LBC Charity Shop makes £18 000 profit in first year of trading!

Santavajri from Triratna’s London Buddhist Centre writes with news of their new Right Livelihood charity shop, Lama’s Pyjamas - and the healthy profit they’ve made in their first year of trading!

She says - “Lama’s Pyjamas is the London Buddhist Centre’s new charity shop in Bethnal Green. We sell clothes, bric-a-brac, CDs, DVDs, videos, toys, cards, jewellery, small items of furniture, books, and more. In fact, the only things we don’t sell are electrical goods and larger pieces of furniture. During the 17 months we’ve been open, we’ve sold all manner of weird and wonderful things, including bicycles, designer watches, and a wedding dress!

“The shop is a women’s team-based right livelihood business managed by a team of three, with another 10 or so volunteers and casual workers.

“In our first year, our gross takings were £73 000, of which £18 000 was profit. We employed three full-time workers on Right Livelihood support and paid a market rent for the premises. After re-investing some of the profit in the business, we were able to give £11 000 in dana to the LBC.

“It would seem that, in these times of economic hardship, charity shops can do very good business! We would be happy to share the experience we’ve gained over the last year with anyone in Triratna who is considering setting up a similar venture. Please email Claudine@lamaspyjamas.com, Padmalila@lamaspyjamas.com or Santavajri@lamaspyjamas.com for more information.

They have a website at www.lamaspyjamas.com.

Six New Talks on Buddhist Right Livelihood Practice: new series of talks from Windhorse:evolution now available

Saddharaja, a long-standing Order Member and Staff Welfare Officer at Windhorse:evolution, Triratna’s largest and most successful Right Livelihood business, has embarked on an ambitious series of six new talks on Right Livelihood. The first of these, Meaningful Work and Values (The pleasures and sorrows of work) is now available on Free Buddhist Audio at www.freebuddhistaudio.com/audio/details?num=LOC780, and others will follow as soon as they are given. You can track their progess on Windhorse’s scrapbook blog (which doubles as a fascinating archive of their history)

In the talks he draws on his 20 years experience of Right Livelihood (team-based and otherwise ), saying -

“I aim to make conscious a path of spiritual practice and a healthy, human way of working within the modern world. A way of making our work at Windhorse:evolution (w:e) a genuine vocation. Hopefully, the talks will be interesting to everyone – Buddhist or not. I often ask myself the question what is Right Livelihood? What are the practices and how do we deepen them? Can anyone practice them, Buddhist or otherwise? What are the core teachings of Right Livelihood (RL)?

“We have a body of right livelihood experience and teaching within w:e, but my impression is that it isn’t coherently communicated and presented. Precious teachings, but not easily available. In Triratna, we have Sangharakshita’s Perfect Livelihood chapter in ‘Vision and Transformation’. There are other texts and teachings in our Movement too, but no one main source.

“So this is 2011, and society continues to change apace. Some of the traditional (and Triratna) approaches to right livelihood, while completely sound, can seem to me a bit dated – they don’t reflect how we live and work now.

“In the last three years I’ve been exploring ideas on Right Livelihood with Vajragupta (he who wrote The Triratna Story and other books). We’ve come up with six themes which might form a fresh look at Buddhist right livelihood practice – relevant to the needs of society today, whilst retaining the best of the traditional practices. The aim is that these approaches may form the basis of a book. Hopefully the ideas of Vajragupta and myself will stimulate discussion and experimentation within the business, and who knows – might even lead to some of us breaking through into something greater.

“The chart below outlines the themes of the 6 Talks. Each talk looks at a particular ‘challenges’ we can encounter in modern working, and how we might find solutions to them. The first talk is now out, more coming soon!

“There are many more teachings on RL in the Buddhist tradition, but these are the absolute essentials. You don’t think you need to be a Buddhist to appreciate many of these teachings, they are relevant to anyone – whether secular or belonging to another religious tradition”.

Windhorse:evolution is based in Cambridge, UK, where it employs over 100 people. Vacancies arise from time to time, those interested in applying are invited to check their latest adverts on Triratna Jobs.

