Annual Meeting Presentation Info

Hello All,

We had our executive committee meeting last night and here's the latest regarding our presentation for the annual Arts Division meeting on January 19th.

For our next meeting on the 9th, please bring any ideas/visuals you would like to use. You do not have to shoot anything by then; in fact, they'd prefer that we do not shoot anything until the ideas of all groups have been looked over and decided upon. We can use still photos, clips from movies...feel free to call me if you have any questions about what you want to do.

Please keep in mind that our theme is "Let Your Artist Bloom," and we will be using a couple of passages from the "Salute to Poets" poem that we've been going over.

I'd like us to focus on the following sections:

There is a power in words,
an infinite power
to revive, restore
and make life blaze anew.

But this very Earth,
this lovely planet,
is a garden rich
with the full and gorgeous
blossoming of diversity.

We can also use another poem by President Ikeda so feel free to bring that to our meeting if you find something.

IMPORTANT NOTE: THE CUT OFF DAY FOR SUBMISSIONS IS DECEMBER 15TH. WHATEVER I HAVE BY THEN I MUST GIVE TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SO THE PROGRAM CAN BE PUT TOGETHER FOR ALL THE GROUPS' PRESENTATIONS.

Audra and I will be calling all members before our meeting on the 9th so we can try to figure out who exactly is committed to making this project a reality. Of course, the presentation will be a reflection of our group as a whole, so if you are unable for any reason to participate, your spirit will be part of whatever we come up with - and you can send us lots of daimoku to support our endeavor!

Thanks!
Suzanna Regos
323-467-1577
Audra Whaley
323-939-9766

August Meeting Notes

Hello Everyone,

To those who attended our meeting yesterday, thank you for showing up to support our special guest Julie Larson -- wasn't she awesome? It was our best meeting yet, no doubt about that. We'll ask her back again sometime so those who couldn't make it can hear her wonderful experience and insight.

I took some notes that I will share with you here. And please let me know if you have any breakthroughs after that powerful daimoku we ended our meeting with. Julie, Audra and I all chanted that everyone in our group would have breakthroughs after yesterday's meeting, and that includes those of you who weren't there -- our daimoku is not restricted by...well, anything!

FYI: I'm going to schedule next month's meeting a week early, on 9/23, since I will be out of town the last weekend in September.

MY NOTES:

*Buddhism - is it your identity or your practice?
*You have to create victory
*Happiness lies in winning
*Completely devote yourself to the struggle
*It's hard to chant for things you can't imagine but remember that our practice is unlimited
*Chant specifically
*Get out of survival mode and into victory
*Realize what your suffering is
*Master your mind and overcome your emotions while chanting
*Bring desire and expand your life...embrace/revive
*Don't slander yourself
*I will show proof of Buddhism in difficult times
*CHANT HONESTLY


Have a great week, I look forward to hearing some good news from you soon!

Best,
Suzanna Regos
323-467-1577
Audra Whaley
213-380-3687