Day retreat in Guelph, Canada

For some years Harshaprabha, an Order Member from Ipswich, UK, has been regularly visiting Guelph, in Ontario, Canada, to pursue his dream of establishing an FWBO centre there.

Harshaprabha has sent this report to FWBO News -

“I made another visit to Ontario, Canada from 31 January till 7th February. The weather was real winter, with a big snowstorm which brought 300 mm of snow to Toronto and 250 mm to Guelph where I was staying. This was the third time it had snowed in the week I was there – but even though temperatures dropped to minus 16 with the wind-chill factor I never felt the cold there as much as I do in England!

“I led a day retreat on Sunday 3rd at a Yoga Studio in downtown Guelph. There were 16 of us for the first half of the day, slightly fewer after lunch. I was pleased to see that there were 3 new faces there including a woman who’d come because she met a friend who used to attend the FWBO's Colchester Centre at a conference near Vancouver. She teaches history at the University of Guelph.

“Duncan, Sue, Kerry and I worked out after the day that we could have had 26 people there if everyone who had an interest in the day and/or the FWBO turned up.

"The potential for a Sangha in Southern Ontario including Toronto is a real one. If you feel for this and / or would like to support my 7 monthly visits then do get in touch - email me, Harshaprabha. At present I fund it from my wages and savings. It would also be lovely to fund some of the friends to go on FWBO retreats as many have very little money.

"I keep in touch with my friends there by e-mail and the occasional phone call. Quite a few know each other from AA, therapy groups or Laugher Yoga! We’re a great little Sangha.

Tentative FWBO sprouts in Toronto, Canada

FWBO News is pleased to report on the existence of a small but enthusiastic FWBO group in Toronto, Canada - and the heroic efforts of Harshaprabha to join them. He told FWBO News -

"I first visited the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in 1998 to attend a wedding - my father having moved there in 1993 to remarry at the age of 73!

"Since 1998 I've visited Ontario on a yearly basis. In 2004 I actually moved to Guelph, Ontario with the view of emigrating to Canada, however my job only lasted 7 months and without any other means of support I was forced to return to Britain and my work as an architect. Whilst in Guelph I developed a good and loyal friendship with a number of people who attended my weekly meditation and Buddhism group.

"These friendships with people from in and around Guelph, Wasaga Beach and Toronto continue to blossom, and I'd like to spend a large part of my year in Ontario working full time to spread the Dharma. The rest of the time I'd be back in Britain or elsewhere in the world with other Buddhist friends.

"I don't know how this can be achieved but I'd very much like it to - it would give a second opportunity for people in Canada to have a regular face-to-face contact with an Order member. The other place is Vancouver some 4,000 miles away!

"If you have any ideas or wish to support me then please do get in touch.