New Society weekend upcoming in Birmingham

Jnanarakshita writes from Birmingham with news of an upcoming event aimed especially at younger members of the Triratna sangha. It’s ‘The New Society in Principle and Practice’, and he says - “It’ll be a weekend of inspiration for young Triratna Buddhists, looking at the “WHY?” of the New Society, and also the “HOW?” – either getting involved in existing projects or starting your own. It’s for people who are interested in any of the following:

• helping to create a New Society
• spreading the Dharma and building Sangha
• living communally
• working with other Buddhists

The weekend will include
- a fresh talk by Vajragupta
- practising together in the shrine room
- time to meet with others
- practical workshops on getting more involved and on getting new initiatives going

We’ll explore some of the principles and practices of creating Sangha together. What are the advantages and the challenges of Dharma work and of communal living? The emphasis will be on achievable action, and practical next steps.

DETAILS:
7.30pm Friday 17 June to 4.00pm Sunday 19 June at Birmingham Buddhist Centre.
Cost: dana (by donation).  Accommodation: available
To book: contact Vidyaruci on
matt.notmatt@yahoo.co.uk

For updates please see the Facebook Event ‘The New Society in Principle and Practice’

Windhorse celebrate giving Dana to Triratna and social projects

Deborah Harward writes from Windhorse:Evolution, Triratna’s largest and most successful Right Livelihood business, with news of some of the dana they've been able to give over the past year - to a mixture of Triratna and non-Triratna projects. She says -

“Making money in order to give it away is fundamental to the purpose and ethos of Windhorse. One of the five principles that Windhorse is based on is generosity. Our profits are given to Buddhist projects around the world and to social projects in the communities associated with our suppliers.

“Since Windhorse started in 1980 it has donated millions of pounds to many different projects in the Triratna Buddhist Community. Over the last 5 years, when financial times have been more difficult, Windhorse has still given over £248,000 to different projects within the movement. The Buddhist Evolution shops have also given over £235,000 to their local Buddhist Centres. So far this financial year, Windhorse has donated to several Buddhist projects:

Free Buddhist Audio

“Free Buddhist Audio will use their donation of £10,000 to help maintain their well used and very useful web resource which provides free access to the Buddha’s teachings. Around 40,000 people download talks every month, and the site now has around 20,000 regular podcast users. Users come from over 180 different countries, and talks are available in 9 different languages.

“In a recent interview with Sangharakshita, he said, “We know that speech is a very powerful medium of communication. We know that the Buddha’s words spoken from, as it were, from his enlightened consciousness changed the lives of so many people. So that tradition of oral presentation of the Dharma has continued right down to the present day. It makes me particularly happy to think that talks that I myself gave years, even decades ago, to relatively small audiences, are now through freebuddhistaudio.com reaching perhaps tens even hundreds of thousands of people all over the world.”

“The creators of Free Buddhist Audio are now working on a new web presence for the whole Movement. Windhorse wanted to support this effort, which will be available to tens of thousands of people, and serve to unify the Movement.

Clear Vision

“A donation of £2.500 to Clear Vision is especially to help them with providing online materials for teenagers. Clear Vision is well known for the materials they make for schools but now their focus is on the needs of young people who have learned about Buddhism in school and want more. On the website they’ll now find loads of free Dharma materials. There are games, quizzes and links to Buddhist projects around the world. Most importantly, there are two sets of interactive video-based materials: The Life of the Buddha, and Us and Them: Buddhism and Community. Have a look online at www.clear-vision.org/youngpeople

“The donation will enable Clear Vision to work on two new sets of online interactive materials, for school and home use. One is about the Kalama Sutta, using animations by the young Indian students at the Aryaloka Computer Institute in Nagpur. The second is about the Five Precepts and uses Manga style cartoons created by an American Buddhist of another tradition.

Windhorse Publications

“Windhorse Publications aims to communicate Buddhism for the contemporary world, and specifically to bring alive the Triratna system of practice. They place great emphasis on producing books of high quality that are accessible and relevant to those interested in Buddhism at whatever level.

“The £2,500 donation they recieved is helping to fund the production of two books due for release this Spring. The first, Dhivan’s This Being, That Becomes, explores the Buddha’s core teaching of conditionality, and is the second in our new Buddhist Wisdom in Practice series. The second is a new edition of Sangharakshita’s A Guide to the Buddhist Path, featuring a brand new cover, format and content. Published originally in 1990, this is one of Sangharakshita readers’ favourites and has been of tremendous value to those seeking ordination and the teachers guiding them towards it.

