Dhamma Book Publications in Africa

In this study efforts are done to communicate research problem clearly, with one of the sentences indicating the goal of the study._ Rationale statement reveals whether one was doing pure research or applied form._ The researcher shows how important this study is and a worthwhile undertaking._ Under significance of study, the researcher indicated major ways the research would impact other in parts or in whole._ For example, it was important to effectively use of research to improve public policy, enhance public services and contribute to quality of debate on how Buddhism has over decades spread to Africa._ However, this study goes forward to seek and reach consensus on the development of Buddhism in Africa.  Theories in this study are formulated to explain, predict and understand phenomena._ There were three key constructs investigated and made operational by the author, which included  –‘reason,_’ ‘strategies’ and ‘response.’_ 

In this book the study of Buddhism in Africa greatly envisages how it was organised, because it was on such a basis that quality performance and future relevance were either determined or guaranteed. Organisation development consisted of the following principles: an effort – 1) Planned, 2) organisation-wide, and 3) Managed from the top, to 4) increase organisation effectiveness and health, through 5) Planned interventions in organisation processes –using behavioural science knowledge._

The chapters of this thesis ranged from one to five. In this chapter one, the researcher presents the topic, background, research motivation, research measurement and justification. These sub sectors of the book provide direction of the study that all other chapters reflected on. In chapter two, researcher explores and identifies literature related to the study and indicated how they implied to it. Chapter three highlights and discusses the systematic procedures of finding answers to the study questions as a requirement in any scientific study. Chapter four shows the findings of the study, which are outcomes of vigorous research processes, with respect to the study questions.  And chapter five discusses the findings of the study, with arguments for and against with support of relevant literature. It also contained sections indicating corresponding conclusions and recommendations of the study. Ways to master challenges of propagating Buddhism for the future and progressive development of Buddhism on the continent are elaborately explained. The study aims at making contributions to Africa’s moral consciousness through crossdisciplinary approaches strengthening orientation towards social progress and appropriate utilization of resources and increase access to development opportunities. And as a moral guide, it suppors efforts to promotion of efficient operations and service delivery._ The concluding sections elaborates the researcher’s major findings and proposals for the future. The study is an outcome of the experiences and tangible efforts by unsung personalities to advance Buddhism and related practices in Africa, including the commendable responsibilities and contributions of resident and visiting religious_Buddhist missionary leaders and lay Buddhists in Africa. 

How to get involved:

- Donate towards Dhamma publication in Africa and completion of the manuscript, "Development of Buddhism in Africa."

- To express need to support Dhamma/Dharma publication in Africa, please do not hesitate to reach us by phone +256774336277 and/or mailto:dishma.imhs@gmail.com

KIDS OF AFRICA “RUN FOR FUN”

KIDS OF AFRICA

Kids of Africa, a Swiss initiative, is a children’s home operating in Uganda . It takes care of 92 abandoned children in ten family homes, each headed by a dedicated and loving foster mother. Kids of Africa is raising these children to be the backbone of the next generation of Ugandan society. It is expected that they will then contribute to improving the futures of similarly disadvantaged youngsters.



The compound consists of ten family homes, a kindergarten, a farm, and a carpentry workshop. At Kids of Africa, it is a belief that it takes more than bricks and mortar to raise a child. Exposure to modern farming and carpentry skills enables children to learn through multiple means and have skills they can use later on in life.



SPORT

Kids of Africa promotes sport in order to raise awareness of physical health as well as team spirit and self-confidence among. The children and staff run every morning during school holidays and at weekends, and have football matches with local teams. They are currently in the process of completing facilities for basketball, tennis and volleyball, for which funds need to be raised.



“RUN FOR FUN”

To raise these funds and to celebrate their 6th anniversary, Kids of Africa is holding a “Run for Fun” on Sunday 23rd October 2011. The sponsors for the event include Roko Construction, Orient Bank, Posta Uganda , Activate Uganda and the Sheraton Hotel. There will be 5km and 10km runs, through the Bwerenga area, which is located 4km from Kawuku on the Entebbe Rd. The starting time is 8am.



