BuddhaFest "Om" Flashmob in a Washington DC Bookstore

"June 09, 2010 — What if we could make a difference by doing something simple? A bunch of us walked into a bookstore in downtown Washington, DC, sat down and started chanting OM. Here's what happened."

BuddhaFest "Om" Flashmob in a Washington DC Bookstore
Produced by Cory Wilson

DC's First Buddhist Film Festival runs from June 17th until June 20th.

SCHEDULE
All events at the Katzen Arts Center at American University unless otherwise noted on the schedule. A few events will be held across the street at the Kay Spiritual Life Center.

Location

4400 Massachusetts Ave, Washington, DC, 20016

THURSDAY - JUNE 17

6:30 PM | Opening Reception: Featuring contemporary Asian refreshments from Mie N Yu of Georgetown and an opening ceremony led by Tibetan Drupon Tinley Ningpo.

8:00 PM | Opening Film: Cherry Blossoms

FRIDAY - JUNE 18

4:30 PM | FREE SCREENING: Fire Under the Snow

7:00 PM | Program: Tara Brach and Lama Surya Das

Living Buddha - Awakening in Today's World. Lama Surya Das and Tara Brach share teachings and practices that invite the unfolding of our deepest human potential for love, understanding and freedom.

9:00 PM | Screening: Dhamma Brothers

SATURDAY - JUNE 19

10:00 AM | Meditation and Teaching: Lama Surya Das

11:30 AM | Lunch (on own)

1:00 PM | Soto Zen Priest Ryumon H.G. Baldoquin, Sensei leads a meditation and talk as an introduction to the 2 pm film.

Talk: Can We Hear the Birds Sing? An Intimate Look at Differences within U.S. Buddhism.

2:00 PM | World Premiere Screening: Colors of Compassion: The Teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh

3:00 PM | Q&A with Eloise DeLeon, the filmmaker. Ryumon H.G. Baldoquin, Sensei will then lead a discussion about the film and the issues raised in it.

4:30 PM | Screening: Tulku

6:30 PM | Screening: Burma VJ, 2010 Academy Award Nominee for Best Documentary

7:00 PM | Screening: Blessings (at the Kay Spiritual Life Center)

9:00 PM | Screening: Meditate and Destroy

9:00 PM | Screening: The Buddha (at the Kay Spiritual Life Center)

SUNDAY - JUNE 20

10:00 AM | Meditation and Teaching: Lama Tsony

11:30 AM | Picnic for Peace
Take part in a meditation on peace and enjoy a meal with others who share the same vision. A vegetarian meal plus a bottle of water will be available for $7. You may also bring your own lunch.

1:00 PM | Screening: Peace is Every Step

2:00 PM | Discussion: Peace In, Peace Out

Hugh Byrne, co-founder of the Washington Buddhist Peace Fellowship, leads a panel discussion on the film and on engaged Buddhism. Panelists include Bill Aiken, associate national director of Soka Gakkai International - USA Buddhist Association, and peace activist Colman McCarthy, founder of the Center for Teaching Peace.

A commitment to the Buddhist principles of compassion, peace and equanimity poses the challenge of embodying those qualities at work, school, in family life, and through social action. Join us for a group discussion on engaged Buddhism, on how peace on the inside can lead to peace on the outside, and how meditation in action can change the world.

3:00 PM | FREE Workshop: Want to Be a Peacemaker? Start at Home

Everyone has grand theories about solving conflicts across the ocean, but it's across the living room where it gets tricky - or wild. Colman McCarthy leads this one-hour workshop on the basic steps of nonviolent conflict resolution.

3:30 PM | Double-Feature Screening: Compassion in Exile

4:30 PM | And: Dreaming Lhasa

5:30 - 7:00 PM | Tibetan Dinner: Enjoy delicious homemade Tibetan food for dinner while supporting our local Tibetan community. No ticket required. You may purchase food a la carte.

7:00 PM | Closing Program: Sharon Salzberg
A leading American teacher and author concludes the festival with a meditation and talk. Special musical guest Ben Beirs. The evening will conclude with a closing ceremony of chants and prayers led by Tibetan Drupon Tinley Ningpo.



Gregg Chadwick
Shumisen
Posted in solidarity with BuddhaFest

Details at:
BuddhaFest

Presented by Eric Forbis & Gabriel Riera
Made possible by a team of volunteers
Sponsored by the Kay Spiritual Life Center at American University
And the Insight Meditation Community of Washington
With appreciation to the International Buddhist Film Festival



Thanks to Gabriel for the info!