Social Dana

Project workers from the Green Tara Trust conduct a rural workshop in Nepal  

“Windhorse has given over £60,400 to social projects over the last five years. We mostly choose these by asking our suppliers to recommend projects which support their local community. These have included help for schools in Guatemala, China and Bali, building a well in Kenya, earthquake relief in Indonesia and a charity for disabled people in Bali.

“One example from this year is the donation of £4000 to the Green Tara Trust.. We got to know about the work of the Trust through Karunamati, an Order member and doctor who is involved with the work of the Trust. The following details from her gives you some background to the work of the Trust and how our gift will help women in Nepal.

“Nepal is one of the poorest countries in South Asia with 1 in 2 people living in poverty. This has been compounded by worsening civil conflict. Ingrained gender discrimination results in women having less access to education, facilities & decision-making. This results in poverty, poor health & disempowerment.

“4,500 Nepali women die each year in childbirth due to lack of medical care. 1 in 13 children die before the age of 5 mainly due to hypothermia, infectious diseases, and poor nutrition. In this society, women and girls do not get enough food or medical care because of their gender. The Green Tara Trust is working to change this.

“I was in labour for five days but my motherin- law wouldn’t let me go to hospital. I don’t want to repeat the same mistakes. When my daughter-in-law is pregnant, I will make sure she goes to the hospital and gets nutritious food. This is my responsibility.” 

Indu - now an advocate of the work of Green Tara

“The money Windhorse has given will pay the wages of the 3 full-time Nepalese health-workers (Ishwori, Manita and Santosh) for 10 months. They provide care in pregnancy and childbirth for 10,000 people in rural Nepal, working to empower communities to take responsibility for their own care. They are all skilled in communicating and promoting health issues, especially in engaging the poorest and most marginalised in community programmes.

“The project has been running for just over 2 years, and is already seeing significant changes in attitudes and behaviour, and an improvement in the lives of many women and children”.

For more on Windhorse and their ethical approach to business check their evolution - ethical trade statement. There are occasional vacancies in the Windhorse teams, and those interested are invited to check Windhorse's adverts on the Triratna Jobs site.

News from windhorse:evolution

windhorse:evolution (www.evolutiongifts.co.uk) is Triratna’s largest right livelihood business, with well over 100 people at their Cambridge warehouse and a chain of 17 shops around the UK, all aiming to make money to give away to the Triratna Community and to social projects associated with its suppliers. It’s been a challenging time for them with the UK recession, but they’ve weathered the storm so far and Deborah, their new Communications Officer, writes with an update from Keturaja, saying - “Coming towards the end of this financial year, we can say we've done very well. We are expecting to make a similar profit to last year, around £100,000, which is a great achievement in these challenging economic times.

“Everyone in the business has contributed, from increasing wholesale and websales, to careful buying and controlling costs across the whole business. Our wholesale sales have continued their strong performance with sales for the first 9 months of the year 4% up on last year. The trading year for our 17 evolution shops has been more mixed, particularly with the heavy snow hitting our sales in December, although we fared quite well compared to the general market trend.

“Looking ahead, it is a strong aim for the business to increase profit next year, so we can give more money away, to make a difference out there in the world. The effect of the increase in VAT and cuts in government expenditure are likely to provide us with challenges, but we are keen to take advantage of lower property rents and hope to open one or two more shops this coming year. Our altruistic goal is very important - our set up for practice here is great and it gains an edge by having the aim to give money away. This year the Windhorse Trust has donated to several Buddhist projects and social projects in the communities of our suppliers, including: Free Buddhist Audio, Clear Vision, Windhorse Publications, Ban Rom Sai (an orphanage in Thailand http://www.banromsai.org/) , and Green Tara Trust, a maternal healthcare project in Nepal (http://www.greentaratrust.com/)

Vidyavajra's 'A Show of Hands' artwork,
representing the individual and collective efforts
of those who work at Windhorse

“Another aim for the year ahead is to continue our practice of Buddhist values and ethos at work. Uddiyana, where we work, already feels more like a beautiful shrine than a modern warehouse and offices, and Vidyavajra has been making more great improvements to the building, including his recent artwork 'A Show of Hands'. Arthapriya will be expanding his contribution as right livelihood convenor for the business, and Saddharaja will be giving a series of talks on Right Livelihood (more news on this to come soon).

