Regular classes and one-off events exploring Buddhist practice
Thursday DAYTIME Class:
Eight Verses to Train Your Mind
Thursdays from 14th August for 8 Weeks - 11.00am to 1.15pm
This weekly daytime drop-in class includes many aspects of Buddhist practice which can be helpful to you whether you wish to practice Buddhism or not. Each week begins with a guided meditation, after which Shakyapada will introduce a particular theme for the week. Discussion and questions are encouraged. From 14th August for eight weeks we will be exploring Eight mind-training verses. These belong to the Tibetan Lojong tradition and are a way of using contemplative statements to train the mind so as to let go of greed, hatred and delusion - and the suffering that accompanies these negative qualities.
All over 18 are welcome. No need to book - just turn up when you can.
Thursday DAYTIME Class:
Letters of Gold, Letters of Fire
From Thursday 9th October for six weeks - 11.00am to 1.15 pm
This weekly daytime drop-in class includes many aspects of Buddhist practice which can be helpful to you whether you wish to practice Buddhism or not. Each week begins with a guided meditation, after which Shakyapada will introduce a particular theme for the week. Discussion and questions are encouraged. From 14th August for eight weeks we will be exploring Eight mind-training verses. These belong to the Tibetan Lojong tradition and are a way of using contemplative statements to train the mind so as to let go of greed, hatred and delusion - and the suffering that accompanies these negative qualities.
All over 18 are welcome. No need to book - just turn up when you can.
Wed PRACTICE Night:
This Difficult Thing of Being Human
Wednesdays 7pm – 9:15pm for 4 weeks starting 10 September
Most of us aren’t very good at self-love, yet it is so crucial in the spiritual life and it is very hard to make progress in our practice without a strong sense of self-compassion.
This doesn’t mean that we have to be perfect of course. In fact self-compassion or self-nurturing is mostly about recognising that we are not perfect. It is about accepting ourselves just as we are with all our imperfections, mistakes, habits and fears.
Through self-compassion we learn to open our hearts to ourselves and see the tender human being who is doing their best in the world. And then we offer loving kindness to ourselves - just as we are.
In this series of four Wednesday practice Evenings we will be delving into Bodhipaksa’s excellent book and exploring some of the key fundamentals of caring for ourselves. Open to all over 18 - You don’t need to be a Buddhist or intend to be one
Wed PRACTICE Night:
Celebrating Padmasambhava
Wednesday 8 October 7pm – 9:15pm
Padmasambhava, also known as ‘Guru Rimpoche’, is celebrated each year
at this time. He’s known as ‘the tamer of demons’ in Tibet, and he is the
Enlightened being who brought Buddhism fully to that remote country.
He’s part-mythical and part-real - an outcast prince, a magician, an
astronomer, a shaman, and a semi-legendary Tantric master.
Join us this evening to celebrate Padmasambhava and to invite his
Awakened Wisdom into our lives. There will be a short talk about his life
and a puja with mantras.
Open to all over 18 - You don’t need to be a Buddhist or intend to be one No need to book - just turn up when you can
Wed PRACTICE Night: Dharma Quiz Night
Wednesday 15 October 7pm – 9:15pm
How much do you know about the Dharma? Tonight is a great opportunity
to consolidate your knowledge in a fun way. We’ll be dividing into teams
just as in a ‘pub quiz’ and posing all sorts of questions from basic
Buddhism through to Mahayana and Vajrayana (do you know what they
are?!)
For fairness, teams will be sorted so that each is a mix of newer and experienced people. Nobody will be at a disadvantage.