AGE CATEGORIES

The age categories are shown on the attached form.



PRIZES

The first three male and female finishers in each age category will receive medals. Additionally, in the 19-49yrs age category, there will be prizes courtesy of Sheraton Hotel for the male and female winners of the 5km and 10km races.



REGISTRATION

The registration fee is: 10,000/- for individuals; 300,000/- for corporate teams limited to a maximum of 20 participants. Registration is at Nakumatt Oasis Mall Thursday- Sunday 10am-6pm; also Shop 47, Grand Imperial Hotel, Monday - Saturday 10am-6pm. Race t-shirts, numbers and timing chips should be picked up at the starting point at 7am on 23 October. Registration on the day will be 20,000 Ugx for individuals with no corporate registration. However, those who register on the day will NOT receive a timing chip and therefore not get a finishing position and time.



Please come and join the celebration and Run for Fun!





Alex Matovu

Activate Uganda

alex@activate-uganda.com or activate.Uganda@gmail.com

+256 (0)712 831-388


1 Attached files| 78KB
Your Health is Your Wealth - Vegetarian Seminar


Date: Tuesday 3rd of May

Time: 9am -3pm

Venue: Makarere University

Partners: Ugandan Bhuddist Centre, Makarere Uni, Acacia, In Movement and potential restaurants and chefs.

Speakers: Kiwanuka (Black Herbals), Pablo Imani (Afrikan Yoga) Health Minister?
Subjects Food & The Economy, The benefits of a vegetarian diet, Health living.

Please can we meet to talk about this seminar that will follow on from the Peace Conference. 30th April, 1st & 2nd May.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Hotep - Peace Tranquility and Serenity



Pablo: Imani
Afrikan Yoga "Reconnect to the source"
www.afrikanyoga.com
www.myspace.com/afrikanyoga
Facebook Afrikan Yoga Fan Club
UK +44 (0)7816000943
UG +256 (0)700408492

Faith, Healing and Transformation

Faith is the conviction that prayer or a given religious rite has a direct effect on the life of the person in question –and helping to transform him or her from previously bad experience to positive states (wellness).

Spiritual connections indeed completed the fullest of individual self along with the thinking system, emotional system, and the body.

Other writers, however, add the soul as integral part of the being sometimes used to refer to person’s ‘spirit’, or to refer to the ‘heart.’

On the other hand, it can be used to mean the Supreme Being, or to describe extraordinary strength of a person and extremes of behavior (spirited).

As part of defense people going through difficult experience will seek objects to attach meaning and form explanations for their suffering.

The earlier spiritual experiences will dictate whether to adopt new faith or to strengthen old one –depending on how best it would have served him or her.

In Buddhist spirituality is here and now with us. We assume spiritual levels during insight meditation (mindfulness or vipassana meditation technique [VMT]).

VMT is the first of all as it dates back over 2500 years ago. The concept is so ancient that Jesus Christ too attended sessions in it. Over years it has been diluted with different labels and modifications.

Modifications include: group silence; contemplation; reflections; guided imagery; breathing exercises; verbalizations or self-masterly; self-imagery and self-talk; self or guided imagery, self-talk, self masterly and physical exercises; and so on –all proven to work but digressing from the original procedure of meditation.

Through mindfulness one can cease misery and suffering or negative emotions in his or her life. Through concentration, and bouncing back to breathing and observations of the sensory activities, the body relaxed more and more –causing the brain to be sharper.

That enables continued rising of uncalled for emotions, thoughts, pain resulting from sitting, imaginations of the past to come to individuals presences –which mindfulness locks out until their strength weakens and disappears.

At this level, participant begins to feel nothing but suspension or kind of void –where previous sensations no longer happen –including the sitting pain.

The cessation of bodily reactions will not end there but for a long time it will affect participant body with oddness of previous behaviors and, thus, news values will be called in form of dharma talks to replace old ones that have vanished.