“For more about us, you can now find us on facebook!  Look for windhorse:evolution to find more images, information and videos, and make friends with us to receive updates. Also, look out for our new magazine, available from Triratna Buddhist Centres around the world this week”.

New Right Livelihood Letting Business in Cambridge

News is just in  of a new Buddhist Right Livelihood Business in Cambridge, England. It is called New View Residential and is owned by the Windhorse Trust, windhorse:evolution's parent charity.

The man behind the business is Jayasiddhi, who started work on the project in October last year. Jayasiddhi told us:

“I used to work in the property letting industry in Cambridge before joining windhorse:evolution in 2001.  In fact, that’s how I became involved in Buddhism, by renting a house to Windhorse for use as a community. I was fascinated by the sight of their shrine room and started going along to the Cambridge Buddhist Centre a couple of months later”

“I first had the idea for a Buddhist ethical Letting Agency back in 2005, shortly after my ordination. It has taken me a while to get around to it, but with the encouragement of Achara and Keturaja it started to take on a life of its own. Before I knew it I had my first landlords, Sujiva and his wife Meera, who needed to rent their house while exploring life in New Zealand. The business naturally unfolded from there.”

The Cambridge based residential letting agency acts on behalf of local landlords who wish to rent their property out. New View Residential advertises their property to help them find tenants, takes references and collect rent, deposits and so on. They also act as an agent for Letsure, who provide insurance to landlords and tenants.

New View Residential is a not-for-profit organisation meaning that it distributes its profits to charity. Half of the profits will go to Triratna Buddhist projects and the other half to charities nominated by their landlords. Jayasiddhi says “We have given our landlords a choice of five local charities to sponsor. We have also included the Karuna Trust as an option for our Buddhist landlords.

"The name “New View” carries three associations. Firstly, the Buddha’s Middle Way is a New View. Secondly, a letting agent dedicated to raising money for charity rather than profit is a New View. Thirdly, when you move home you get a New View.

“I have received a lot of help and encouragement from Keturaja, Maitridevi, Vidyavajra and Jnanasalin to name but a few. Vidyavajra has done an excellent job designing the logo and property boards. It’s been a real team effort.”

Jayasiddhi concludes by saying “I hope this new venture is successful in raising much needed funds both for Triratna Buddhism and for local charities. But, in addition to that, I really hope that we can help to raise the profile of Buddhism in the broader community. You never know how people will become involved, just look at me!”

New View Residential had their Cambridge Lettings website developed by Virya Technologies, an ethical business run by mitra Ruth Cheesely in Ipswich. Please have a look at the website and let Jayasiddhi know what you think.

Community At Work: part II of Windhorse video now released

Sugarbha writes from Windhorse:Evolution with news that the second part of their new series of short videos, Community At Work,  has just been released and is available for viewing.  He says -

“Four sangha members are interviewed regarding their experience of working in the business, including Nandavajra, a senior Order Member working with us for two months after stepping down from many years as Chairman of the Newcastle Buddhist Centre.  So a somewhat fresh perspective! People give personal and sometimes lively, humorous accounts”.

Windhorse are Triratna’s largest and most successful Right Livelihood business.  Based in a large and beautiful purpose-built warehouse just outside Cambridge UK, they’ve an annual turnover of over UK £10m and currently have two vacancies.  You’ll find an advertisement on our sister blog Triratna Jobs. 

The direct video link is www.vimeo.com/19742477

new Triratna jobs and volunteering opportunities

There’s a number of Job and Volunteering opportunities coming up around the Movement, and we invite Triratna News readers to check our sister blog Triratna Jobs for more details.

Top of our list is Cambridge-based Windhorse:Evolution who seek women for the two key full-time posts of Personnel Advisor and Customer Service Advisor.

Meanwhile over at Windhorse Publications - also based in Cambridge - they’re seeking a full-time Publishing Controller to organise and oversee the entire book production process, from draft manuscript to finished book - among other things!

Karuna are recruiting volunteers for their Fundraising as Spiritual Practice campaigns - the classic (and very challenging) door-to-door appeals, the second year of the One Year Appeal (men only); Six week telephone campaigns (men and women); and finally the opportunity to practice Solo door-to-door fundraising as a livelihood. More about all these at www.appeals.karuna.org.

