Becoming a Mitra
Am I ready to become a mitra?
To find out, you can ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I feel that I am a Buddhist?
- Am I trying to practise the five ethical precepts?
- Do I want to deepen my practise within the context of the FWBO?
If the answer to these questions is ‘yes’ and you have been coming to the Centre for at least 6 months, you can find out more about what is involved.
How do I become a mitra?
The first step is to speak to one of the mitra convenors, the people who look after the needs of mitras. For men, this is Dhammavijaya and for women it is Khemasiddhi. You can leave a message for either of them at the Centre reception or on 020 8688 8624. They can give you a booklet about becoming a mitra and then if you want to explore this further, you can arrange to meet with them.
What happens in the mitra ceremony?
Having decided that you would like to become a mitra, a date is fixed for your ceremony. This will happen either on one of our festival days or other suitable occasion, and there will usually be others becoming a mitra alongside you. The ceremony takes place within the context of a puja during which you make offerings to the shrine of a flower, candle and incense. Implicit in these offerings are three declarations corresponding to the questions already mentioned : that you feel yourself to be a Buddhist, that you intend to practise the five ethical precepts, and that you want to deepen your practice as a Buddhist primarily within the FWBO.
What if I change my mind at a later date?
If you realise after a time that you no longer have this commitment to Buddhism and/or the FWBO, you can just let the mitra convenor know that you no longer wish to be seen as a mitra.
|
