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
12 November 2025 — 17 June 2026: Theme: Rituals within Triratna
| Date | Meditation | Topic: Regulars | Topic: Newcomers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 November 2025 | Mindfulness of Breathing | Rituals within Triratna - Transference of Merit - Dharmavartin | Wisdom 3 – The Lakshanas - Kṣāntivajra |
| 19 November | Mettā Bhāvanā | Rituals within Triratna - Rejoicing in Merit - Dharmavartin | Wisdom 4 – Karma and rebirth - Kṣāntivajra |
| 26 November | Mindfulness of Breathing | Rituals within Triratna - 3 Fold Pūjā - Abhayavāṇī | Introduction to Buddhism and Triratna - John |
| 3 December | Mettā Bhāvanā | Rituals within Triratna - 7 fold Pūjā - Vīryanātha | Going for refuge to the three jewels - Nandaketu |
| 10 December | Mindfulness of Breathing | Rituals within Triratna – Tiratana Vandanā- Vīryanātha | Ethics 1 – Non harm - Dharmavartin |
| 17 December | Mettā Bhāvanā | Rituals within Triratna - Dedication Ceremony - Śraddhādāsa | Ethics 2 – Generosity - Abhayavāṇī |
| 24 December | Mindfulness of Breathing | Joint Evening: End of year reflection - Kṣāntivajra | Joint Evening - Kṣāntivajra |
| 31 December | Mettā Bhāvanā | Joint Evening: Rituals within Triratna - Kṣāntivajra Welcoming the New Year- | Joint Evening - Kṣāntivajra |
| 7 January 2026 | Mindfulness of Breathing | Practice Session - New Year Pūjā - Āryasāra | Ethics 3 – Contentment - Vanarājī |
| 14 January 2026 | Mettā Bhāvanā | Heart Sutta – what it is and what it isn’t - Nandaketu | Ethics 4 – Wholesome speech - |
| 21 January 2026 | Mindfulness of Breathing | Heart Sutta – The texture of Reality & the Nature of Wisdom - Nandaketu | Ethics 5 – Mindfulness - Abhayavāṇī |
| 28 January 2026 | Mettā Bhāvanā | Heart Sutta – The Effulgence of Emptiness - Nandaketu | Meditation 1 – The System of Practice - Vīryanātha |
| 4 February 2026 | Mindfulness of Breathing | Heart Sutta – Holding to Nothing Whatever - Nandaketu | Meditation 2 – Balanced effort - Vanarājī |
| 11 February 2026 | Mettā Bhāvanā | Festival Evening - Parinirvāṇa Day - Śraddhādāsa | Meditation 3 – The Hindrances - |
| 18 February 2026 | Mindfulness of Breathing | GfR Groups - What is GfR - Vidyadaka | Wisdom 1 – Conditionality - Dharmavartin |
| 25 February 2026 | Mettā Bhāvanā | GfR Groups - Confession, Theory & Practice - AbhyaSiddhi Women's GfR Group | Wisdom 2 – The Four Noble Truths - |
| 4 March 2026 | Mindfulness of Breathing | GfR Groups - Training for Ordination - Men's GFR Group | Wisdom 3 – The Lakshanas - Vanarājī |
| 11 March 2026 | Mettā Bhāvanā | GfR Groups - Becoming a Mitra/Mitra Study - Men's GFR Group | Wisdom 4 – Karma and rebirth - |
| 18 March 2026 | Mindfulness of Breathing | GfR Groups - Going on Retreat - AbhyaSiddhi Women's GfR Group | Introduction to Buddhism and Triratna - |
| 25 March 2026 | Mettā Bhāvanā | Mantra Workshop - Helena | Going for refuge to the three jewels - |
| 1 April 2026 | Mindfulness of Breathing | Meditation - Overview of the Triratna System of Practice - Śraddhādāsa | Ethics 1 – Non harm - |
| 8 April 2026 | Mettā Bhāvanā | Meditation - Mettā Bhāvanā - Abhayavāṇī | Ethics 2 – Generosity - |
| 15 April 2026 | Mindfulness of Breathing | Meditation - Mindfulness of Breathing - Laurie | Ethics 3 – Contentment - |
| 22 April 2026 | Mettā Bhāvanā | Meditation - Just Sitting - Abhayasakhī | Ethics 4 – Wholesome speech - |
| 29 April 2026 | Ethics 5 – Mindfulness - | ||
| 6 May 2026 | Meditation 1 – The System of Practice - | ||
| 13 May 2026 | Meditation 2 – Balanced effort - | ||
| 20 May 2026 | Meditation 3 – The Hindrances - | ||
| 27 May 2026 | Wisdom 1 – Conditionality - | ||
| 3 June 2026 | Wisdom 2 – The Four Noble Truths - | ||
| 10 June 2026 | Wisdom 3 – The Lakshanas - | ||
| 17 June 2026 | Wisdom 4 – Karma and rebirth - |
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.