And last but by no means least, Buddhafield are gearing up for their summer season and especially looking for cafe volunteers. Check their website www.buddhafield.com/index.php?cafe=volunteer. Hard work, but a great opportunity to get to some of the UK’s best alternative festivals!

if you would like to announce a job or volunteering opportunity andwhere in the worldwide Triratna Buddhsit community please email us at lokabandhu@fwbo.org

Windhorse:Evolution release Padmasambhava and 'Community at Work' videos

Windhorse:Evolution, Triratna’s largest team-based Right Livelihood business, write letting us know of two new videos they’ve produced, titled ‘Padmasambhava Festival’ and ‘Community at Work, part I’. Sugarbha writes from their base in Cambridge, UK, to say -

“In the first video you see us bringing our Padmasambhava period to end in late December. The video communicates why Padmasambhava is an important figure, and presence, to us during this particularly busy time.  The direct link is www.vimeo.com/16427718, or click the embedded player below.


Padmasambhava Festival @ Windhorse Evolution from Dharmachari Sugarbha on Vimeo.

“The second video, 'Community at Work part I', is the first in a series of three videos where members of our sangha here at Windhorse:Evolution share their thoughts on how working in the Giftware Industry has helped to transform their lives! Some of these people have moved here from overseas, it is a down-to-earth but at the same time inspiring account of real-life Buddhist practice”.  This is at www.vimeo.com/18838726 or below.


Community at Work I from Dharmachari Sugarbha on Vimeo.

Click on either of the embedded players, or the direct links, to watch them.

Enjoy... and look out for Parts II and III!

Tipu's Chai - Right Livelihood in the States

Abhayanaga, an American member of the Triratna Buddhist Order, writes from California with news of their Right Livelihood business Tipu’s Chai (www.tipuschai.com).  Tipu’s has been taking off lately, and is now available all over the States- rumour has it that it’s even coming to the UK soon! Check www.tipuschai.com/buy-our-chai/store-locations for the current outlets.

Latest news is a TV interview with Buddhapalita, and Abhayanaga says -

“Buddhapalita was recently interviewed on the local Missoula news station KECI and the clip is available on their website.

Buddhapalita’s the President and founder of Tipu's Chai in Montana, and we think he did an excellent job! This is especially true considering that the interview was filmed at 6am, and he had just returned from a week of hard work in New York sampling out Tipu's Chai at Dean and Deluca's Manhattan locations.

“Please share this video with anyone who knows Buddhapalita, or who you think may find it enjoyable.

“Also, please follow us on facebook and twitter, or if you've had the chance to try our delectable chai, write a review on Amazon  for us. All of this online attention really helps and has a very positive impact on our business.

“Best, Abhayanaga

Tipu’s Chai receives national press!

Tipu’s Chai is a small US-based Right Livelihood supplying Chai mix across America.  Operating out of Missoula, Montana, they employ four members of the Triratna Buddhist Order.  It's not easy for new start-ups in the States right now, but looks like they're just about to break out big time!  Abhayanaga writes with their latest news - and a request for your help.  He says -

"At the beginning of August, Relish, a national magazine dedicated to celebrating the best of American cuisine that is carried in daily newspapers all over the country, published a highly positive review of Tipu’s Chai new instant mix in its inside cover. To quote the review, ‘Tipu’s Instant Chai is peppery and spicy and the best we’ve tasted. Made in Montana by Bipin Patel (Dh. Buddhapalita), whose family hails from Gujarat, India, the chai includes organic black tea and ‘spices.’’

"Since the publication of the review, Tipu’s website, www.tipuschai.com has been bombarded with over 5,000 orders and requests for samples. The small Tipu’s team, Varada, Naganataka, and myself (Abhayanaga), with the help of Sanghadevi who happened to be visiting Montana at the time the review was published, (thanks for all your help!) have barely been able to keep up with the demand generated by Relish.

2All the attention has given our small Right Livelihood business a timely boost and we are very keen to capitalize on all the new interest. Our chai has begun popping up on food blog websites like www.angerburger.com and www.perkdup.blogspot.com, and is being very favorably reviewed on specialty tea websites like www.teaviews.com, www.steepster.com, and www.teareviewblog.com.

