist thought and practice. Change Your Mind Day has since grown into a worldwide event.
In keeping with the spirit of the original initiative our CYMD will be a day for anyone interested in meditation, spirituality, sharing ideas, music, food, and community.
A traditional collecting of alms by participating monks will begin the CYMD at 10:30 am. Venerable monks, nuns and lay members are invited to participate and assist in this and other activities throughout the day. We anticipate the activities will last until approximately 2:00 pm.
We would greatly appreciate having your community confirm your participation in this very special and unique event to Lynn Chazotsang at chazotsang[@]hotmail.com by Sunday, July 7, 2012.
Thank you,
International Buddhist Foundation
Organizing Committee for Change Your Mind Day
In the Triratna community, as in the Theravada , Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions, sangha is interpreted as the Buddhist community as a whole. Someone who regularly attends community activities is considered to be a “friend”. Friends do not have to regard themselves as Buddhists, and can be of any faith, or none. Some choose, after some time, to participate in a formal ceremony of affiliation, and thus become a “mitra.” “Mitra” is Sanskrit for “friend”, which in this case denotes a person who considers themselves Buddhist, who makes an effort to live in accordance with the five ethical precepts, and who feels that this spiritual community is the appropriate one for them.