The biochemical reactions re-launches the body to new set rules of functioning that gradually leads to total healing from the past and empowerment for the future. Other forms of mindfulness include; 1) walking meditation and, 2) sitting meditation.

After the ten (10) day mind cleansing program (VMT), it is recommended that participant continues with the practice twice a day and, at least once a day and once-a-week group sitting.

Participant is prepared through learning new values with symbols like notices placed along walls to keep reminding participant of the new value and behavioral system.

He or she is constantly encouraged to stay on the program, raise questions and have answers provided, be reminded of the goal to wellness and to sustain optimism to it.

Mindfulness is exercised along the values as they are repeated twice between the six (6) sittings a day. As the pain in the limbs and undesirable thoughts and imaginations rise and vanish the participant is left with the new values only to live new life as follows.

• Value for life
• Respect for others
• Environmentally sensitive
• Calmness
• Compassion
• Proactive
• Patience and increased ability to exercise restraint
• Sociable
• Balanced
• Increased intellect (analytical) and problem-solving abilities
• High concentration and productivity
• Increased resilience
• Optimism (or positive outlook about life)
• Considerate
• Humility
• Masterly of life
• Detached from the past and I unity with oneself and relevant others

Responses for the War Experience
• Compassionate towards enemies in war
• Peace with one-self and maker for the harmony of others
• Compassion generates inner peace and tolerance
• Model for peace-building through let-go (release of negative experiences and rethinks revenge)
• Infectiousness of compassion
• Share one’s peace and discourage warring methods of self-liberation (non-violence)
• Begin to see life positively and live it that way
Actual transformation of the diseased person begins from the processes of acknowledgement of healing act and keeping the faith. It was keeping the faith that determined sustainability of the healing effect along the scale of degree of relationship with spirituality.

In conclusion, it is wise to connect to spirituality (beyond the intellect), whilst not replacing it with the being or logic. Effectively transformative yet rational outcomes of spiritual connections result from individuals’ ability to subject them to reasoning test, which if passed then desired yet rightful behavior come forth. However, our past can be so strong that individuals easily drop newly held values –especially if they do not keep practicing the new ones.

Unfortunately or fortunately, the benefits of spirituality have turned into commodities that can be marketed for money; people use to fake others. Indeed today’s spirituality business is inclined to making spiritual leaders filthily rich at the expense of unsuspecting followers who get ‘conned’ of huge sums of money in such a rational world of saving and investment.

At the Uganda Buddhist Center or with Buddhism, donation is a choice, not a pre-requisite to receiving blessings or healing. But that does not substitute what is seen happen by the body senses and their interpretations.

There are revelations of the healing moments through merely a phone call or touch. But if three days later, villager members refute a spiritual attack story saying there was nothing like that in the area, then, one only dismisses the whole talk.

It can be a simple creation of an event to cause concern, attract sympathy and, ultimately, receive money from the departing monk. That was a deceptive act and criminal (false pretense).

Emotion Management Techniques

PROPOSED THEME: Emotional Management Techniques: The Eastern Psychology Perspective.

PROPOSED DATE: November 25th, 2010

PROPOSED VENUE: CCE Hall, Makerere University

PROPOSED TIME: 2pm to 5pm

PROPOSED GUEST SPEAKERS:

1. President of the Uganda Buddhist Center – Ven. Bhikkhu Buddharakkhita
2. Director, Institute of Alternative and Comparative Medicine –Dr. Jjuuko Justin

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 200
CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES:

1. Create an understanding of Emotional Management Techniques and Eastern Psychology
2. Examine the contribution of Emotional Management Techniques to Wellness
3. Explain the relationship between Eastern Psychology and Western Psychology
4. Illustrate the methodology and outcomes of Emotional Management Techniques

TALK DURATION PER PRESENTER: 1 Hour

MATERIALS: Flip Charts, Masking Tape.

PROCEDURE: Lecture Method, Documentary, Group Discussions, Books Display and Donation

FEE: FREE

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EVENT PLEASE EMAIL dishma.imhs@gmail.com