Web commerce is an excellent way for a small specialty food biz like ours to compete with much larger companies in the same industry, as we can take Tipu’s directly to the chai lover without having to navigate through the web of distributors, brokers, and retailers who can often be resistant to newer products.

Get involved!
"If Order members, mitras, and friends would like to support us, the best thing they can do is to follow us on social media sites such as facebook and twitter and leave comments and reviews on those sites. Currently we have just under 500 facebook fans and we would like to increase that number to 1,000 during the autumn of 2010. 1,000 fans is one of the facebook thresholds after which we would come on to the radar of more food bloggers and food and drinks buyers. Additionally, if anyone who has ever savored Tipu’s chai would take the time to write reviews on the above mentioned sites, or go to Amazon.com and review us there, we would very much appreciate it.  the above links should take you to those sites.

"And lastly, if any centers would like to carry our dry mixes as an extra revenue stream we’d love to have Tipu’s Chai on shelves in Centers around the movement.

"All of this attention really does help our business and we would be very grateful if those in the larger Triratna community could take a bit of time to help boost our online profile in the ways I’ve mentioned. And if you ever find yourself in Montana, we’d love to give you a tour of our headquarters, i.e., Varada’s place. You just need to be comfortable sharing some space with horses, goats, ducks, chickens, a noisy rooster, and 3 dogs!

"With metta
Dh. Abhayanaga

PS - a few of their latest tweets copied below...

• about 16 hours ago The show in Mexico City went well....they like the spicy stuff here! served over 3000 people in 3 days!... http://fb.me/ITZ8Ee4K
• about 18 hours ago @Tipuschai New Tea Review on Tea Review Blog find it here: Tipu's Chai Slow Brew from Tipu's Chaihttp://www.teareviewblog.com/?p=13952
• about 23 hours ago Our new favorite blogger, Sunday Williams from angerburger.com, substituted our instant chai for cinnamon in a...http://fb.me/IulJvG5f
• about 3 days ago Woo-hoo! 9.5 out of 10 from another teaviews reviewer. This time it's our instant blend. Thanks Lynn! http://fb.me/COYFo9QD

Bodhi Mind, Bodhi Living - new Right Livelihood in Sydney

Nick Maddocks writes from Triratna’s Sydney Sangha to say -

“Next time you’re in Australia make sure you visit Bodhi Books and Gifts - our exciting new Team-Based Right-Livelihood (TBRL) based in Newtown, epicentre of the Sydney Sangha. With the arrival of Bodhi, TBRL is now an integral part of the greater mandala in the Sydney Sangha, taking its place alongside the Green Elephant (our Op Shop), and Windhorse Books - plus of course the Centre itself!

Bodhi, in which I work, is in walking distance of the Sydney Buddhist Centre (24 Enmore Rd, Newtown) It started life in December 2007, being launched off the back of the well established (and still operating) Windhorse Books, which was set up by Ratnajyoti over 14 years ago. Since those early days we’ve grown to a core team of four people (three Order Members and one GFR Mitra), a further four casual staff and 10-15 volunteers from the Sydney Sangha.

Bodhi specialises in trading a unique range of ethically traded giftware, as well as stocking the largest selection of Dharma literature in Australia. Bodhi's vision is to make the Dharma accessible to more Australians, to practice non-harm and generosity through ethical trade and living, and to support TBRL as an integral part of Buddhist practice within the Australian Sangha.

So, in the meantime, until you have the opportunity to drop by the shop, visit our Facebook Fan page to become a fan and receive updates:  www.facebook.com/pages/Newtown-Australia/Bodhi-Books-and-Gifts/95512341087

The photograph comes from Google Street View - though taken before Bodhi's arrival on the scene!

New opportunities in Triratna - check Triratna Jobs

There's a number of new opportunities appearing on Triratna Jobs, sister site to Triratna News.

Spanning the Karuna Trust in London, Vajraloka retreat centre in Wales, and a Brighton team-based right livelihood, there just might be something there for you.  Check it out..

new video from the Windhorse warehouse

The folk at Uddiyana, Windhorse:Evolution's massive warehouse in Cambridge UK, have sent Triratna News a link to the latest in their series of work-as-practice videos, you'll find it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-L6dipsaTE or in the embedded player below.

