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| ADDRESS:
P.O. Box 4243
Greenville NC, 27836 PHONE/EMAIL: (252) 756-8315 CONTACT: Bonnie Snyder bsnyder@pcmh.com LINEAGE: Tibetan Buddhism, especially Karma Kagyu AFFILIATIONS: Karma Triyana Dharmachakra, Woodstock, New York; Durham Karma Thegsum Choling WEBSITE: http://www.kagyu.org/index.php In
front of a beautiful altar, which a Tibetan artist painted, members of
the Greenville Karma Thegsum Choling (GKTC) practice meditation and prayer.
Devotees meet twice a week at the local Unitarian-Universalist Church,
as well as at a member's home. The GKTC was founded in 1983, and includes
about twelve convert members. They also send mailings about their activities
to approximately one hundred and fifty people. A majority of those affiliated
with this Buddhist group, the only one located in Carolina's Inner Coastal
Plain, are European-Americans from either Jewish or Christian backgrounds.
Participants range in age from seventeen to seventy-six, and an equal proportion
of men and women attend. Approximately ten devotees come to the Unitarian
Church on Wednesday nights, and eight to twelve participate weekly in the
Sunday practices held at a member's private residence. At the Wednesday
sessions, the group practices shinay, or silent meditation, they offer
devotions to Chenrezig, Amitabha, and Medicine Buddha on Sundays. Greenville
KTC organizes other activities as well. They sponsor visits by guest lamas
and plan First Light services on New Years Day. The First Light service
includes readings, light offerings for hope, and prayers for world peace. |
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