Wednesday Dharma Night in person only
The evening takes place in two halves. In the first half, we will introduce an aspect of Buddhism with an opportunity for discussion. After a short tea break, we explore one of two Buddhist meditations.
We offer two streams of teaching (see our Programme below):
- for newcomers to Buddhism, we offer a 14 week rolling Introduction Course plus led meditations. You can join the course on any week and can go round it as many times as you like.
- for more experienced regulars, in a separate room, we offer teaching and discussion on an aspect of Buddhism plus meditations with little or no leading.
Classes are free but your donations are greatly appreciated. Make an online donation here
Meditation
We teach two Buddhist meditation practices: Mindfulness of Breathing, for developing awareness, integration and clarity of mind; and Mettā Bhāvanā (“development of loving kindness”), which brings about a gentle but radical transformation of our emotional world. Each week we alternate between the two practices.
Talks
We introduce traditional teachings of the Buddha in a way that is accessible and practical to everyday life in the modern world. The format is usually a talk, sometimes followed by breaking into smaller groups for discussion.
Programme
7 January 2026 — 8 July: Theme: NY Puja and Heart Sutta
| Date | Meditation | Topic: Regulars | Topic: Newcomers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 January 2026 | Mindfulness of Breathing | Practice Session - New Year Pūjā - Āryasāra | Ethics 3 – Contentment - Vanarājī |
| 14 January 2026 | Mettā Bhāvanā | Heart Sutra – what it is and what it isn’t - Nandaketu | Ethics 4 – Wholesome speech - Katrina |
| 21 January | Mindfulness of Breathing | Heart Sutra – The texture of Reality & the Nature of Wisdom - Nandaketu | Ethics 5 – Mindfulness - Kṣāntivajra |
| 28 January | Mettā Bhāvanā | Heart Sutra – The Effulgence of Emptiness - Nandaketu | Meditation 1 – The System of Practice - Vīryanātha |
| 4 February | Mindfulness of Breathing | Heart Sutra – Holding to Nothing Whatever - Nandaketu | Meditation 2 – Balanced effort - Vanarājī |
| 11 February | Mettā Bhāvanā | Practice Evening - Katrina | Meditation 3 – The Hindrances - Vīryanātha |
| 18 February | Mindfulness of Breathing | GfR Groups - What is GfR - Vidyadaka | Wisdom 1 – Conditionality - Dharmavartin |
| 25 February | Mettā Bhāvanā | GfR Groups - Confession, Theory & Practice - AbhyaSiddhi Women's GfR Group | Wisdom 2 – The Four Noble Truths - Āryasāra |
| 4 March | Mindfulness of Breathing | GfR Groups - Training for Ordination - Men's GFR Group | Wisdom 3 – The Lakshanas - Vanarājī |
| 11 March | Mettā Bhāvanā | GfR Groups - Becoming a Mitra/Mitra Study - Men's GFR Group | Wisdom 4 – Karma and rebirth - Dharmavartin |
| 18 March | Mindfulness of Breathing | GfR Groups - Going on Retreat - AbhyaSiddhi Women's GfR Group | Introduction to Buddhism and Triratna - |
| 25 March | Mettā Bhāvanā | Mantra Workshop - Helena | Going for refuge to the three jewels - |
| 1 April | Mindfulness of Breathing | Meditation - Overview of the Triratna System of Practice - Śraddhādāsa | Ethics 1 – Non harm - |
| 8 April | Mettā Bhāvanā | Triratna Festival Evening - Dharmavartin | Ethics 2 – Generosity - |
| 15 April | Mindfulness of Breathing | Meditation - Mettā Bhāvanā - Abhayavāṇī | Ethics 3 – Contentment - |
| 22 April | Mettā Bhāvanā | Meditation - Mindfulness of Breathing - Laurie | Ethics 4 – Wholesome speech - |
| 29 April | Mindfulness of Breathing | Meditation - Just Sitting - Abhayasakhī | Ethics 5 – Mindfulness - |
| 6 May | Mettā Bhāvanā | Practice Evening - Abhayavāṇī | Meditation 1 – The System of Practice - |
| 13 May | Mindfulness of Breathing | The Art of Reflection - Introduction - Śraddhādāsa | Meditation 2 – Balanced effort - |
| 20 May | Mettā Bhāvanā | The Art of Reflection - A Reflective Life - Abhayasakhī | Meditation 3 – The Hindrances - |
| 27 May | Mindfulness of Breathing | The Art of Reflection - Learning from Experience - Āryasāra | Wisdom 1 – Conditionality - |
| 3 June | Mettā Bhāvanā | The Art of Reflection - Dwelling on a Topic - Upekṣhādhī | Wisdom 2 – The Four Noble Truths - |
| 10 June | Mindfulness of Breathing | Practice Evening - Āryasāra | Wisdom 3 – The Lakshanas - |
| 17 June | Mettā Bhāvanā | The Art of Reflection - Reading Reflectively - Śraddhādāsa | Wisdom 4 – Karma and rebirth - |
| 24 June | Mindfulness of Breathing | The Art of Reflection - Imagining the Buddha - Dharmavartin | Introduction to Buddhism and Triratna - |
| 1 July | Mettā Bhāvanā | The Art of Reflection - Contemplating the Buddha - Āryasāra | Going for refuge to the three jewels - |
| 8 July | Mindfulness of Breathing | The Art of Reflection - Practice Evening - Vīryanātha | Ethics 1 – Non harm - |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be a Buddhist?
No, the class is suitable for everyone who wants to meditate or learn about Buddhism.
What should I wear?
There are no special requirements, just whatever is comfortable to sit in.
Do I need to book?
No - just turn up!
Is it okay to join in the middle of the series?
Absolutely. Though of course you'll get those most out of the class by attending the whole series, there's no need to wait until the start of the next series if you want to start coming.
Can I just come for the meditation?
Of course, though the meditation we teach is itself a Buddhist teaching.
How much does the class cost?
We don't charge for our classes, and the team are not paid for their time. We simply ask that those who are able to do so make a donation to the centre to help us cover our running costs.
The suggested amount, based on how many people come and how much it costs to run the centre, would be what you would pay for say a Yoga class, but this is not a fixed cost and everyone is equally welcome, even if you cannot give anything at all.