Enjoy...!

video blogging from Windhorse:Evolution's month-long working retreat

Sugarbha writes from Windhorse:Evolution, the largest Right Livelihood business in the Triratna Buddhist Community. In their Cambridge warehouse they’ve been holding a month-long working retreat, video-blogging as they go.

He says - “Here, in part three, Arthapriya, the Windhorse Mitra Convenor, talks about work as practice and the importance of team based right livelihood as a Buddhist practice. There’s also clips of Vidyavajra leading the warehouse team in ritual around the giant Stupa in the centre of the warehouse. This is part three, the next clip will be the last in the series”.


New Developments @ Windhorse Part 3  on Vimeo.

The direct link is www.vimeo.com/10872944

Windhorse: Evolution is a successful business, trading ethically in giftware. It is the largest team based right livelihood business in the Triratna Buddhist Community, employing approximately 250 people in total. About 100 people work in the warehouse in Cambridge and a further 150 in the 18 Evolution shops around the UK and Ireland.

They sometimes have vacancies for men and women seeking to work in a Buddhist Right Livelihood environment; please check Triratna Jobs for the latest, or contact Windhorse direct.

'AVATAR' Animation comes to Indian Buddhists

Shakyajata writes with news of a coup at the Aryaloka Computer Institute - Triratna’s computer training institute for young Dalit Buddhists, located in Nagpur, central India.  She says -

  

Aryaloka's Seminar on Animatoiin

“An extraordinary new phase in the development of the Aryaloka Computer Institute, Nagpur, India, took off at the end of February. Ben Lambert, an Animator and trainer from the prestigious Framestore Company in London, is a highly skilled 3-D modeller who has worked on Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, Avatar, and many other worldwide hit films.

“He visited Nagpur for 5 days of intense input, training the tutors and students of the Animation Course at A.C.I. in his skills, and running 3 public seminars for Aryaloka's benefit...he showed us how he does it, it's mind-boggling!

“Ben Lambert was with us due to the good offices of Sharon Reed, a Mitra who also happens to be a director of Framestore. Much gratitude to her. Ben's energy and enthusiasm, and caring and commitment, were very moving. He filled the days with sessions teaching the tutors and the students the hands-on techniques he specialises in, and was very impressed by how quickly they learned and how hard they worked. He even challenged himself with the HOTTEST of Indian food!...and was unfailingly friendly and kind.

“The public seminars were attended by present and potential future Animation course students, young people from local Art Colleges and Animation specialists...all were quite blown away by this behind-the-scenes exposition of how it is done at the top of the profession.

“The students learning Animation at the A.C.I. come from marginalised communities, from all parts of India, and are committed to implementing Dr Ambedkar's vision of a 'Peaceful Revolution'; a just society free of caste prejudice, based on ethics and compassion. They have suffered much discrimination and poverty in the past, and most of them are supported on the course by charitable donations.

“Their Animation training will help to give them earning power; also many of them want to use their skills to develop materials to spread the message of Buddhist values that will give dignity and hope to their communities. On Ben Lambert's final evening, with much satisfaction and glee, the first TBMSG Buddhist comic was launched, which the students and their teachers have produced....it's great, watch out for it! (available in English from shakyajata@googlemail.com, in Hindi from aryaketu@yahoo.com ) Profits from this will support students from poor families on the next course.

“So, Ben Lambert's visit was like something from another world....boosting the reputation of Aryaloka Institute and the future opportunities of young people from very poor backgrounds...and best of all, he has promised to CARRY ON training them through assignments and feedback, and wants to come again! Thank you Ben, thank you Sharon, thank you Aryaketu who set all this up, thanks to the young trainees and tutors too, you are the real stars”.

Shakyajata

Windhorse: Evolution’s month-long Working Retreat - part II

Sugarbha writes from Windhorse: Evolution with news of their month-long Working Retreat. They’re making a video diary of the event - they plan to tell FWBO News readers and the wider Buddhist Sangha more about themselves and they see their work - and the business itself - as a really effective means of practicing Right Livelihood.

He says -

“Windhorse: Evolution is a successful business, trading ethically in giftware. It’s the largest team based right livelihood business in the Triratna Buddhist Community/FWBO.

“We employ approximately 250 people in total - about 100 people in Cambridge and a further 150 who work in the 18 Evolution shops around the UK and Ireland.

“Right now we’re running a month-long working retreat in the warehouse. Here in part two of our video diary of the event, Satyaketu (our Warehouse Manager) outlines the scale of the operation and explains why we are now in a position to focus more on exploring work as a spiritual practice.

“The link is to view the video is http://vimeo.com/user2981906/videos

“Enjoy!

“Sugarbha”

Lama’s Pyjamas are go!

Padmalila writes from the FWBO’s London Buddhist Centre with news of the opening of their new Right Livelihood business - the Lama’s Pyjamas. Which is a charity shop, in case you were wondering. And you’re invited...! She says -

“The new charity shop for the London Buddhist Centre will be opened officially on Saturday 20th February at 2pm by Jnanavaca, the chairman of the London Buddhist Centre. There will be live music and a special window display of garments designed by Holly. We sell clothes and bric-a-brac and plan to have workshops for the local community teaching basic sewing skills and crafts. We have a mixture of affordable clothing and better quality garments at reasonable prices.

“Holly who is designing garments and doing our window display for the opening has just finished filming a programme for BBC2 , part of the ” Mastercraft” series about traditional British crafts which will be shown in February. She has just finished designing the launch collection for a new shop in the Brick Lane area called "123, Bethnal Green Road" which will be opening later in February. She is interested in sustainability. Her garments are made with care and attention to detail and made to be worn over and over again, known as slow fashion, as opposed to much of the cheaper mass produced fast fashion today which is made to be briefly used and then replaced.

“Please come and see us anytime we're open. Opening hours 12-6pm Monday-Friday and 10.30am-6pm Saturday. Please bring us donations of clothes and bric-a-brac during opening hours and help to keep the LBC providing Meditation and Buddhism teaching, MBCT courses, TBRL and communities which together create the "Buddhist village" of Bethnal Green.

“Lamas Pyjamas is at 83, Roman Road London E2. Tel: 020 8980 1843. Web site: www.lamaspyjamas.com

Thanks Padmalila

Windhorse:Evolution begin month-long working retreat

Windhorse: Evolution is the FWBO’s largest and most successful business, trading ethically in giftware, supplying shops all over the UK and beyond. It is the largest Buddhist team-based right livelihood business in the UK and probably Europe, employing approximately 250 people in total. About 100 people work in Cambridge and a further 150 in the 18 Evolution shops that form part of the Windhorse family.

There are three teams in the Windhorse warehouse, totalling about 25 Buddhist men, and they are currently entering into a more intense period of a month-long ‘working retreat’. Specifically they are exploring how work can be a potent spiritual practice.

They write to say - “We are going to make a video diary of our retreat in the workplace which will be posted on FWBO News. Please click on the link to watch our introductory video www.vimeo.com/8778332 - or click on the screenshot opposite. And look out for follow-ups!”

Windhorse occasionally have vacancies for both men and women. These are often advertised on FWBO Jobs, or you can contact Windhorse direct on 01223 868600..

The Lama's Pyjamas: now for sale at the London Buddhist Centre!

Claudine Edwards writes from the LBC to say -

“Padmalila and I are very excited to announce the start of a new Team Based Right Livelihood business in Bethnal Green, just along the road from the FWBO's London Buddhist Centre. It's a charity shop called Lama's Pyjamas which is located at 83 Roman Road, in the premises previously occupied by Friends Organic.

“We opened our doors a week ago and plan to have a Grand Opening next month. In the mean time do visit our website www.lamaspyjamas.com.

“We're still very much 'work-in-progress' (with quite a lot still to do!) but already we've had a very positive response from the local community and great support from everyone at the LBC. We did the shop fitting ourselves (with lots of help from the wonderful Ibon) using recycled materials donated by members of the sangha - our only major new purchases were a steamer and a till!

“Our vision is for the business to be more than simply a charity shop - we hope, in time, to run training workshops, for instance teaching people the skills they’d need to turn old clothes into new - but for now we're both trying to get the shop up and running as a viable business as well as a place for spiritual practice.

“We're looking for volunteers, so if anybody has a regular amount of time they could spare please do get in touch with us - claudine@lamaspyjamas.com.